Human Trafficking and Exploitation in the Context of Armed Conflicts: Perspectives from Africa, Europe and Latin America

Highly militarised and violent contexts (HMVC), such as international wars, internal armed conflicts, or the presence of organised crime in a territory, lead to increased risks of human trafficking, migrant smuggling, child recruitment, and other forms of exploitation for people who flee, or remain in, such contexts. Although the international community has committed to preventing these crimes and protecting the rights of victims, notably through the UN Security Council Resolution 2331 of 2016, current global efforts are falling short of this goal. With a number of highly militarised and violent contexts in the world today, it is important to continue sharing knowledge and best practices around the links between HVMC, trafficking, smuggling, and exploitation. This event will present new research on the experiences of people who live in highly militarised and violent contexts in Africa and Latin America. Speakers will propose strategies to reduce vulnerability to trafficking, child recruitment, and exploitation, and to hold perpetrators accountable.