July 30th marks an important date, the World Day against Trafficking in Persons. This day holds great significance as it aims to raise public awareness about the ordeal suffered by victims of this heinous crime and advocate for the protection of their fundamental rights. Trafficking in persons, being both a crime and a blatant violation of human rights, thrives in contexts of extreme vulnerability. Innocent individuals are subjected to modern-day slavery, enduring inhumane conditions and exploitation for profit. Putting an end to this scourge requires international mobilization, strengthened legislative measures, and increased awareness.
On this day, it is crucial to emphasize the importance of combating human trafficking to create a fairer world where all individuals are protected from exploitation and oppression.
Human trafficking is exacerbated by conflicts, forced displacement, climate change, inequalities, and poverty, leaving tens of millions of people destitute, isolated, and vulnerable around the globe. This plague continues to worsen, especially for women and girls who constitute the majority of identified trafficking victims worldwide.
Alarming Surge in Human Trafficking Cases in Morocco:
In its first annual report providing an account of two years’ worth of work, the National Commission for the Fight against Trafficking in Persons highlighted a staggering increase in the number of recorded cases. The figures rose from 17 cases in 2017 to 80 the following year and reached 151 cases in 2019. The majority of victims were found to be adult Moroccans, with minors, both male and female, accounting for 47.41% of the victims. The report documented 414 male victims and 305 female victims, including 192 minors and 213 adults. Furthermore, the report indicated 536 Moroccan victims and 183 foreign victims.
According to the report, the most prevalent form of human trafficking is sexual exploitation, with 283 cases identified. This was followed by cases of forced begging (56) and forced labor (35), along with other forms of human trafficking.
In response to these findings, the Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Ouahbi, emphasized the importance of legislative measures and best practices in combatting this phenomenon. Notably, the legal treatment of human trafficking is a relatively recent development in Morocco. “Previously, it was not considered a standalone crime; however, since 2016, it has been recognized as a distinct offense in accordance with the Palermo Protocol,” explained Abderrafie Hamdi, Director of National Human Rights Council of Morocco (CNDH) and a member of the national Commission for the Coordination of Measures to Combate and Prevent Trafficking in Human Beings.
Being located close to migratory routes, Morocco is a country where exploitation and human trafficking are constantly on the rise as traffickers take advantage of the vulnerability of transit migrants. Sexual exploitation, forced labor, forced begging, and domestic servitude continue to be prevalent. Women and children are particularly vulnerable to these forms of exploitation and are often forced into prostitution and labor in various sectors such as agriculture, construction, and domestic services against their will. While Moroccan authorities have taken steps to combat human trafficking, including strengthening laws and implementing protection mechanisms for victims, there are still significant challenges to be addressed, as demonstrated by the recent figures from the national Commission for the Coordination of Measures to Combate and Prevent Trafficking in Human Beings.
Global Identification Issues:
In January of last year, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) published a new report revealing that the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises have increased individuals’ vulnerability while making the identification of human trafficking victims more difficult.
In 2020, the number of detected human trafficking victims decreased by 11% globally compared to the previous year. This decline is partially attributed to fewer detections in low and middle-income countries. Additionally, the number of convictions for trafficking-related offenses also dropped by 27% during the same period, reinforcing a longer-term trend observed by the UNODC since 2017. The regions most affected by these significant decreases are South Asia (56%), Central America and the Caribbean (54%), and South America (46%).
According to the report, the pandemic has potentially weakened law enforcement’s capacity to identify victims, although it has reduced opportunities for traffickers to operate. Ghada Waly, the Executive Director of UNODC, stated, “we cannot allow crises to exacerbate exploitation.” She emphasized the need for the UN and the donor community to support national authorities, especially in developing countries, in addressing human trafficking threats and identifying and protecting victims, particularly in emergency situations.
The analysis also demonstrated a decrease in trafficking cases for sexual exploitation during the pandemic due to the closure of public spaces. However, these restrictions may have pushed this form of trafficking towards more clandestine and unsafe locations, making victim identification more challenging.
Furthermore, the analysis of judicial cases presented in the report revealed that most identified trafficking victims manage to escape traffickers on their own and voluntarily approach the authorities. These victims, who “self-rescue,” represent 41% of the identified victims, while 28% were located by law enforcement and 11% by members of the community and civil society. These figures are particularly concerning because many human trafficking victims do not self-identify as such or fear their exploiters when attempting to escape.
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