It's a $32bn dollar a year transnational enterprise and according to the US State. Department it is ... In the US, the C
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In the minute that it’s taken to watch that video clip, 50 people around the world will have become victims of human trafficking. Put another way in the last 60 seconds roughly half the number of the people in this room will have been lost to sexual, forced labor or other exploitative abuse.
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The extent of this crime is truly appalling. No one has exact figures, but the latest estimates from the international Labor Organization are that 25 million people are trafficked annually. That is more than the population of Australia. (Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), Global Estimates of Modern Slavery, 2017 and United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, 2016)
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It’s a $32bn dollar a year transnational enterprise and according to the US State Department it is the fastest growing crime. While most States have criminalized trafficking, only 15% of countries that have more than 50 convictions per year for TiP. (Sources: ILO, 2005, UNODC, 2016)
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At IATA Annual General Meeting in Cancun earlier this year, the Keynote address on human trafficking was given jointly by two senior executives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and CNN. Both spoke powerfully and passionately about the extent of human trafficking, their respective Blue Heart and Freedom Project initiatives and urged more airlines to join in the fight against this crime. They noted that IATA was well positioned to assist airlines in this process at the industry level. In response, Alexandre de Juniac promised that IATA would work with our member airlines to determine how we could assist in this process. IATA is now in the process of fulfilling that promise. We have received the approval of our airline members to launch an initiative that will enable the airline industry to do what it can to support governments and law enforcement in tackling this problem. So what is human trafficking? A simple definition is that human trafficking is the illegal trade in humans, most commonly for the purpose of forced labor, sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others. There are three elements to it: • The act: what is done: The recruitment, transport, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons • The means: how is it done: The threat or use of force, coercion, fraud, etc.
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• The purpose: why is it done: sexual exploitation, forced labor, etc. Governments and law enforcement agencies have the responsibility to identify, apprehend and prosecute those involved in trafficking. But it is an issue for airlines because the air services which deliver so many social and economic benefits can also be misused by traffickers as a means of transporting victims. Human trafficking can happen in plain sight. Many of you flew to Geneva for this meeting. Could someone sat next to you or a few rows back be the victim of human trafficking? How could you tell? Spotting the signs of potential trafficking situations will only be visible to those trained to have their eyes open to see it. There are some very strong reasons beyond the moral imperative as to why airlines have a natural interest in helping governments to tackle human trafficking: • Firstly there is increasing awareness that human trafficking is used by groups such as ISIS to fund terrorist activities, which are often focused on international civil aviation. • Secondly airlines are having to comply with laws relating to anti-trafficking legislation – for example in the UK there is the Modern Slavery Act 2015 which requires organizations to publish an annual statement detailing the steps they are taking to ensuring their operations and those of their supply chain are trafficking free. Anti-trafficking initiatives assist in the compliance. • Finally consumers and investors are increasingly buying from and investing in companies that can demonstrate that they are good corporate citizens. There is also growing awareness that customer-facing staff at airlines and airports can play a role in supporting law enforcement by being trained to identify the signs of potential trafficking and reporting their suspicions. In the US, the Customs and Border Protection, Department of Transportation and Department of Homeland Security run a campaign known as Blue Lightning which specifically looks to involve training airline crew to identify the signs of trafficking and report them. More and more airlines around the world are already providing such training - some are doing this as part of sustainability or corporate social responsibility programs. IATA’s role is to ensure that all of our member airlines, irrespective of size, are aware of this issue and to provide them with the tools and resources they need so that they too can assist in the fight against human trafficking. Further resources: Presentations at the IATA Annual General Meeting: http://www.iata.org/events/agm/2017/Pages/videos.aspx?vid=25 http://www.iata.org/events/agm/2017/Pages/videos.aspx?vid=36 Trafficking Terror – How Modern Slavery and Sexual Violence Fund Terrorism”, The Henry Jackson Society (2017), http://henryjacksonsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/HJSTrafficking-Terror-Report-web.pdf Blue Lightning campaign: https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/human-trafficking/bluelightning
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There are a number of ways in which IATA will be helping to mobilize the airline industry in the fight against human trafficking. • We will be launching a general awareness #Eyesopen campaign aimed at airlines, their staff and the traveling public • Development of guidance materials and best practice that airlines can use to develop policy and initiatives on human trafficking • Provide “recognize the signs” training materials that airlines can include within existing customer facing staff training (this will include e-learning modules). In addition, IATA is calling on governments and their enforcement agencies to provide clear, practical and anonymous mechanisms for airline staff so they can report their observations on potential trafficking situations. A good example of best practice is in the United States, where the Department of Homeland Security provides a national toll (cost) free “tip line” and web form where airline staff can report their observations anonymously. IATA will also share best practice and partner with Airports Council International (ACI), Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), UNODC, and other stakeholders.
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So, I mentioned spotting the signs that someone may be a victim of trafficking or indeed a trafficker. What are these? Experts such as UNODC and Airline Ambassadors note that indicators of a potential situation trafficking situations can include: passengers not being in control of their own travel documents, seeming frightened or anxious, being under the control of a companion or someone claiming to be a parent or guardian who is in fact not related to the child.
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So, what should you do if you suspect a potential trafficking situation? The simple advice is to discretely inform the cabin crew of your suspicions. Airline cabin crew are trained to observe but not to get involved or to confront anyone they suspect of trafficking. They will inform the Captain of their concerns, to report onwards to the appropriate authorities and let them handle the case. In countries like the US there are specific tip lines that go straight through to trained law enforcement professionals who deal with human trafficking.
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IATA’s Director General and CEO often refers to the airline industry as being the business of freedom. The airline industry is determined to do what we can and have our Eyes Open to help governments to stop those who take away freedom of others through the evil of human trafficking. Thank you.
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