In 2024, armed conflict and humanitarian crises are intensifying, with ongoing violence in Ukraine and the Middle East. Migrants and asylum seekers, especially those traveling under unsafe conditions, always increase in number during such conflicts. They are particularly exposed to trafficking and exploitation.
On this European Anti-Trafficking Day, it is clear that there must be immediate action to combat trafficking as the escalation of current global challenges threatens to create more victims. To address this issue, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has launched a new monitoring cycle, focusing on trafficking among vulnerable groups.
GRETA’s reports highlight critical gaps in the identification and protection of trafficking victims. Immigration policies must align with legal obligations to assist these individuals, ensuring they are protected rather than punished or overlooked.
We must unite to protect those most at risk, prevent human trafficking, and build a society that upholds the dignity and rights of all, including the most vulnerable ones.
The Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) joins the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT) in calling on State Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings to counter the increasing use of technology to recruit, advertise and exploit victims of human trafficking, and to harness the great potential that technology can have in countering this crime.
The challenges posed by technology on the investigation of human trafficking cases include data encryption, large volume of data, lack of technical equipment and training, and inadequate legislative tools. This calls for investment in capacity building of law enforcement officials in the areas of Internet monitoring, cyber-patrols, undercover online investigations, and the use of Open-Source Intelligence, social network analysis and automatic searching tools to analyse evidence.
At the same time, the Second Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention), opened for signature in May 2022, provides new tools for enhanced co-operation and a framework for obtaining electronic evidence more effectively.
Co-operation with private companies is crucial for combating trafficking in human beings, and should involve the development of co-operation protocols and data-sharing procedures for requesting evidence and taking down content related to human trafficking.
Newsroom: Statement from the Secretary General on European Anti-Trafficking Day, 18 October
Council of Europe: Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention)
Council of Europe: Second Addtional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime, on enhanced co-operation and disclosure of electronic evidence
Council of Europe: Online trafficking in human beings