New York, 27 November 2021 (TDI): In the High-Level UNGA meeting, the EU underlined its strategy for combatting human trafficking. The meeting on “United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons” was held on Monday. Commissioner Ylva Johansson delivered the EU’s statement and outlined the EU’s strategy on behalf of the European Union at the meeting.
During the meeting, Commissioner Ylva Johansson stated that human trafficking is an extreme violation of human rights that impact people in the EU, and at the global level. She also outlined that human trafficking is not an issue of human smuggling but it involves the exploitation of humans. In this regard, she told that migrant smugglers often smuggle trafficked victims and work as “organized criminals.”
EU’s Strategy for Combatting Human Trafficking
During the meeting, Commissioner Ylva Johansson stated that combatting human trafficking is a priority issue in the EU. In outlining the EU’s strategy for combatting human trafficking, Commissioner reported that it is a comprehensive plan of action from protection and prevention of victims to conviction and prosecution of criminals. She also highlighted that the EU’s strategy particularly addresses protecting women, children, and victims of sex slavery.
The European Union’s Strategy for combatting human trafficking targets four vital areas:
- Reducing demands that drive and encourage human trafficking.
- Disintegrating the business of traffickers both online and offline.
- Supporting, empowering, and protecting the trafficked victims, especially women and children.
- Encouraging and advancing international cooperation.
Commissioner Ylva Johansson in her statement also outlined that most of the trafficked victims in the EU are trafficked for sex slavery. In this regard, Commissioner highlighted yearly revenue of sex trafficking in the EU is 14 billion euro.
Moreover, during the pandemic, traffickers have moved online from recruitment to exploitation of victims; from organization to accommodation.
Lastly, Commissioner Ylva Johansson said that the “adoption of the Political Declaration on the implementation of the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons” is vital for global efforts to combat this heinous crime.
