THE Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT) has issued a warning about the growing crisis of child trafficking.
The statement underscores the urgency of addressing child trafficking as one of the gravest violations of children’s rights, a severe form of violence that is alarmingly persistent and evolving on a global scale.
Child trafficking affects every corner of the world, with one in three trafficking victims being a child, according to reports.
Despite advancements in policies and practices, efforts to combat this crime remain insufficient. Girls are predominantly trafficked for sexual exploitation, while boys are more frequently subjected to forced labour.
More than half of these children are trafficked within their own countries, revealing that the threat extends beyond international borders into local communities.
The statement from ICAT highlights troubling new trends in child trafficking, including exploitation for criminal activities, forced begging and online sexual exploitation.
“These issues are exacerbated by poverty, lack of education and limited economic opportunities, with social and cultural factors such as discrimination and gender inequality worsening vulnerabilities. Crises such as conflicts, climate change and large-scale displacement are further intensifying these risks, particularly for migrant, refugee and stateless children,” the statement noted.
ICAT further outlined three critical priorities to address the escalating issue. They are: strengthening multi-stakeholder partnerships, enhancing cooperation and coordination on the ground to improve anti-trafficking measures.
These priorities reflect ICAT’s commitment to a comprehensive and coordinated strategy, focusing on protecting the most vulnerable populations, including children.
The coalition stresses that specific measures are needed to reduce children’s vulnerability to trafficking, provide support to victims and hold traffickers accountable.
ICAT, a United Nations policy forum established under General Assembly Resolution 61/180, is led in 2024 by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children (OSRSG-VAC), with ongoing coordination by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The coalition calls for translating global commitments into concrete actions that uphold and restore the rights and dignity of every child, ensuring that no child is left behind in the fight against human trafficking.
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