If there is one crime in the modern world that epitomises how unjust the world is, a crime that ruthlessly exploits human vulnerability for profit, it is human trafficking. The crime’s scars are much worse when the victims are children. Children amount to one-third of trafficking victims in a large part of the world; in parts of Africa and the Mekong delta, they are the majority of victims.
Yet, the crime continues to thrive. A meshwork of organised traffickers spread across borders is constantly outsmarting the rest of the world. Ironic as it may sound, every vulnerability, be it a natural disaster or a war, translates into an opportunity. Every novel technology meant to enrich the global community becomes a tool in the hands of these criminals. As a result, our efforts to combat trafficking often become futile, leading to a collective failure.
So, what is the way forward in addressing such a deeply entrenched crime? Clearly, the solution cannot be scattered or knee-jerk. It cannot be addressed only at the local level, by a single country. A crime involving cross-border networks requires global partnership and a comprehensive framework.
To begin, survivors of child trafficking often hold the critical links needed to dismantle the trafficking network and have the potential to expose and disrupt the entire operation. For example, in Telangana alone in 2023-24, 1,247 rescued child labourers were victims of trafficking. Each of these children is a key to an entire network. A thousand children in one state can provide crucial tip-offs on the trafficking ring. This may seem just a brick in the wall, but it is a brick nonetheless. Imagine other states with thousands of other child survivors adding to this information. Imagine all this information collected in a national database. Now imagine all such national databases from around the world being collated—a common database with a large number of traffickers’ details.
With such a global database, many more would be documented and prosecuted. Chances of a trafficker operating in a new territory would be slimmer if governments had access to such global intelligence.
Trafficking of children is a multi-billion-dollar industry, with estimates suggesting it generates significant profits for traffickers and involves substantial expenditures by organisations working to combat it. From being forced into labour at minimal or no wage, sold for marriage and prostitution, and recruited into dangerous environments, to being forced into crime, trafficked children suffer unimaginable abuse and trauma while traffickers exploit them.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the annual global profits from forced labour and sexual exploitation is an estimated $236 billion —a 37 percent rise since 2014. Break it down and the report, Profits and Poverty: The economics of forced labour, estimates that traffickers and criminals are generating close to$10,000 per victim. Meanwhile, the total global expenditure on combating human trafficking is difficult to quantify precisely, but runs into billions of dollars when considering the combined efforts of governments, international organisations and NGOs.
However, despite significant investments, resources are often insufficient for the scale of the problem. Many anti-trafficking organisations operate with limited funding and face challenges in sustaining long-term efforts. The disparity between the profitability of trafficking and the resources available to fight it highlights the need for increased funding, international cooperation and innovative strategies.
The disparity doesn’t end with financial challenges alone. USAID’s 2024 Trafficking In Persons Report report highlights that there are an estimated 27.6 million victims of human trafficking worldwide, including men, women and children. Meanwhile, there were 18,774 prosecutions and just over 7,000 convictions for trafficking globally in the past year. This discrepancy is huge. This global crisis is filled with the stifled screams of millions of children and is demanding an immediate and unified response. This gap is our collective moral failure.
Another crucial aspect of this fight is establishing standardised procedures for the investigation and repatriation of trafficking victims. Uniform protocols ensure that investigations are thorough, transparent and effective, regardless of jurisdiction. Standardised procedures for repatriation guarantee victims receive the necessary support and care to safely return and reintegrate into their home cities, states and countries, ensuring their rights and dignity are upheld throughout the process. Moreover, given the vast scope of child trafficking, implementing these standardised procedures becomes even more imperative.
We need to harness every resource, innovate relentlessly, and commit to a future where trafficking is not just tackled but eradicated. A borderless crime requires a borderless response. We need to create a global framework of action where data and information is shared, victims are identified, rescued, and repatriated with urgency, the proceeds of crime are traced and attached, criminals are prosecuted and convicted in a time-bound framework, and the two cardinal principles of ‘Look beneath the surface’ and ‘Follow the money’ are followed. This necessitates the establishment of a global task force and a comprehensive database to enhance coordination and efficiency. Additionally, there is a pressing need for a comprehensive legal framework in all countries, including India, to ensure consistent and effective measures against trafficking.
This is our shared responsibility. As traffickers are driven to profits, humanity needs to be collectively driven to justice.
(Views are personal)
Bhuwan Ribhu | Child rights activist, lawyer and author of When Children Have Children: Tipping Point to End Child Marriage