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Human trafficking
is the acquisition of people by improper means such as force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them.
Smuggling migrants involves the procurement for financial or other material benefit of illegal entry of a person into a State of which that person is not a national or resident.
Virtually every country in the world is affected by these crimes. The challenge for all countries, rich and poor, is to target the criminals who exploit desperate people and to protect and assist victims of trafficking and smuggled migrants, many of whom endure unimaginable hardships in their bid for a better life.
As the only United Nations entity focusing on the criminal justice element of these crimes, the work that UNODC does to combat human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants is underpinned by the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols on trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling.
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To learn more visit What is human trafficking? and What is migrant smuggling?
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Watch Public Service Announcements and listen to expert interviews here
Latest news
For more, visit our news and events page
30 June 2009 UNODC launches Model Law against Trafficking in Persons
22 - 24 June 2009 Final Expert Group Meeting to Elaborate UNODC Basic Training Modules on Preventing and Combating Migrant Smuggling held in Abuja, Nigeria
16 June 2009 African Union launches AU.COMMIT, an initiative to fight human trafficking in Africa.
12 June 2009 Council of the Baltic Sea States launches new website with information about Joint Project between the Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings (TF-THB) and UNODC
22 May 2009 UNODC and European Commission Partnership to Promote implementation of Trafficking in Persons Protocol and Migrant Smuggling Protocol
19 May 2009 New York gallery displays children's art on human trafficking
5-7 May 2009 UNODC Regional Office in Central Asia in coordination with the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan holds workshop on International and national mechanisms of combating human trafficking and protection of victims of human trafficking
20 April 2009 New Publication on Migrants Smuggling
8 April 2009 The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UNODC, in the framework of the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT), launched the publication Combating Trafficking in Persons: A Handbook for Parliamentarians
25 March 2009
Expert Group Meeting on Migrant Smuggling Training Material
25 March 2009 Joint programme meeting in Serbia
5 March 2009, UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa launches the Blue Heart Campaign against Human Trafficking.
To read about the launch of the Blue Heart Campaign, click here.
To join the Blue Heart Campaign, visit the Blue Heart website.
26 February 2009, UNODC launches regional assessment on penal prosecution capacities to investigate trafficking in persons in Central America
23 to 25 February 2009 , UNODC hosts fourth meeting on Enhancing Operational Capacity to Invest and Disrupt Human Trafficking Activities in the Western Balkans
12 February 2009, UNODC launches Global Report on Trafficking in Persons.
12 February 2009, Academy Award-winning actress Mira Sorvino appointed UNODC Goodwill Ambassador to Combat Human Trafficking
29 January 2009, UNODC anti-trafficking public service announcements available online.
18 December 2008, UNODC launches Online Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons.
30 November - 3 December 2008, UNODC holds Expert Group Meeting to Elaborate Basic Training Modules on Preventing and Combating the Smuggling of Migrants
15 November 2008 , UNODC Regional Office for South Asia holds Colloquium on Justice Delivery in India
20 October 2008 , UNODC released report on trafficking in Lebanon
15 October 2008 , UNODC hosts event to discuss challenges in the delivery of technical assistance
9 October 2008 , UNODC releases new Toolkit to combat Trafficking in Persons