Waqas Abdullah

Human trafficking among refugees is still one of the biggest humanitarian challenges of contemporary society. Even with contributions from IS internationally based organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), International Organization for Migration (IOM), and many other non-governmental organizations (NGOs), this offense of human rights remains rampant. It persists because the world cannot get enough of trafficking and continues to support the systems that exploit some of the most marginalized people in society: refugees, those fleeing wars, persecution, and natural disasters.

This demand creates a negative, profitable industry for the profiteering off of the suffering of refugees around the world. Islamic women across the conflict-ravaged countries of Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Palestine, a society characterized by poor governance and lack of police protection, are vulnerable. That is how such people end up in the hands of traffickers who lure them with the unpleasant prospect of safety and security. Countries with poor human rights records affect women and children and most especially minimum wage earners, physically and sexually harassed, or even become slaves. The UN Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2022 stated that although it is estimated that there are 27.6 million victims of trafficking in the world today, a large percentage of them are sourced from countries/facilitated from conflict areas. Nonetheless, it cannot be disputed that various attempts by international and regional organizations have characterized the problem in some way. The sheer number, however, poses the question of the effectiveness of such approaches.

For instance, the UNHCR has helped in establishing camps for the refugees, availing emergency goods and last but not the least, for the refugee rights. Likewise, much effort has been made by the IOM to fight human trafficking with a key emphasis on support for cooperation and aid to victims. Some of the fields that NGOs such as Save the Children are fighting to protect children include preventing cases of trafficking or forced labor. Nevertheless, such measures continued to exist, proving the existence of structural problems in combating this phenomenon.

The first major concern for women in worldwide is the failure to achieve a collective response to this heinous crime. Governments of the powerful countries and relevant international organizations adopt the policies to address trafficking, but the capacities for the implementation are generally absent, and inter-country cooperation is still limited. Corruption within systems also adds to the problem. For instance, trafficking networks continue to thrive due to corruption in systems. The US Department of State’s 2023 Trafficking in Persons report shows that despite enhanced knowledge and policy on human trafficking, many governments have limited capacities for justice on such criminals, especially in conflict regions where state authorities are weak.

The continued demand for trafficking also continues the cycle of another series of social crises. Forced labor, for instance, is well connected with human trafficking and impacts millions of children worldwide. These children have no education, suffer poor working environments and conditions, and are taken through their childhood without proper comfort. According to ILO’s Global Estimates on modern slavery released in 2021, more than 10 million children are presently in forced labor, inclusive of refugees from hotbeds of conflict. The fact that these effects act as a domino effect emphasizes other social implications of not eradicating trafficking

As with most things, the demand for human trafficking does not stop at a country’s border, hence posing ethical and practical dilemmas to international organizations. Yet, if the focus is to prevent the trafficking, empower those affected, and punish the perpetrators, then why has no attempt been made in these years to nab the people behind this gearing up of these germinating networks? This is where they have it wrong because the complexity of these networks and the economic rationality cannot be underestimated. Sexual exploitation is a global venture that generates several millions of dollars; it operates in shadows; it involves political and social corruption; and it survives on injustice. That is why efforts to combat this phenomenon will remain fruitless unless these causes of trafficking are addressed.

Countries facing active conflicts, such as Afghanistan, where people continue to be displaced by constant fighting, are perfect examples of countries facing this crisis. Forced into desperation by violence, refugees are typically vulnerable to getting ensnared by their trafficking captors. Likewise, the Rohingya problem in Myanmar resulted in heightened trafficking of people willing to escape the politically incorrect wrath. In Palestine, where volatility is high, the traffickers take advantage of refugees who are in transit with their families across national borders.

These examples exemplify why global intercessory action is required to protect endangered people. Despite great efforts from UNHCR, IOM, and other regional NGOs, an effort cannot be made single-handedly, and it would need international support to eradicate trafficking. Community mobilization, improved cooperation between governments, improved implementation of anti-trafficking laws, and improved knowledge are the measures that are important on the reduction of the demand that fuels this type of crisis. Engaging corruption in and within systems and holding traffickers and enablers to account are equally important. Therefore, the continuing problem of human trafficking within refugees demonstrates the necessity of an international approach.

The current situation and the lack of effective measures are described in such documents as the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons and the 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report. Organized trafficking has endured in a world of war, racism, and broken social structures. As long as people continue to ignore the causes, human trafficking will remain the blot on the human ear that helps destroy lives and create new suffering cycles. The common misconception is that this is a failure of systems, which it is, but it is also a failure of everyone and everything in a society that enshrines the theoretical superiority and advancement of human being’s rights.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official stance of The Himalayan Research Institute Pakistan - (THRIP)

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Waqas Abdullah is a geopolitical and strategic analyst with a special focus on Indo-Pacific politics, power patterns, and the Middle Eastern region. He has a deep interest in the comparative analysis of great powers and emerging powers. Waqas is a member of several prominent organizations, including GCCF, IGN, SEFAS, ECOWAS, the Creative Society, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He is actively engaged in addressing issues related to climate refugees, displaced people, and climate advocacy, working to raise awareness and drive action on these critical global challenges. He can be reached at: [email protected]