Pandemic increased vulnerabilitiesPeople of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities can fall prey to human trafficking, which is linked to crimes such as illicit money flows, use of fraudulent travel documents and cybercrime. Ms. Mohammed said that ending human trafficking requires supporting countries in building strong legal institutions and frameworks to respond to the crime. "Survivors should be at the centre of policies to prevent and counter human trafficking, to bring perpetrators to justice and provide effective access to remedies, including compensation,"she added. Amplify survivors' voicesMr. Shahid, the UN General Assembly President, acknowledged survivors participating in the meeting, saying that their mere presence "testifies to the fortitude of the human spirit". Malaika Oringo from Uganda, founder of an organization called Footprint to Freedom, read quotes from survivors who want their narratives to feed into policies and response to dismantle human trafficking.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 23, 2021 17:10 UTC