UN.GIFT - United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking

UNGIFT The United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) was conceived to promote the global fight on human trafficking, on the basis of international agreements reached at the UN. In Brazil, as a guardian of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, UNODC leads a joint effort together with other UN agencies: International Labour Organisation (ILO), United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Also takes part in the initiative the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for the Southern Cone region. The objective is to promote initiatives in Brazil aimed at grasping the local government, civil society and companies so as to attempt an adequate address of human trafficking issues, which also involves recruiting and transportation for sexual exploitation or slavery.

Trafficking in persons is a modern form of slavery. Women, children and adolescents compose the majority of victims recruited for purposes of sexual exploitation or slave workforce. According to UN global estimations, more than 2 million people are victims of human trafficking every year. Globalisation - the intense flux of people, information and stock - creates great development opportunities, but also increases risks and chances of transnational organised crime. Due technological progress, it is virtually easier to perform human trafficking today than 100 or 200 years ago. Trafficking in persons occurs both nationally and internationally and is a violation of human rights that needs to be addressed by all countries.

Outcomes and results

Understanding the multi-dimensional nature of human trafficking is fundamental to designing and implementing adequate response measures at the national and regional levels, including drafting new legislation and action plans.

Throughout 2007 and leading up to the Vienna Forum, a number of UN.GIFT events took place around the world to build momentum and raise awareness on the many geographic and thematic dimensions of human trafficking. All events helped identify technical assistance needs of countries in the implementation of the United nations trafficking in Persons Protocol.

Launching of UN.GIFT in Brazil

UN.GIFT was launched in Brazil on October 2007. Its objective is to promote a joint effort among civil society, government and companies to tackle this complex issue, which also involves recruiting and transportation of individuals for purposes of sexual exploitation and slavery. In the occasion, UNODC awarded institutions and people who widely contributed to the fight against trafficking in persons.

Seminar in Brasilia

Following the awards, took place in Brasilia the Seminar "Challenges to address human trafficking in Brazil". Several state ministers, senior servers of the Judiciary, international organisms and civil society partners were also involved.

A draft of the National Plan to Counter Human Trafficking was for the first time presented. It highlighted the Brazilian Government agenda on prevention, repression of criminals and attention to victims.

As in Brasilia, other national and regional events were carried out in different parts of the world aiming to show the various contributions of countries to the Vienna Forum.

Vienna Forum

With the objective of stressing the importance of addressing trafficking in persons, UN.GIFT organised in February 2008 the Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking, gathering participants of 116 countries. Among them, there were government officials, members of civil society and companies.

Raise awareness, ease cooperation and establish partnerships were some of the forum goals achieved. Several experiences and good practises of different countries were shared and guidelines for future addressing of this crime were determined.