Human trafficking is said to be the third largest illegal trade after drug trafficking and arms trade. The fight against the inhuman practice of trafficking of persons needs no justification.

Especially children at their tender age need to play and study are instead victims of a silent organised crime. Human trafficking can also be regarded as forced labour, and so this estimate captures the full realm of human trafficking for labour and sexual exploitation or what some call “modern-day slavery ”The figure means that around three out of every 1,000 persons worldwide are in forced labour at any given  point in time.

An estimated 20.9 million people are in forced labour (including sexual exploitation) at any given time as a result of trafficking Of these:

• ILO 2012 Global Estimate  of Forced Labour
• Total Number of Person in Forced Labour
• Prevalence 1,800,000 (per 1,000 inhabitants) Central & South Eastern Europe & Commonwealth of Independent States - 4,2
• Africa   4,0
• Middle East   3,4
• Asia and the Pacific   3,3
• Latin America & the Caribbean   3,1
• Developed Economies & European Union   1,5

The new 2012 ILO global estimate of forced labour – a shocking 20.9 million women, men and children are trapped in jobs into which they were coerced or deceived and which they cannot leave.  The effects of sexual exploitation on children are profound and may be permanent. Normal sexual, physical and emotional development is stunted. Sexually exploited children are especially vulnerable to the effects of physical and verbal violence, drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV/AIDS. 

The Profits

Estimated global annual profits made from the exploitation of all trafficked forced labour are US$ 31.6 billion 14Of this:

• US$ 15.5 billion – 49% - is generated in industrialized economies
• US$ 9.7 billion – 30.6% is generated in Asia and the Pacific
• US$ 1.3 billion – 4.1% is generated in Latin America and the Caribbean
• US$ 1.6 billion – 5% is generated in sub-Saharan Africa
• US$ 1.5 billion – 4.7% is generated in the Middle East and North Africa 15

Source: Human Global Impact

According to Global March comprehensive response to protect all the rights of all children, specially the right to be free from economic exploitation as well as right to education and participation, comprise of following dimensions :

• Prevention – such as through access to education, creating awareness, community mobilisation.
• Protection – through adoption and enforcement of child rights sensitive laws and policies, victim - responsive child sensitive programmes, rescue operations.
• Prosecution and conviction of offenders to create a legal deterrent.
• Provisions through victim – sensitive care and assistance, facilities to ensure safe return, social recovery and reintegration- including economic-social empowerment.
• Participation through community, child participation in activities to protect child rights, involving key actors like govt., employees, employers, etc.

Any time-bound, multi-pronged, pro-active and holistic approach to protect children in most difficult circumstances would also consist of the following 6 stages of intervention:

• Research (for a thorough understanding of the problem);
• Recognition (of the problem);
• Rescue, (through raids or other legal interventions);
• Rehabilitation (both statutory and institutional);
• Repatriation (of the children back to their homes);
• Reintegration (of the former victims into mainstream society);