Advancing anti-trafficking work: ICAT to prioritize field engagement, climate change, humanitarian crises and child protection in 2024
Vienna
For the second year running, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the Special Representative for the Secretary-General on Violence against Children (OSRSG-VAC) will jointly co-chair the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT), following their endorsement by the Principals of ICAT entities on 8 November 2023.
This follows their successful co-chairing of ICAT in 2023, during which ICAT advanced work on key priorities to effectively combat trafficking in persons and implemented over 90 percent of the planned activities, including the release of the 2023 Call on Accelerated Action to Prevent and End Child Trafficking by 2025.
Building on the priority workstreams from the previous year, the co-chairs have jointly proposed three priorities for 2024 to continue advancing ICAT’s anti-trafficking efforts.
- Priority 1 - Capitalizing on ICAT’s convening power to foster multi-stakeholder partnerships, with a particular focus on bringing ICAT closer to the field: This priority is set to build on the ICAT Field Engagement Strategy by enhancing and expanding anti-trafficking partnerships at the regional level, ranging from national agencies, intergovernmental organizations, private sector, and academic institutions. Under this priority, ICAT will also support cooperation with other multilateral inter-agency mechanisms.
- Priority 2 - Explore connections between sudden- and slow-onset disasters due to natural hazards and effects of climate change and vulnerability to trafficking in persons and exploitation: This priority aims to promote insightful policy analyses and research encompassing the nexus between trafficking in persons and the impacts of climate change, environmental degradation, and natural disasters in such context.
- Priority 3 - Strengthening approaches to, and understanding of, trafficking in persons in crisis contexts: This priority builds upon the 2022 ICAT Call to Action on trafficking in persons in the context of humanitarian crises and conflicts, and aims to strengthen accountability for trafficking in persons in the context of armed conflicts by utilizing the existing monitoring and reporting mechanisms. Under this priority, ICAT will collaborate with relevant inter-agency mechanisms and multilateral platforms to ensure effective integration of anti-trafficking actions in humanitarian responses and raise the issue to the policy level.
In addition, three key cross-cutting themes will also be implemented across each priority workstream. With an emphasis on child protection, ICAT will ensure that all relevant interventions are aligned with the standards and principles enshrined in international legal instruments such as the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. ICAT will also promote a meaningful engagement of survivors of trafficking through systematic efforts among members and partners. Furthermore, ICAT aims to mobilize resources to ensure sustainable funding and continuing collaborations across all activities.
Who are the co-chairs?
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
IOM is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration, seeking to promote the principle of safe, orderly and humane management of migration, including issues pertaining to trafficking in persons. IOM works closely with governments, other UN agencies, international and non-governmental organizations, the private sector and human rights, peace and development actors across humanitarian and development settings, to provide protection and assistance to trafficked persons.
“As a long-standing ICAT member and current co-chair, IOM remains committed to ending human trafficking and keeping victims and survivors at the center of our work,” said IOM’s Director General, Ms. Amy Pope.
Drawing on 25 years of experience in counter-trafficking work, during which the organization has directly assisted over 100,000 trafficked persons and advanced knowledge on trafficking to foster targeted, effective, and evidence-based counter-trafficking policies and actions, IOM, together with other co-leads and members, will continue “advancing ICAT's anti-trafficking efforts by enhancing multi-stakeholder partnerships, particularly focusing on field engagement and supporting inter-agency cooperation and will continue to advocate for stronger safeguards for the protection and assistance to trafficked children,” continued Ms. Pope.
In 2024, IOM-led activities in ICAT will incorporate a multifaceted approach to address trafficking in persons from different aspects such as humanitarian crisis, climate change-induced disasters, health and gender dimension.
The OSRSG-VAC draws upon its strength in advocacy on the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against children, including child trafficking. The OSRSG-VAC strives to mobilize action and political support to maintain momentum around ending violence against children and generate renewed concern about its harmful effects through close cooperation with national institutions, UN specialized agencies, human rights bodies, regional organizations and civil society organizations.
Reflecting on ICAT efforts in 2023, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Dr. Najat Maalla, lauded the cooperation of ICAT organizations.
“It has been a year of collective commitment, dedication, and achievements that have drawn ICAT closer to the realization of its declared goals. We managed together to incorporate child protection considerations into all ICAT outputs, and undertake key initiatives where children, their rights and well-being were placed at the center,” said Dr. Maalla.
The successful implementation of the ICAT priorities in 2024 will again rely on the combined efforts of all ICAT entities. “OSRSG-VAC looks forward to another year of collaboration and achievements as we continue our focus on child protection,” she added.
“With one in three identified victims being a child, action to strengthen and invest in child protection cannot wait! Prevention of and ending child trafficking is possible and, by making it a priority, we will promote the required accelerated action by 2025,” she said.
In line with the UN human rights standards, the OSRSG-VAC’s activities and focus within ICAT entail a strong emphasis on child protection in relation to trafficking in persons as one of the worst forms of violence against children.
