Human Trafficking for Organ Removal: A Complex Global Issue
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Asia-Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) have released a report highlighting the issue of human trafficking, particularly for the purpose of organ removal. This article provides an overview of the key points from the report.
Estimating the Scope of Human Trafficking
- There is no reliable estimate of the number of people affected by human trafficking for organ removal.
- The lack of data highlights the need for more research and monitoring to understand the scope of this issue.
Profile of Victims
- In 2014, 28% of detected victims were children, while 71% were female.
- Between 2004 and 2014, the proportion of men and boys among detected victims grew from 16% to 29%.
- Among male victims:
- 85.7% were trafficked for forced labor exploitation.
- For female victims:
- 72% were trafficked for sexual exploitation.
Geographical Routes and Trafficking Flows
- Human trafficking routes are complex and affect virtually all countries around the globe.
- Domestic human trafficking involves the movement of victims within a country between areas or within their local area.
- Studies show that most forced laborers in economic activities, and almost all those in state-imposed forced labor, have not moved away from their home area.
Regional Trafficking Flows
- The UNODC found that most victims detected were trafficked within the same geographical region.
- Common regional trafficking flows include:
- Victims trafficked from South-Eastern Europe to Western Europe
- Victims trafficked from the Andean countries to the Southern Cone in South America
- Victims trafficked across a single international border into neighboring countries
These points highlight the complexity of human trafficking routes and the need for a modernized approach to understanding these flows. The report emphasizes the importance of considering domestic, regional, and trans-regional trafficking flows in efforts to combat human trafficking.