Universal Periodic Review

Operationalise domestically the insights arising from its October conference on ‘Human Trafficking in Times of Corona’

Proponent:

Remarks to progress by Liga (last modified Dec 31, 2024):

The conference on combating human trafficking was held virtually on 14 and 15 October 2020 under the title „Human trafficking in the wake of coronavirus“. The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on human trafficking and the fight against it, particularly through increased recruitment via social media. A new reporting centre at the Federal Criminal Police Office was announced at the conference in order to better sensitise and support the population. The event emphasised the importance of international networking in the fight against organised crime.   The International Labour Organization estimates that around 21 million people worldwide are affected by forced labour. In 2019, 62 suspects were reported for human trafficking in Austria. The conference addressed the changing challenges posed by the pandemic and emphasised the need for new solutions and support systems.   The fight against human trafficking has been a focus of Austrian foreign policy since the Task Force on Human Trafficking was founded in 2004. Since 2007, the Task Force has organised the Vienna Conference against Human Trafficking in cooperation with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the OSCE and, for some years now, with the Principality of Liechtenstein;