Brasília (Brazil), 20 August 2024 – Human trafficking is an ongoing challenge in Brazil, with forced labour being the most prevalent form. The victims are mainly young men, aged 18 to 29.
Following closely behind is sexual exploitation – the second most widespread form of trafficking. Worryingly, other forms of exploitation are becoming more visible, such as children trafficked for illegal adoption, frequently facilitated by advanced digital technologies.
These insights come from the new National Report on Trafficking in Persons prepared by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The document draws on public data to shed light on the current state and recent dynamics of this crime nationwide.
In response to these evolving challenges, Brazil has launched its IV National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Persons, a strategic blueprint that will guide the government’s actions and policies against this crime for the next four years.
The document outlines 26 priority actions distributed across 107 activities, focusing on areas such as strengthening the response to forced labour and improving intelligence centres dedicated to human trafficking investigations.
“Human trafficking continues to challenge authorities, whether due to its complexity and low visibility or due to the use of new ways of recruiting and exploiting victims,” said Ricardo Lewandowski, Brazil’s Minister of Justice and Public Security. “One certainty remains: this is not a crime that can be faced by States in isolation.”
“Combating trafficking requires cooperation between government bodies, civil society, universities and international organizations,” Lewandowski added.
This is exactly how the new National Plan was developed: with the collaboration of many experts from diverse backgrounds.
“The progress made by the Brazilian government in developing and implementing public policies on human trafficking is remarkable,” said Elena Abbati, UNODC Brazil Representative, emphasizing UNODC’s commitment to supporting a coordinated response to this crime.
One of the key objectives of the National Plan is addressing human trafficking at the state and municipal levels, tailoring actions to the local social and economic realities.
In the Tapajós river basin, a gold mining area located in the Brazilian Amazon, efforts to combat this crime are already underway.
There, up to 40 per cent of gold miners are potential victims of forced labour, according to a recent UNODC study.
The study was conducted as part of the UNODC Tapajós Project, which seeks to better understand the prevalence of human trafficking in the region, as well as to prevent and reduce it.
Since 2023, UNODC has provided technical support to local experts working to eradicate forced labour.
Last month, UNODC held its first multidisciplinary training in the region, focused on identifying, referring and assisting trafficking victims. The training featured an innovative simulated interview exercise based on a real case of forced labour in a local mining site.
On 31 July 2024, the Brazil’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office announced the creation of four specialized anti-trafficking units focused on preventing, identifying and suppressing human trafficking.
Federal prosecutors assigned to the new units will lead investigations and initiate legal actions related to trafficking cases across different regions of the country.
Moreover, the units are expected to help with the formation of Joint Investigation Teams with other countries to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and tackle trafficking at the international level.
“Given its complexity and transnational scope, human trafficking requires not only exceptional qualifications on the part of prosecutors but also a centralized support structure,” explained Hindenburgo Chateaubriand, Deputy Attorney General of Brazil.
