An Introduction to Human Trafficking - United Nations Office on ...

PART ONE.—VULNERABILITY
widespread human misery, there are limitations <strong>to</strong> speaking in such broad terms. A closer
examination of numerous reports reveals little consistency on even some of the most basic
terminology. There is no consensus on the definition of the term “victim of trafficking”,
although the <strong>Trafficking</strong> Pro<strong>to</strong>col acknowledges the trafficked person as victim. The
Pro<strong>to</strong>col itself does not define the term, although it contains numerous references <strong>to</strong> victims
of trafficking. Some countries have criminalized trafficking for sexual exploitation but
not for labour. There is not always consensus on what “sexual exploitation” means, nor
is there any broadly accepted <strong>to</strong>ol for the identification of victims. A recent report cites
differences in definitions of who is a victim of trafficking, the nature of the term itself
and social practices that may contribute <strong>to</strong> trafficking as challenges in reaching international
consensus. 6 The same report also indicates that such definitional inconsistencies,
combined with a lack of reliable, consistent and comparable data, make any assessment
of a rise or fall in human trafficking impossible <strong>to</strong> quantify except in general terms. 7
Unsubstantiated claims of an increase in trafficking offer little guidance <strong>to</strong> policymakers,
practitioners or donors seeking <strong>to</strong> introduce effective anti-trafficking measures. The antitrafficking
community, however, is not alone in attempting <strong>to</strong> solve a problem for which
there are no clear-cut parameters. <strong>An</strong> analysis of the implementation of the Millennium
Development Goals, 8 accepted now as criteria by which <strong>to</strong> measure international development
efforts, reveals that challenges in achieving some of their objectives stem from a
lack of documentation and, consequently, an inability <strong>to</strong> determine clear-cut objectives. A
recent report on the challenges of meeting the Goals indicates:
“Only 57 out of 163 developing countries have counted the poor more than once
since 1990. Ninety-two have not counted them at all.” 9
The same challenges are present in quantifying the effects of certain disease prevention
programmes or infant and child mortality. Current statistics are based on estimates, making
any assessment of progress extremely difficult.
While each of the terms “prevention”, “protection” and “prosecution” can benefit from further
definitional clarity, this paper will discuss the limitations <strong>to</strong> achieving progress in
combating human trafficking by relying on narrow definitions and interpretations of what
constitutes prevention.
6
<strong>United</strong> States of America, Government Accountability <strong>Office</strong>, <strong>Human</strong> <strong>Trafficking</strong>: Moni<strong>to</strong>ring and Evaluation of
International Projects are Limited, but Experts Suggest Improvements, GAO report GAO-07-1034
(Washing<strong>to</strong>n, D.C., July 2007), p. 13.
7
Ibid., p. 16.
8
See A/56/326, annex, and A/58/323, annex.
9
“Millennium Development Goals: the Eight Commandments”, The Economist, 5 July 2007.
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