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

PART TWO.—IMPACT
B.—Border control
Just as a common response <strong>to</strong> irregular migration has been <strong>to</strong> tighten borders, so <strong>to</strong>o have
countries responded <strong>to</strong> the increase in human trafficking by strengthening border control.
Stricter border controls and increased law enforcement are common methods. 27
Expenditure on border control is increasing rapidly throughout Australia, the <strong>United</strong>
States, Western Europe and other perceived destination areas. 28
At the global and regional levels, international cooperation in addressing trafficking is
largely within the context of action <strong>to</strong> deter and prevent irregular movements and the promotion
of national legislation <strong>to</strong> assist in this. The Bali Process on People Smuggling,
<strong>Trafficking</strong> in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, set up in South-East Asia, has a
strong crime control emphasis and focuses on capacity-building of operational-level law
enforcement, immigration and other key personnel involved in combating migrant smuggling,
trafficking in persons and related forms of transnational crime. 29 In Western and
Central Europe, the European Union has focused extensively on issues of smuggling and
trafficking within the context of controlling immigration from outside. Following the 1999
Tampere European Council, which guaranteed access <strong>to</strong> European terri<strong>to</strong>ry <strong>to</strong> asylumseekers,
draft council directives were formulated on penal frameworks for those who facilitate
unauthorized entry and residence. 30
Regional forums all include bilateral aid and trade programmes, assistance with poverty
alleviation and development as part of their focus. These policies are directly linked <strong>to</strong>
the expectation that increases in overseas development and humanitarian assistance will
also result in decreases in irregular migration, including trafficking. 31
C.—<strong>Human</strong> rights
When trafficking is defined within the context of irregular migration, the crime control
focus becomes the illegal entry or stay in a country, that is, infraction of state laws by
the migrant him- or herself. This focus raises the danger that the human rights abuses and
exploitation that are the characteristics of trafficking may not be addressed. Even when
government measures primarily target the recruiters and exploiters, trafficked persons are
at risk of being considered collabora<strong>to</strong>rs in illegal migration rather than as victims of
crime. 32
27
Raimo Väyrynen, “Illegal immigration, human trafficking, and organized crime”, discussion paper No. 2003/72
(Helsinki, <strong>United</strong> <strong>Nations</strong> University, World Institute for Development Economics Research, Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 2003), p. 4
(see http://www.wider.unu.edu/publications/dps/dps2003/dp2003-072.pdf)
. 28 Bimal Ghosh, “Managing migration: whither the missing regime?”, draft article in the Migration Without Borders
series, document SHS/2005/MWB/4 (Paris, <strong>United</strong> <strong>Nations</strong> Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 15
February 2005), p. 2 (see http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001391/139149E.pdf)
. 29 Australia, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, “Background <strong>to</strong> the Bali process” (see
http://www.dfat.gov.au/illegal_immigration/bali_process_background.html).
30
John Morrison, “<strong>Human</strong> smuggling and trafficking”, Forced Migration Online Research Guide (Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 2002)
(see http://www.forcedmigration.org/guides/fmo011/)
. 31 John Morrison, “The trafficking and smuggling of refugees: the end game in European asylum policy?”, prepublication
edition, commissioned by the <strong>Office</strong> of the <strong>United</strong> <strong>Nations</strong> High Commissioner for Refugees, July 2000,
p. 93 (see http://www.ecre.org/eu_developments/controls/traffick.pdf)
. 32 Statement adopted by the European NGO Conference, held in Noordwijkerhout from 5 <strong>to</strong> 7 April 1997, for
presentation <strong>to</strong> the EU Ministerial Conference from 24 <strong>to</strong> 26 April 1997.
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