2024 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 30th August: The Nigerian born International Crusader for Citizens to get their Rights and live up to their Responsibilities, Nze Dr Eric Oluedo has commended United Nations for the 2024 Theme, “Leave No Child Behind in the Fight Against Human Trafficking”
Speaking on the 2024 Theme, Dr Oluedo, charged all security agencies at the community, local, subnational, national and international levels to apply inter agency collaboration to EndHuman&Child Trafficking.
2024 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons: The Nigerian born International Crusader for Citizens to get their Rights and live up to their Responsibilities, Nze Dr Eric Oluedo has commended United Nations for the 2024 Theme, “Leave No Child Behind in the Fight Against Human Trafficking”
Speaking on the 2024 Theme, Dr Oluedo, charged all security agencies at the community, local, subnational, national and international levels to apply inter agency collaboration to End Human & Child Trafficking, which is the most dangerous form of child abuse. He cautioned that with the arrival of uncontrolled Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Innovation, the future of Mankind is in grave danger if we continue with the current gross abuse of the Child, since this, will prevent him from living up to his Responsibilities of becoming a Disciplined adult.
This year’s global campaign for World Day Against Trafficking in Persons urges accelerated action to end child trafficking. Children represent a significant proportion of trafficking victims worldwide, with girls being disproportionately affected. Additionally, children are twice as likely to face violence during trafficking than adults. Amid overlapping crises such as armed conflicts, pandemics, economic hardships, and environmental challenges, children are increasingly vulnerable to trafficking. Furthermore, the proliferation of online platforms poses additional risks as children often connect to dangerous sites without adequate safeguards. Traffickers exploit online platforms, social media, and the dark web to recruit and exploit children, utilizing technology to evade detection, reach wider audiences, and disseminate exploitative content.
Children are subjected to various forms of trafficking, including exploitation in forced labour, criminality or begging, trafficked for illegal adoption, recruitment into armed forces, and online and sexual abuse and exploitation. Root causes include poverty, inadequate support of unaccompanied children amidst rising migration and refugee flows, armed conflicts, dysfunctional families, and lack of parental care. Notably, in low-income countries, children are often trafficked for forced labour, whereas in high-income countries, sexual exploitation remains prevalent among child victims.
Identification and protection of child victims remain challenging due to underreporting, lack of awareness, and inadequate resources for victim support services. Traffickers often employ coercion, deception, and threats to maintain control over their victims, making it difficult for authorities to intervene.
To effectively combat this scourge, concerted efforts are needed at local, subnational, national and international levels. States must prioritize child protection, bolster legislation, improve law enforcement, and allocate more resources to combat child trafficking. Prevention efforts should target root causes like poverty and inequality to reduce children’s vulnerability. Special attention must be paid to trafficking of children on the move.
