Director-General/Executive Director
Doha, 14 April 2015
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Workshop 2 of the Thirteenth UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice addresses two grave crimes that prey on the vulnerable and often involve serious human rights violations: the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons.
In the UN Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, the General Assembly recognized that poverty, unemployment, lack of socioeconomic opportunities, gender-based violence, discrimination and marginalization were some of the contributing factors that made persons vulnerable to trafficking in persons.
The same factors also contribute to the complex crime of migrant smuggling, which has emerged over the last years as an urgent problem facing the international community.
How we can best strengthen cooperation to confront these challenges is a fitting topic for this Congress, which is focused on integrating crime prevention and criminal justice into the wider UN agenda to address social and economic challenges, and promote the rule of law.
Both human trafficking and migrant smuggling exploit desperation. They provide criminal networks with enormous profits, while exposing the criminals themselves to limited risk of detection and penalties.
As UNODC's 2014 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons found, the number of convictions reported globally remains very low. Only four in ten countries reported have ten or more yearly convictions, with 15 per cent having no convictions at all.
The dangers, meanwhile, are borne by the trafficking victims and smuggled migrants, who may suffer inhumane conditions and torture; who are often left vulnerable to other criminal abuse and exploitation; and whose very lives are callously placed at risk.
Both migrant smuggling and human trafficking have global dimensions, and involve all States as countries of origin, transit and destination.
And both these crimes require a unified, comprehensive approach, with States and other actors joining forces to address the root causes as well as enhance criminal justice responses.
We already have the framework we need to pursue joint action, namely the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, both of which supplement the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
In the decade since these Protocols have come into force, the majority of States around the world have ratified these instruments and many have sought to align their laws, policies and practices with international standards.
Nevertheless, many challenges with implementation remain, and more support is needed.
UNODC, as the guardian of the Convention and its Protocols, provides research, technical assistance and other support to States to help them fulfill their commitments.
We also help to promote partnerships between states and with civil society to achieve these goals.
This includes the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for the Victims of human trafficking, which supports organizations directly assisting victims, and is now in its second grant cycle.
The first three-year grant cycle was successfully completed last year, with 11 projects around the world helping to provide some 2,000 victims every year with shelter, basic health services, vocational training and schooling, as well as psychosocial, legal and economic support.
A further 17 projects will receive grant funding from this year.
The Trust Fund is financed solely by voluntary contributions from Governments, the business community and people of goodwill, and I strongly encourage all Member States to contribute to this worthy endeavor.
Furthermore, UNODC is coordinator of the Inter-agency Coordination Group on Trafficking in Persons, which brings together 16 agencies and bodies of the United Nations system, as well as other relevant intergovernmental organizations.
In cooperation with our UN and other partners, we are also working to address the growing problem of migrant smuggling.
Together with other concerned organizations, we issued a joint statement calling for concerted action to address the loss of life, injury, trauma and serious human rights violations affecting migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees traveling by sea.
Moreover, there is an ongoing dialogue with partner agencies on working jointly against migrant smuggling and for better protection of those affected.
UNODC has also developed a targeted strategy to address migrant smuggling in the Mediterranean, and we are seeking your support for these efforts.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I hope the discussions over the next day and a half will help to further advance our understanding of these complex issues and identify promising practices.
In line with the Protocols, protecting the rights of trafficking victims and smuggled migrants must remain our highest priority as we seek to prevent and combat these crimes.
As you can see, we have a distinguished panel with high level representatives of Member States, as well as our colleagues from partner organizations including IOM, OHCHR and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
I wish you fruitful and lively discussions. Thank you.
