September 16, 2019
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Social Cultural Humanitarian SOCHUM

Human Trafficking

Greece

Kate Zuke, FH Northern HS

 

Human trafficking is the illegal transportation of men, women, and children against their will, and affects every country in the world. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO) report from 2014, human trafficking earns global profits of $150 billion a year for traffickers, $99 billion comes from commercial sexual exploitation, with 24.9 million victims trapped in this modern-day slavery. Those most vulnerable in society or those with the fewest rights are the most likely to be trafficked, with 25% of victims under the age of 18, and 71% of victims are women and girls. 

 

As one of the main entry points for migration into Europe, victims of trafficking may be among the undocumented migrants entering the country. Under the Alien Act law, which lasted until 2001, there were penalties for human trafficking but there was no legislation criminalizing the act. In 2002, the first Greek law to criminalize and outlaw human trafficking was passed. Since then, Greece has been making significant efforts against human trafficking, such as the anti-trafficking unit making investigative efforts to identify and assist victims. The Office of the National Rapporteur on Human Trafficking led anti-trafficking efforts, including eliminating forced labor in local government supply chains. According to the standards set by the United States’ Trafficking Victims Protection Act, as well as its 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report Greece is classified as a Tier-2 nation and has been since 2006.

 

The Government of Greece believes that all nations should ratify the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Adopting this Protocol would be a great start for counties to begin creating their own legislation towards preventing human trafficking, and prosecuting traffickers.   

 

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  • Kate Zuke

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