Trafficking of children

Trafficking in children – a severe violation of human rights, a form of violence against children and a serious crime – continues to increase and evolve within and across borders. According to the latest UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, children account for 38 per cent of victims detected globally. That is a significant rise in the share of children detected among victims of trafficking since 2019.  
Children of all ages, genders, nationalities and backgrounds are affected by this crime. While no child is immune, those who are already vulnerable or disadvantaged are more severely affected. Children are exploited for various reasons. Girls are increasingly trafficked for sexual exploitation and, to a lesser extent, for forced labour and other forms of exploitation, such as forced marriage. Boys are primarily trafficked for forced labour and criminality, with children reportedly recruited and exploited for drug trafficking and other crimes. 

This complex crime is also one of the fastest growing, driven by three interrelated factors that must be addressed simultaneously:

• the growing vulnerabilities of children worldwide, which are exacerbated by multiple global crises;
• a rise in lucrative and organized criminal activities that are increasingly facilitated by technology; and
• the growing global and local demand for the exploitation of children. Trafficking in children remains a low-cost and low-risk, yet high-profit, illicit trade. Increasingly, organized criminal groups are trafficking more victims and making more profits. 

Responses to trafficking in children are not evolving fast enough to keep pace with the evolution and scale of the crime. Traffickers are adapting rapidly, taking full advantage of technological advancements and of the vulnerabilities created by crises to recruit, exploit and control victims, while responses continue to lag behind. A rapid, multi-stakeholder, well-coordinated, child rights-based, and adaptive approach is needed to tackle the crime and its underlying causes. 

Therefore, urgent attention and redoubled efforts at the global, regional and national levels are required to prevent child trafficking and protect children. Equally, criminal justice measures to hold perpetrators accountable and end their impunity are important to deter traffickers from committing the crime. Without immediate accelerated action, the number of children at risk and child victims of trafficking will continue to rise, also undermining the commitments under the Sustainable Development Goal target 16.2. 

Building up on the annual report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children to the Human Rights Council; and in line with the concerted effort within the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT), as well as the OSRSG-VAC-UNODC Strategy, this High-Level Panel brings together key partners to share concrete views, examples, actions, and lessons learned to pave the way for a robust, strengthened and scaled up responses to prevent and protect all children from trafficking.  Trafficking in children – a severe violation of human rights, a form of violence against children and a serious crime – continues to increase and evolve within and across borders. According to the latest UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, children account for 38 per cent of victims detected globally. That is a significant rise in the share of children detected among victims of trafficking since 2019.  

Children of all ages, genders, nationalities and backgrounds are affected by this crime. While no child is immune, those who are already vulnerable or disadvantaged are more severely affected. Children are exploited for various reasons. Girls are increasingly trafficked for sexual exploitation and, to a lesser extent, for forced labour and other forms of exploitation, such as forced marriage. Boys are primarily trafficked for forced labour and criminality, with children reportedly recruited and exploited for drug trafficking and other crimes. 

This complex crime is also one of the fastest growing, driven by three interrelated factors that must be addressed simultaneously: (a) the growing vulnerabilities of children worldwide, which are exacerbated by multiple global crises; (b) a rise in lucrative and organized criminal activities that are increasingly facilitated by technology; and (c) the growing global and local demand for the exploitation of children. Trafficking in children remains a low-cost and low-risk, yet high-profit, illicit trade. Increasingly, organized criminal groups are trafficking more victims and making more profits. 

Responses to trafficking in children are not evolving fast enough to keep pace with the evolution and scale of the crime. Traffickers are adapting rapidly, taking full advantage of technological advancements and of the vulnerabilities created by crises to recruit, exploit and control victims, while responses continue to lag behind. A rapid, multi-stakeholder, well-coordinated, child rights-based, and adaptive approach is needed to tackle the crime and its underlying causes. 

Therefore, urgent attention and redoubled efforts at the global, regional and national levels are required to prevent child trafficking and protect children. Equally, criminal justice measures to hold perpetrators accountable and end their impunity are important to deter traffickers from committing the crime. Without immediate accelerated action, the number of children at risk and child victims of trafficking will continue to rise, also undermining the commitments under the Sustainable Development Goal target 16.2. 

Building up on the annual report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children to the Human Rights Council; and in line with the concerted effort within the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT), as well as the OSRSG-VAC-UNODC Strategy, this High-Level Panel brings together key partners to share concrete views, examples, actions, and lessons learned to pave the way for a robust, strengthened and scaled up responses to prevent and protect all children from trafficking.