Steady progress made in national anti-trafficking efforts, but challenges persist, OSCE report says

VIENNA, 18 July 2022 – While OSCE participating States made a steady progress in combating trafficking in human beings, more work needs to be done to scale-up their responses both at policy and practice levels, the OSCE 2021 Survey Report says. The main findings were presented at the event organized by the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in Vienna today.

“Trafficking in human beings is not like any other crime. It feeds off economic and gender inequalities, and weak institutions,” stressed OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid. “The OSCE report gives us a blueprint on where to invest. Now we need the political commitment to make those investments.”

The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Valiant Richey highlighted the emerging trafficking trends that report reveals. These include trafficking for the purpose of remote sexual abuse (e.g., online pornography), increased risks of online child exploitation, and substantial increases in forced criminality and forced begging, as well as trafficking for sham marriages.

 “There is an urgent need for enhanced political will from OSCE participating States to increase investments and confront this global scourge at scale,” Richey stressed.

In his remarks, he also pointed to worrying findings of the report showing that only seven OSCE participating States reported holding technology companies criminally liable for knowingly facilitating trafficking on their platforms. At the same time, Richey noted that the report highlights positive trends, such as the doubling of countries with anti-trafficking procurement policies in place.

The 2021 Survey Report is a follow-up to a 2015 survey developed in order to track national progress made towards the implementation of OSCE anti-trafficking commitments. The survey provides comprehensive data identifying positive practices and persisting challenges and serves as an updated baseline for measuring future progress.

The Survey Report features new sections such as the role of technology in facilitating and combating human trafficking and online child sexual exploitation and presents recommendations for participating States and the broader anti-trafficking community.

In the long term, the Report will serve as a crucial touchpoint for whether countries are progressing in their efforts to eradicate trafficking in human beings.