GID 2024
Fighting Human Trafficking

Global Integrity Day 2024
Fighting Human Trafficking
Solidarity, Skills, and Integrity

International Day Against Trafficking in Persons (30 July 2024)

Reflections and Resources

Sustainable Development Goal 16
--"Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms."
Sustainable Development Goal 16.5
--"Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels ."
Sustainable Development Goal 16.6
Note the SDG Indicators, Metadata Repository and information on SDG 16,
especially these indicators related to corruption: SDG 16.5.1. and SDG 16.5.2

"Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres,
including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation"

Sustainable Development Goal 5.2

"Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms.”

Sustainable Development Goal 8.7

"End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children"
Sustainable Development Goal 16.2
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Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery

International Justice Mission (website)

“Slavery is illegal almost everywhere...There are an estimated 50 million people held in slavery today. An estimated 90% of labor trafficking takes place in the private economy—homes, business and supply chains. Human trafficking generates about $150 billion a year—with two-thirds coming from commercial sexual exploitation.” Examples:

“--Labor Trafficking. Vulnerable people are forced to work for little to no pay, through deception, threat or violence.

--Sex Trafficking. Someone deceives and sexually exploits another person for a profit. Sex trafficking includes exploitation in brothels, homes and on the internet.
--Online Sexual Exploitation of Children. Children are sexually abused by traffickers who spread videos, photos or livestream the abuse for sex offenders to direct from anywhere in the world.
--Forced Scamming. Criminals use online communication platforms to falsely advertise overseas jobs, but trap workers once they arrive.”

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Some Highlights

2 December 2024 webinar short presentations in Geneva--44 minutes)--10th Anniversary of the Signing of the Faith Leaders’ Universal Declaration against Modern Slavery (Rome 2 December 2014)
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15 November 2024 is the first International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime (TOC). Theme--Pulling together to push back: United against organized crime--Organized crime steals, corrupts and kills. "Criminal networks are exploiting global vulnerabilities on a vast scale—from human trafficking to environmental destruction and cybercrime. Organized crime operates across borders, posing serious challenges that no country can tackle alone...Led by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), this campaign showcases success stories where cooperation has led to meaningful progress, from dismantling trafficking networks to promoting sustainable alternatives to illicit economies. Together, we can push back against organized crime and build safer, more resilient communities worldwide." Short video overview HERE. High level event on 15 November at the United Nations Vienna HERE (archived on UN WebTV). See the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime. Note also the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
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Integrity Kids Got Talent! Bamenda, Cameroon
For more information contact Taba Ebenezar Tata
tabaebenezartata@gmail.com
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Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2024

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (Dec 2024)

“Child trafficking, trafficking for forced labour and forced criminality are rising as poverty, conflict and climate leave more people vulnerable to exploitation, according to the 2024 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons published today by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The Report records a 25 per cent increase in the number of trafficking victims detected globally in 2022 compared to 2019 pre-pandemic figures. Between 2019 and 2022, the global number of victims detected for trafficking for forced labour surged by 47 per cent. The global number of detected child victims increased 31 per cent in 2022 compared to 2019, with a 38 per cent rise recorded for girls. More boy victims have been detected in areas where increasing numbers of unaccompanied and separated children had been recorded. Child trafficking is also on the rise in high-income countries, often involving girls trafficked for sexual exploitation.” (quote from the UNODC press release 11 December 2024)

International Day Against Trafficking in Persons (30 July 2024)
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UNODC World Drug Report 2024 (published on UN World Drug Day, 26 June 2024), press release-summary HERE Quote from the press release: The emergence of new synthetic opioids and a record supply and demand of other drugs has compounded the impacts of the world drug problem, leading to a rise in drug use disorders and environmental harms, according to the World Drug Report 2024 launched by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) today.“Drug production, trafficking, and use continue to exacerbate instability and inequality, while causing untold harm to people’s health, safety and well-being,” said Ghada Waly, Executive Director of UNODC. “We need to provide evidence-based treatment and support to all people affected by drug use, while targeting the illicit drug market and investing much more in prevention.” The number of people who use drugs has risen to 292 million in 2022, a 20 per cent increase over 10 years. Cannabis remains the most widely used drug worldwide (228 million users), followed by opioids (60 million users), amphetamines (30 million users), cocaine (23 million users), and ecstasy (20 million users).

