ICAT Joint Statement on the occasion of the first World Day against Trafficking in Persons

30 July 2014

As the World Day against Trafficking in Persons is celebrated for the very first time today, on 30 July 2014, the member organizations of the Inter-agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT) are addressing the international community with a joint statement to mark the occasion.

ICAT comprises sixteen member entities, who collectively represent the relevant United Nations agencies and other international organisations involved in combatting human trafficking, with a view to addressing the multiple dimensions of this complex crime in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.

The ICAT joint statement highlights the plight of trafficked victims and identifies one key area for action: to prevent the crime by addressing the demand for goods and services produced by trafficked victims. The next joint policy paper of ICAT will focus on this issue, with a particular emphasis on trafficking in persons for the purpose of labour exploitation. The paper is expected to be launched in September 2014 in the margins of the fall session of the General Assembly in New York.

Full statement

Today, on 30 July 2014, we commemorate the first World Day against Trafficking in Persons.

Trafficking in persons is a grave human rights violation and a serious crime affecting societies worldwide. It victimizes millions of women, men, and children, including those most vulnerable amongst migrant communities, asylum-seekers, refugees and stateless persons, and is commonly associated with many other forms of exploitation, such as sexual exploitation, forced and bonded labour, forced marriages and all practices similar to slavery.

The brutality and injustice associated with trafficking in persons is immeasurable for each and every victim. Their lives, dreams and expectations are shattered.

Trafficking in persons is a very lucrative business. This is illustrated by the most recent estimates published this spring by the International Labour Office which suggest that forced labour in the private economy alone generates US$ 150 billion in illegal profits per year. Two thirds of this figure (US$ 99 billion) comes from commercial sexual exploitation, while another US$ 51 billion are a result of forced economic exploitation, including domestic work, agriculture and other economic activities.

The international community has recognised that we must adopt a rights-based, multi- disciplinary approach which ensures that anti-trafficking measures do not adversely affect the human rights and dignity of trafficking victims.

One key area for action in preventing this horrible crime and human rights violation is addressing the demand for services and goods produced by trafficked victims.

No one actor can tackle demand alone. Root causes and contributing factors that fuel demand are spread across countries of origin, transit and destination, and they cannot be addressed in isolation from supply. A comprehensive response to addressing the entire trafficking chain will require the combined action of different stakeholders - States, international organisations, civil society, the private sector, employers and workers and their organizations, as well as individual citizens in their roles both as consumers and as members of society.

In 2006, the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT), bringing together sixteen United Nations entities and other international organizations, was created to facilitate a holistic and comprehensive approach by the international community to the problem of trafficking in persons. Today's joint statement on behalf of ICAT is a sign of its member organizations' renewed commitment to inter-agency cooperation and coordination to support Member States in the fight against trafficking in persons.

Download (pdf): ICAT Joint statement on the occasion of the first World Day against Trafficking in Persons

About ICAT

The Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT) is a policy forum mandated by the UN General Assembly to improve coordination among UN agencies and other relevant international organizations to facilitate an holistic and comprehensive approach to preventing and combating trafficking in persons including protection and support for victims of trafficking.

ICAT objectives are:

To provide a platform for exchange of information, experiences and good practices on anti-trafficking activities of the partner agencies to share with Governments, international and regional organizations, NGOs and other relevant bodies.
To encourage, support and review the activities of the UN and other international organizations with the aim of ensuring a full and comprehensive implementation of all international instruments and standards of relevance for the prevention and combating of trafficking in persons and protection of and support for victims of trafficking.
To work towards a comprehensive, coordinated and holistic approach to human trafficking which is gender and age-sensitive and grounded in human rights based-approach
To draw on the comparative advantage of the respective agencies, promote effective and efficient use of existing resources, using, to the extent possible, mechanisms already in place at the regional and national level.

More information