The Role of Technology in Combating Trafficking in Persons

30 July: United Nations’ World Day against Trafficking in Persons

 

On July 30th, the international community marks the United Nations’ World Day against Trafficking in Persons. Trafficking in Persons”, at the heart of which is exploitation, is defined as:

“the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.”

(Article 3 (a) of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime)

The impact of technology on human trafficking is significant, bringing about various challenges and opportunities. Though technology can be misused to facilitate trafficking, it also offers valuable tools to combat this crime. By utilising technology for investigations, prosecutions, awareness-raising, victim support, and understanding trafficking networks, practitioners can make a positive difference. The effectiveness of eradicating human trafficking in all its manifestations will largely hinge on countries and societies’ readiness and capability to leverage technology in their efforts.

According to research and concrete evidence, human traffickers are utilising technology at various stages of the crime, encompassing victim recruitment, control, and exploitation. There are several key reasons why traffickers are harnessing technology, including:

Hiding identities and increasing anonymity online: Perpetrators and their associates are adept at concealing identities and heightening anonymity on the internet. They employ encrypted applications and the Dark Web for communication. Fake social media accounts and profiles are used to recruit victims, while cryptocurrency enables anonymous financial transactions and the movement of illicit proceeds.

Facilitating recruitment and exploitation of victims by traffickers: The use of online platforms enables the targeting of potential victims, accessing personal data, organising logistics and transportation, and conducting recruitment through social media.

Facilitating transactions, accessing new venues, and expanding the marketplace: The improper use of technology can facilitate human traffickers in conducting transactions with users, entering new markets, and expanding their criminal operations. This is particularly evident in cases of trafficking for sexual exploitation, where women and girls comprise 94% of the identified victims worldwide.

Expanding the means by which victims may be controlled and exploited: Certain technologies, when misused, can aid traffickers in exerting control and coercion over their victims. For instance, traffickers might exploit GPS software on phones to monitor victims’ movements or use video surveillance to oversee and manipulate victims in cases of domestic servitude and labour exploitation. In situations involving trafficking for sexual exploitation, threats of disseminating sexually explicit images are employed to maintain control over victims.

Oman has signed Protocols to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child protecting children from involvement in armed conflict and from exploitation for the purposes of prostitution and pornography.

Royal Decree No. 126 of 2008 promulgated the Law Combating Trafficking in Persons, and a National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking was set up. However, it is clear from cases monitored by the Omani Centre for Human Rights & Democracy (OCHRD), as well as cases brought to light by other NGOs, that a significant amount of exploitation goes on in Oman of domestic and other migrant workers, and that Omani laws are powerless to protect these people from exploitation and trafficking.

Under the kafala (sponsorship) system, these workers find themselves in the wretched situation of being paid less than the minimum needed to live with dignity and to avoid being trafficked, or else having their sponsors claw back portions of their monthly salaries in exchange for their residence permits.  This is what Omani activists are seeing on social media.

In the latest US State Department Report on Trafficking in Persons, Oman remains classified as “Tier 2”, and although the report commends the Omani government’s efforts to combat the problem, it also says “the Government of Oman does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking”.

According to reports and complaints reaching the OCHRD, the Omani authorities do not treat seriously the issues affecting female domestic workers, or even migrant workers generally, and especially those exploited by being employed in more than one job for no additional pay, or being paid below the rate that was agreed. Many housemaids, in particular, still complain that the authorities do not take seriously the issues of sexual harassment or of having their sponsorship transferred from one person to another without their consent.

The OCHRD strongly recommends and urges the Omani authorities, or the legislator, to eliminate the ‘Kafala’ sponsorship law and replace it with laws that comply with international human rights standards. Additionally, the OCHRD advocates for providing basic rights to migrant workers, particularly domestic workers, or workers in low-paying jobs, who are not provided with a living standard that could protect them from any violations against them.

(Note: the content of this report is derived from: https://icat.un.org/sites/g/files/tmzbdl461/files/human_trafficking_and_technology_trends_challenges_and_opportunities_web.pdf)

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