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UNODC launches new action to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling (22 April 2024)
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Trafficked and Trapped
Trapped in Oman--BBC Africa Eye Documentary--17 March 2024
"We want our people back." "How can you buy someone else's freedom? "
Two million women are domestic workers in the Gulf region. This report primarily focuses on abuses experienced by Malawi women. Video HERE--Article HERE

See also
Imported for My Body: The African Women Imported to India or Sex
BBC Africa Eye Documentary
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Trafficking in Persons: 10 July 2024--UN Vienna
Constructive Dialogues for the Review Mechanism
of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC)
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21st International Anti-Corruption Conference--Transparency International
Confronting Global Treats--Standing Up for Integrity

(18-21 June 2024) Vilnius, Lithuania
Video recordings of the plenaries are HERE

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"In early March, Catholic Sisters Week shines a light on the faith, spirituality, mission, and community building of women religious internationally. To recognize Catholic sisters, this dialogue [special event] will lift up their critical work to address and eliminate human trafficking, which threatens the lives, dignity, and hopes of so many vulnerable people, especially women. Human trafficking is on the rise in many parts of the world, victimizing over 25 million children and adults, with an estimated 80% in forced labor and 20% in sex trafficking...It is sponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University." The dialogue includes four outstanding leaders in this vital work and is moderated by Kimberly Mazcyk, associate director of the Initiative.

True Freedom--Global Course Addressing Modern Slavery
The Clewer Initiative and the World Council of Churches
February-March 2024
50 pages of facts and reflections for advocacy and action
For individuals and groups--organised into six parts
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8 February 2024--10th International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Trafficking in Persons Commemorated this day also on the on Feast of Saint Josephine Bakhita (Sudan and Italy)

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Reflections
1. It seems to me that most of the people that we would consider to be ‘champions’ of integrity and anti-corruption--be they faith-based or of no particular faith--are either not aware that they themselves are champions or would never consider themselves to be ‘champions.’ And furthermore, very likely they would not want others to refer to them by this term. Rather, they see themselves as common people who are merely doing their duty and the right thing, ordinary citizens who are just trying to do good, even if there are risks.

What is true of our affirmation of colleagues in Global Mental Health (GMH) is also true for colleagues in integrity and anti-corruption: 'We acknowledge, with much appreciation, that many of the developments and directions in GMH are being shaped and implemented by colleagues out of the spotlight, on the ground, in the trenches—often unrecognized and under-funded. Thank you for your commitment and perseverance!' ‘All that is gold does not glitter.’ Tolkien (O'Donnell, Eaton, Lewis O'Donnell, 2021)" Kelly O’Donnell, 31 March 2023
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Featured Resources (usually two per month)

Featured Items--December 2024
International Anti-Corruption Day (9 December 2024) Uniting with Youth Against Corruption--Shaping Tomorrow's Integrity." Our world confronts numerous challenges, tragedies, inequalities and injustices, many of which are tied to corruption. With 1.8 billion young people in the world, fighting corruption is vital for the future of nearly a quarter of the global population. While young people are significantly affected by corruption, they also have the potential to become powerful agents of change in the fight for a future rooted in integrity....Therefore, the campaign for International Anti-Corruption Day 2024-2025 focuses on the role young guardians of integrity play as advocates, raising awareness about corruption and its impacts on their communities. They will actively participate in discussions, share their experiences and propose innovative solutions to combat corruption. The campaign will amplify voices of integrity leaders of tomorrow, allowing them to express their concerns and aspirations, with the hope that their appeals will be heard and acted upon. " (quote from website)

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Human Trafficking Preventative Strategies and Care of Victims Conference
Held at the United Nations in New York (11 January 2023)

