Human Trafficking & Mazigration Research
Human Trafficking & Migration Research
Eradicating human trafficking and modern slavery is one of the most pressing and complex human rights challenges facing the world today.
Trafficking in human beings is “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or purchase of persons for the sole purpose of exploitation” (UNODC). Trafficking can happen within a country or across borders, with victims exploited through modern forms of slavery including forced labour, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, and trading in human organs. There are more victims in our world today than at any other point in history and annual profits from this crime exceed those of Apple, Microsoft, Samsung, British Petroleum, and Exxon combined.
Human trafficking and modern slavery are hidden and grossly under-reported crimes, with many people, tricked into situations of abuse and coerced or threatened into silence. When they are discovered, the victims of trafficking are frequently treated as criminals and detained rather than receiving the attention and assistance they require.
The CARICOM region is deeply affected by human trafficking as source, transit and destination countries. While at the international level a number of United Nations agencies and regional programs already deal with many aspects of human trafficking, at national levels there is a need to take action to prevent trafficking, prosecute the criminal actors and punish any officials involved, and identify and protect victims.
Dunn Pierre Barnett and Company Limited (DPBA) seeks to help combat human trafficking by drawing on the knowledge, networks and resources acquired through our previous initiatives and more than two decades of experience by our Associates and Institutional partners. DPBA will work with countries to reduce human trafficking through research, policy recommendations and sensitization and capacity-building initiatives.
With financial support from the private sector and international donors, we will work with governments and civil society, provide technical assistance and collect data. Projects are initiated to prevent and fight human trafficking and evaluated on their potential to make a real difference to the lives of those most vulnerable to and affected by human trafficking.
Our research will generate a comprehensive picture of trafficking trends and vulnerabilities in countries across the region. Findings from the research will describe where best practice has been adopted as well as identifying any gaps in legislation, policy and practice, highlighting where there are insufficient resources or capacity, and generating key policy recommendations.
Building awareness can an effective step towards combating human trafficking, and we will work on this by educating and sensitizing the public and key groups about the issue. Our work will help to raise awareness among vulnerable groups to prevent them becoming victims of trafficking and to inform affected people about how to seek help. When the general public understand the signs of human trafficking and modern slavery they are able to recognize and report suspected cases of abuse.
We will conduct Front-line Responder Training Programs aimed at sensitizing people who are most likely to come in contact with victims of labor and sex trafficking to the issue of human trafficking and modern slavery, and increasing the awareness and capacity of law enforcement officers, social service providers, judicial officials and community workers. This will support efforts to detect and prosecute cases of human trafficking and to identify and provide appropriate protection and assistance to victims.
Through these initiatives we seek to:
- Increase awareness and knowledge of human trafficking
- Increase the number of trained professionals
- Increase the number of identified victims
- Mobilize financial resources to support action