Trafficking

Human trafficking is antithetical to the rule of law: the practice constitutes one of the most acute challenges to rights and dignity. Often a corollary of extreme inequality, human trafficking is concentrated in developing countries, with victims targeted both for domestic enslavement and smuggling across borders. Although human trafficking is outlawed by several international treaties and conventions, national legislations are frequently patchy, and enforcement weak. Even when this is not so, experience suggests traffickers remain one step ahead.

Building capacity in the justice sector is therefore important, but not always sufficient. We believe the best results combine institutional work with tackling the phenomenon at grassroots level – both empowering the victims of trafficking, and educating communities to resist it.