Briefing on the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons

On 3 October 2023, the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT) briefed Member States and practitioners on its work and current priorities.

“ICAT provides a platform for exchange of information and best practices on various anti-trafficking actions and strives to provide the ‘One UN’ approach to promoting a holistic response to human trafficking,” said Mukundi Mutasa of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The Group’s membership has grown to include 31 organizations, all with different mandates, expertise and advantages, contributing to the comprehensiveness of the policy guidance that the Group produces.

ICAT’s 2023 co-chairs – the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children (OSRSG-VAC) also spoke at the briefing. They presented key actions throughout the year to implement the ICAT Plan of Action.

“The anti-trafficking community today faces an unprecedented scope and variety of challenges spurred by the volatile global environment, which contributes to the proliferation and diversification of trafficking and exploitation,” said Hanna Antonova, representing the International Organization for Migration.

This recognition informed the priorities of ICAT’s in 2023. These have included human trafficking data and research, strengthening multidisciplinary partnerships, promoting survivor engagement, protecting victims’ and survivors’ rights, understanding and responding to the linkages between climate change and trafficking in persons, as well as strengthening the response to trafficking in persons in the context of humanitarian crises.

Throughout the year, ICAT has paid particular attention to child protection as a cross-cutting theme of all of its activities.

“Despite the improvement in policy and practices, children continue to face alarming threats of abuse and exploitation within this crime,” said Tea Machaidze, representing the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children.

“One in three detected victims is a child. As such, anti-trafficking communities need to step up efforts to prevent and end child trafficking,” she added.

Moreover, multi-stakeholder cooperation was highlighted as key area to advancing anti-trafficking efforts, reflecting the multifaceted nature of trafficking in persons. Ms. Antonova highlighted ICAT’s intent to increase its field outreach, diverse partnerships, and resource mobilization.

“We welcome suggestions for what the Group should focus on next year, we welcome offers of collaborations and recommendations for anti-trafficking platforms at the regional and national levels that ICAT should reach out to,” she said.

The ICAT briefing was held on the margins of the 13th meeting of the intergovernmental Working Group on Trafficking in Persons held in Vienna, from 2-3 October 2023, to deliberate on the implementation of the global Protocol on Trafficking in Persons.

The event was hosted on UNODC'S Knowledge Hub on Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling (KNOWTS). It is a specialized virtual hub designed to effectively communicate, connect, engage, and collaborate with networks of practitioners who are committed to countering Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants. Click here to register for KNOWTS access.