Trafficking fight yet to take off

Less than twenty years ago, human trafficking was defined by an international treaty, known as the Palermo Protocol, whereby the international community committed to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons. Since then, global attention has been focused on fighting — and eradicating — the crime of human trafficking.

While commitment to fighting exploitation and abuse of individuals for profit has been high, it has not resulted in cohesive action to prevent trafficking.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent every year on counter trafficking efforts, mostly on investigation and criminal prosecution, raids to “rescue” irregular migrants and sex workers who are thought to be potential victims and training to raise awareness among those who might possibly experience or encounter human trafficking.

However, from the latest global data on the prevalence of human trafficking to reports from grass-roots organisations, all signs show that we have failed to reduce the number or severity of abuses.

Many different state and private institutions who have a role to play in combatting human trafficking can do it more effectively.

As employers, businesses need to comply with national labour legislation. At the same time, law enforcement officials, labour inspectors, immigration and border officials all have a role in the protection and promotion of human rights.

There has been an increased focus on the role of businesses in perpetuating human trafficking. Against the backdrop of a worldwide pursuit of ever-cheaper labour and reduced regulation, responsible business was anticipated to be a force for change.

Drawing upon the sensationalism of “modern slavery”, calls for expanded auditing of supply chains and for corporate disclosures on sourcing have proliferated. However, these voluntary initiatives have not brought substantive improvement, but rather have avoided the changes to business models that could make a real difference — such as paying workers a living wage or expanding social protection.

Addressing trafficking more effectively requires a clearer understanding of the underlying issues. Human trafficking is not the result of a few criminals who have managed to avoid prosecution. It is a systemic problem, with roots in the violation of labour rights: unsafe workplaces, excessive working hours, lack of overtime pay, wage theft and lack of freedom of association.

Primarily, human trafficking is grounded in unfair labour, gender and class relations. Yet, anti-trafficking measures have failed to address the causes of vulnerability, particularly for women and girls in the informal labour sector. Justice demands criminal prosecution of those who profit from trafficking. But this response has proved insufficient to reduce the problem. Change must occur at a more fundamental level.

Today is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. It reminds us that there is still the need for a greater focus on protection of labour rights and ensuring decent working conditions to reduce vulnerability of workers to human trafficking.

Increasing labour rights protection for workers would enable us to move beyond reactive responses. This means bringing those employed precariously in domestic work, agriculture, fishing, entertainment, and other informal work under the full protection of labour laws.

It would also mean reducing discriminatory treatment towards the most vulnerable segments of the workforce, particularly women and migrant workers. At the same time, broadening the mandate and resources of labour inspectorates to enforce labour laws would help accessing workplaces at risk of human trafficking. There should also be efforts to strengthen social protection schemes so that all workers can benefit.

Reinforcing outreach and legal assistance to workers can also help victims to register complaints when they face abuses. Meanwhile, workers themselves should be empowered to tackle this problem. That means the role of trade unions in combatting human trafficking should be promoted, while all workers should be ensured they have the right to organise and bargain collectively for better working conditions and wages.

In 2014, the International Labour Organisation adopted a new international labour standard against forced labour. It emphasises the link between forced labour and trafficking in persons and establishes the obligations on three main levels: protection, prevention and compensation. The tools are here to combat human trafficking effectively and uphold our commitment. The question is whether we have the courage to make use of them.

Tomoko Nishimoto is the regional director for the International Labour Organisation in Asia and the Pacific.

Anti-trafficking measures put in place have failed to address the causes of vulnerability.