Refugee Protection and Human Trafficking
Held at the United Nations in Geneva (11 December 2023)

More webinars HERE from Ad Laudate Si

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More Resources for GID 2024
Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (2022) UNODC. "This 7th edition of the Global Report on Tracking in Persons captures our world at a fragile tipping point....As law enforcement and public services were under increasing strain, pandemic restrictions may have also driven some forms of tracking to more hidden locations, potentially increasing the dangers to victims and making it less likely they could come to the attention of the authorities. Overall, there is little evidence to suggest that the threat of this crime has diminished with the drop in detected victims, and many reasons to fear that Covid, crises, conicts and the climate emergency are escalating tracking risks. Moreover, the findings suggest that our institutions are too often failing to detect and protect tracking victims, and to give them justice. The global slowdown in the number of convictions for tracking in persons – decreasing since 2017 – further accelerated during the pandemic, falling in 2020 by an alarming 27 per cent over the previous year. More concerning still, a review of adjudicated trafficking cases in this Report found that most victims rescue themselves – instead of being proactively identified, they escaped exploitation by coming forward on their own. e analysis also found girls and women are three times more likely to subjected to explicit or extreme violence during trafficking compared to boys and men, and children overall are two times more likely to be subjected to violence than adults." (page 7)

Confronting the Corruption of Human Trafficking
Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities(JLI). “There are over 40 million victims of human trafficking worldwide. The annual cost of this exploitive industry totals a massive US$150 billion a year, with no country to escape the grips of this human rights tragedy. Alongside global efforts, local faith communities - with their widespread reach and unique community presence – are key assets in countering human trafficking. They play a role in prevention, protection, and prosecution, tenets of a holistic human trafficking response, by supporting the vulnerable, ensuring that systems are just for all and making perpetrators accountable.”

“[JLI's] Anti-Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery (AHT-MS) Hub is a learning community that brings together academics, policymakers and practitioners working on the contribution of faith actors to ending human trafficking and modern slavery. [It] is a collaborative platform that provides understanding for better practices in the effort to end human trafficking and modern slavery.” AHT-MS is one of the many hubs in JLI. See also: Faith and Freedom: The Role of Faith Actors in Anti-Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (2019, scoping study) which explores “the programs and initiatives of local faith actors in their response to modern slavery and human trafficking in the Global South;” and the Resource Library.

Human Trafficking in Armed Conflicts and Post-Conflict Situations (27 March 2023, webinar recording). Side event during the Human Rights Council, United Nations Geneva. Subtitles in English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Simplified Chinese HERE. Power point and other documents HERE. This is the latest international webinar on human trafficking in light of Laudate Sí and Fratelli Tutti (Encyclicals by Pope Francis). CO-organized by Caritas Internationalis, Secours Catholique-Caritas France, and the Sovereign Order of Malta. “Existing and emerging war conflicts (including, but not limited to, Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Eritrea, and others) have led to a dramatic development of trafficking. In Europe, the war in Ukraine has contributed to revealing this phenomenon in the country itself, the border countries, and the host countries of people fleeing the fighting. Preventing conditions of trafficking of human beings in armed conflicts and supporting the victims is vital.”

Evil, Inc.–Trafficking Children for Sex. Global Integration Update (August 2023)
"God's children are not for sale." The Sound of Freedom (2023)

Human Trafficking and the Role of Local Governments (2014)

United Nations Institute for Training and Research

UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols Thereto (2000-2004)

(traffick, trafficking, etc. occur 93 times)

Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings (2005)

A Summons to a Global Integrity Movement: Fighting Self-Deception and Corruption (March 2018), Kelly O'Donnell and Michele Lewis O'Donnell. Lausanne Global Analysis. Link to a copy with a translation tool for 50 languages HERE. 'In this article psychologists Kelly and Michele O'Donnell distill some of the lessons that they have learned over the past 15 years in promoting integrity and confronting corruption. Why is it hard to live up to our moral and ethical aspirations? They reflect on the reality of dysfunction and deviance, highlight the challenge of self-deception, describe anti-corruption resources, and summon the church-mission community (CMC) to a global integrity movement marked by righteousness and relevance. We are the light—or the darkness—of the world!' (adapted from the opening section)

