Trafficking in human beings

Human traffickers exploit people for profit. People are trafficked for labour, sexual exploitation, forced criminality and other forms of abuse. 

It causes deep and lasting harm.

ODIHR works with governments, survivors and civil society to prevent trafficking, protect victims' rights and support their long-term recovery. We help strengthen laws, policies and institutions, train officials and promote responses that are informed by trauma, sensitive to age, gender and grounded in human rights.

The voice of survivors is central to our work. 

ODIHR's International Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Council (ISTAC) assists us in combatting trafficking in human beings. It provides advice, guidance, and recommendations to ODIHR and the OSCE participating States on anti-trafficking legislation, policies, practices and training to ensure they are grounded in lived experience rather than assumptions. 

ISTAC consists of prominent human trafficking survivor leaders from across the OSCE region.

National Referral Mechanisms (NRMs) are co-operative institutional systems that help states identify human trafficking victims and ensure their protection, access to assistance and long-term recovery.

ODIHR works with governments, policymakers and practitioners to establish or strengthen NRMs and ensure they are trauma-informed and responsive to the unique needs of each victim through policy and technical advice as well as training.