Trafficking of human beings has become a truly global trade and an increasingly mobile workforce has seen this ‘industry’ take many forms and provide a very lucrative source of income for organised crime networks. Women have been particularly vulnerable to this exploitation, for example as migrant workers employed in factories on low wages with no access to basic employment rights including maternity or sick leave. The increased commercialisation of domestic labour and the international sex tourism are also manifestations of this globalisation of the human workforce.

United Nations definition set out in the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children

‘ Trafficking in persons shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force of other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving of or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs’

Activities

‘Open your Eyes’ The British Council in Bulgaria have been working with the Geese Theatre Group and local partners Theatre Tsevete and IOM to develop a series of scenarios for theatre performances and interactive discussions. The theatre pieces used ‘emotive masks’ to convey messages about the hazards of trafficking and the reality and risks to young girls in vulnerable communities and explore alternative responses to tackle situations in which they might find themselves.

Resources

Gender Equality News (Issue 26)  – Trafficking of Women: a global issue
This issue of Gender Equality News focuses on trafficking of women and the need to look at the attitudes of authorities who deal with trafficked victims but the prejudices that victims may face within their own communities when and if they are able to return. Articles from Philippines, Greece, Ukraine and Bulgaria illustrate how trafficking has become an international issue which needs transnational and global co-operation to find solutions.

Trafficking Toolkit
The UK government decided to commission a best practice toolkit to help those who deal with illegal immigrants and trafficking victims to distinguish those in genuine need and to deal with them appropriately.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM)

ECPAT
A network of organisations and individuals working together for the elimination of child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking of children for sexual purposes