Trafficking in persons

Trafficking in persons – also called human trafficking – is a crime, a grave violation of human rights and one of the 15 protection risks that is regularly tracked by the Global Protection Cluster. 

Crisis contexts can exacerbate pre-existing trafficking trends and give rise to new ones. In crisis contexts, traffickers capitalize on the widespread human, material, social and economic distress caused by the emergency. A number of factors make people more vulnerable to trafficking, including the hampered ability of families and communities to provide for their basic needs; limited options to seek domestic or international protection safely and regularly; negative coping mechanisms adopted by those affected by the crisis; erosion of the rule of law; and the breakdown of social safety nets and other social protection systems.  Women, men, girls and boys, are vulnerable to different forms of trafficking.