As we commemorate this month the Feast of Saint Josephine Bakhita, our thoughts turn to the plight of human trafficking victims and migrants. Saint Bakhita’s life story—from enslavement to freedom—serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by many today.

The United Nations has implemented comprehensive policies and advocacy efforts to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable migrants, among them we can notice:

1. Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons

The UN’s Global Plan of Action emphasizes a coordinated approach focusing on prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership. It acknowledges the heightened vulnerability of women, children, refugees, and migrants to traffickers, especially in the digital age. The plan calls for international cooperation to address these challenges.

2. Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children.

As part of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, this protocol aims to:  prevent and combat trafficking in persons, protect and assist victims with full respect for their human rights, promote cooperation among countries to meet these objectives. It provides also a framework for countries to establish legal measures to criminalize human trafficking and protect victims.

3. International Cooperation and Data Sharing

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have released global technical guidance to improve data collection on trafficking in persons. This initiative aims to enhance international cooperation in preventing trafficking and protecting victims.

4. Addressing Trafficking in the Context of Migration

Migration vulnerabilities Increase the risk of trafficking, migrants, particularly those fleeing conflict, poverty, or environmental disasters, often lack legal protections, making them easy targets for traffickers.  Smugglers and traffickers take advantage of desperate migrants who seek irregular routes due to restrictive immigration policies.

The UN system treats migration and trafficking under related but distinct legal frameworks:

. Trafficking: governed by the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (Palermo Protocol, 2000), focuses on exploitation, coercion, and forced labor.

• Migration: covered by the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM, 2018) and the 1951 Refugee Convention for those fleeing persecution.
• Labor Exploitation: addressed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and its conventions on forced labor and migrant workers’ rights.

Yet, several UN bodies address migration and trafficking together:  UNODC (Office on Drugs and Crime) leads anti-trafficking efforts, IOM (International Organization for Migration) supports safe migration pathways to reduce trafficking risks.  UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) protects refugees, many of whom are vulnerable to trafficking. ILO (International Labor Organization) fights forced labor, a key form of human trafficking.

Promoting regular migration pathways reduces the demand for smugglers and traffickers. Strengthening human rights protections for migrants helps prevent their exploitation. Enhancing cross-border cooperation in law enforcement improves responses to trafficking networks.

The UN recognizes the link between irregular migration and increased vulnerability to trafficking. Efforts are underway to implement policies that reduce migrants’ risk of being trafficked at every stage of their journey. This includes strengthening capacities to investigate and prosecute trafficking offenses and ensuring the protection of migrant workers within host societies.

The Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul are actively engaged in combating human trafficking in many places of the world, across Asia, Africa and the Americas, they participate in various initiatives in  Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand.  Through these initiatives, the Daughters of Charity and like-minded organizations in Asia demonstrate a steadfast commitment to eradicating human trafficking and advocating for the rights and dignity of all individuals.

Across many other countries, we are also actively involved in advocacy and support for victims of human trafficking. These places include Nigeria, Kenya, and Chad. In Nigeria, the Daughters of Charity have taken significant steps to combat human trafficking: Committee for the Support of Dignity of Women (COSUDOW). Since 2015, Sister Bibiana Emenaha has coordinated COSUDOW, leading advocacy campaigns against human trafficking. The organization collaborates with Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and the United Nations to prevent trafficking and support victims.

These UN initiatives reflect a comprehensive strategy to combat human trafficking and protect migrants, aligning with the values exemplified by Saint Bakhita’s legacy.

The UN system recognizes that migration and trafficking cannot be separated, addressing one without the other leaves gaps in protection and enforcement. This is why these issues are closely linked in international agreements, policies, and advocacy efforts.

Through these efforts, the Daughters of Charity demonstrate a steadfast commitment to eradicating human trafficking and advocating for the rights and dignity of all individuals in these regions.