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30J, The world day against human trafficking (and for us, everyday)
The World Day against Human Trafficking was proclaimed on December 18, 2013 by the United Nations General Assembly. Adopted by the Member States, it aims to raise awareness about the situation of victims of human trafficking and promote and protect their rights.
Each year, it focuses on different aspects related to human trafficking, highlighting the importance of prevention, identification and support for victims, and the fight against the impunity of traffickers. This year, 2024, the campaign has focused on children who are direct or indirect victims of trafficking under the slogan “Leave no child behind in the fight against human trafficking.”
Our peaceful fight against human trafficking
At Mumbai Smiles, in our #breakwithtrafficking campaign, we also focus on the little ones, who often live in the same places where their mothers are sexually exploited. They live in unsafe places and they themselves are very vulnerable to falling into the networks of human trafficking. You can see our campaign and sign the manifesto here.
For this reason, every July 30, the World Day Against Human Trafficking, we want to remember that today and every day of the year it is necessary to fight against this scourge that affects more than 50 million people in the world. We leave you with some figures that reflect the importance of this problem in the world, because today, more than ever, #breakwithtrafficking
According to data from the Ministry of the Interior, the number of victims of trafficking in Spain has increased by 24%, especially for the purpose of labour exploitation. In Spain, there is an increasing number of labour trafficking cases, and the most favourable sectors are agriculture, fishing, construction and domestic work.
An estimated 22 million people worldwide are victims of forced marriage, of whom 15 million are women. Within a forced marriage, situations of slavery very similar to trafficking can occur: once forced into marriage, the risk of sexual exploitation, violence and domestic servitude and other forms of forced labour both inside and outside the home increases.
Human trafficking is considered the slavery of the 21st century, even though this practice was abolished and declared a crime against humanity by the UN. Contexts of war and natural calamities are a breeding ground for human trafficking, as are the effects of climate change.
According to data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), of all trafficking victims worldwide, 49% are women and 23% are girls, the majority for sexual exploitation. 21% are men and 7% are boys, mainly for labour exploitation.
