Human trafficking remains one of the most severe human rights violations of our time.
In 2023, the European Union alone registered 10,800 victims of human trafficking, but the true scale of this crime is believed to be three times higher. Women and girls account for two-thirds of the victims, mainly trafficked for sexual exploitation, but also for forced labour, and other forms of abuse.
The Expanding Digital Dimension
With the rise of technology, trafficking is no longer confined to physical transport across borders. Increasingly, it involves online exploitation within victims’ home countries, where traffickers use digital platforms to groom, recruit and control.
The OSCE’s Global Response
The OSCE Annual Conference on Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) provides a vital platform for global stakeholders to discuss emerging trends and strengthen policies.
In 2025, the conference focused on child trafficking, which has tripled over the last 15 years, largely due to technology misuse. Vulnerable groups include displaced children, those in institutional care, minorities, and children with disabilities.
Beyond sexual exploitation, forced criminality has risen significantly across the OSCE region, from 2% in 2015 to 24% in 2020, affecting mainly boys, particularly those below the age of legal responsibility.
Technology: Both Tool and Threat
Traffickers exploit digital platforms, AI, and social media to produce explicit content involving minors and engage in online sexual exploitation and blackmail. Measures to fight these trends include:
- using AI to detect grooming and support victims
- strengthening cooperation with financial institutions to follow the money
- regulating minors’ access to social media platforms.
The OSCE supports its member states through training of border guards, labour inspectors and healthcare personnel to better detect and protect the victims.
Our Commitment
At Soroptimists, we are dedicated to supporting efforts to prevent and combat human trafficking through advocacy, training, and awareness-raising. Together, we can help ensure that every person can live free from exploitation.