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Organizational Resources Related to GID 2024

25 Networks-Groups-Organizations (suggestions welcome)

Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Angel Studios--The Sound of Freedom (film and resources)

Ad Laudate Si Forum

Alliance 8.7

Alliance against Trafficking in Persons

Freedom United

Fondation College Universitaire Henry Dunant
Global Hope Network International (GHNI)

Human Rights Watch (HRW) (search “human trafficking”)

Human Trafficking Search
International Justice Mission (IFM)

International Labor Organization (ILO)

International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Joint Learning Initiative (JLI)

Lausanne Movement (search for “human trafficking”)

Love 146
The Clewer Initiative
United Nations Development Program (search for “human trafficking”)
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (search “human trafficking”)

United Nations Human Rights Office--Trafficking in Persons (more HERE)

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

US Department of State--Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons

Winrock International--see the program area for Human Rights, Education, and Empowerment

World Freedom Network (WEA and European Freedom Network)

World Vision International (search human trafficking)

Some Global News Items from 2024
Integrity Review for Jordan. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (December 2024)
In English and Arabic--See the overview in the Executive Summary

"Recognising that corruption hampers public sector modernisation, economic progress and foreign investment, Jordan is undertaking ambitious reforms to tackle it. The reforms provide an opportunity to build on past achievements while taking a more modern approach to anti-corruption that focuses on integrity. This Integrity Review provides concrete recommendations on how Jordan can strengthen its institutional arrangements and take a strategic approach to public integrity, including promoting a culture of integrity throughout the public administration and the whole of society. The report also offers suggestions for reinforcing both internal and external control and audit, improving the whistleblowing framework and strengthening the criminal investigation of corruption cases."

International Anti-Corruption Day (9 December 2024) Uniting with Youth Against Corruption--Shaping Tomorrow's Integrity." Our world confronts numerous challenges, tragedies, inequalities and injustices, many of which are tied to corruption. With 1.8 billion young people in the world, fighting corruption is vital for the future of nearly a quarter of the global population. While young people are significantly affected by corruption, they also have the potential to become powerful agents of change in the fight for a future rooted in integrity....Therefore, the campaign for International Anti-Corruption Day 2024-2025 focuses on the role young guardians of integrity play as advocates, raising awareness about corruption and its impacts on their communities. They will actively participate in discussions, share their experiences and propose innovative solutions to combat corruption. The campaign will amplify voices of integrity leaders of tomorrow, allowing them to express their concerns and aspirations, with the hope that their appeals will be heard and acted upon. " (quote from website)

15 November 2024 is the first International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime (TOC). Theme--Pulling together to push back: United against organized crime--Organized crime steals, corrupts and kills. "Criminal networks are exploiting global vulnerabilities on a vast scale—from human trafficking to environmental destruction and cybercrime. Organized crime operates across borders, posing serious challenges that no country can tackle alone...Led by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), this campaign showcases success stories where cooperation has led to meaningful progress, from dismantling trafficking networks to promoting sustainable alternatives to illicit economies. Together, we can push back against organized crime and build safer, more resilient communities worldwide." Short video overview HERE. High level event on 15 November at the United Nations Vienna HERE (archived on UN WebTV). See the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime. Note also the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.

21st International Anti-Corruption Conference--Transparency International
Confronting Global Treats--Standing Up for Integrity

(18-21 June 2024) Vilnius, Lithuania

Archived videos HERE

Integrity at All Costs, Global Integrity Network--hybrid conference in Toronto (1 June 2024)

The recordings are available at the above link (presentations, testimonies, and discussions).

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GID 2024Fighting Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking Preventative Strategies and Care of Victims Conference Held at the United Nations in New York (11 January 2023)

GID 2024
Fighting Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking Preventative Strategies and Care of Victims Conference
Held at the United Nations in New York (11 January 2023)