Elaine Abbott

Rights groups and others call for urgent global efforts to secure the release of Mech Dara

The arrest of Cambodian journalist Mech Dara causes international outcry, the Thai Government opens an identification center for trafficking victims, and a report examines human rights risks in Mexico’s clothing supply chains. Award-winning Cambodian journalist Mech Dara has been charged with “incitement to disturb social security” over his social

Integrating climate justice and social equity programs would help protect the vulnerable

Climate adaptation and financial inclusion frameworks should be linked to protect trafficking survivors, Australia’s labour mobility visa program fails to support exploited workers, and an article explores how EU legislation could impact people in forced labour. Social equity and climate justice frameworks must be integrated to protect survivors of

Making modern slavery a priority in the UK would support high-profile policy goals

A disjointed approach to tackling exploitation in the UK weakens prevention efforts, the U.S. sanctions a Cambodian businessman for human rights abuses in online scam centers, and The Freedom Story is fundraising for emergency relief in flood-hit northern Thailand. UK policymakers could address the complexities of modern slavery while

Companies must be transparent on the limitations of audits in identifying forced labour

Traditional work inspections are failing to spot hidden forms of forced labour, a report explores the link between a lack of legal identity and modern slavery, and Australia is to hold companies accountable for scams carried out through their platforms. A panel discussion last week by the U.S. Department

Strengthening Cross-Sector Collaboration for Intelligence Sharing Helps Reduce Forced Criminality

Stakeholder partnerships have the potential to rapidly disrupt cyberscam operations, Dyson drops its libel case against a news investigation into alleged forced labour practices, and migrant workers in Italy are at risk from heatwaves. With the crisis of trafficking for forced criminality into cyberscam centers in Southeast Asia rapidly worsening,

The application of trafficking legislation must be refined to address emerging forms of exploitation

IOM and RSO consult on existing legal frameworks in relation to emerging forms of trafficking, Brazil launches a new counter-TIP action plan, and trafficking for sexual exploitation rises 30 per cent in Mexico. Discussions at a recent workshop hosted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Thailand and the Regional

East Africa’s anti-trafficking network strengthens its collaborative efforts

East African CSOs agree plans to build on previous successes at this year’s EHAAT Regional Forum, IJM calls for the just treatment of scam center workers following a crackdown in Laos, and a new report explores the connections between human trafficking and disability. At their 7th Regional Forum in

Trafficking misinformation should be countered by evidence-based approaches

Public misconceptions around human trafficking are detrimental to the overall response, Bangladesh publishes its first national TIP study, and Cambodia audits a labour rights organization which published a report on garment factories. Misinformation and false assumptions about human trafficking often lead to misguided judgments on why and how trafficking happens,

Colonial mindsets must be examined before localization can be truly realized

Speakers at this year’s ARAT summit emphasize the value of local networks, MWA’s latest report highlights the exploitation of Sierra Leonean women in Lebanon under the kafala system, and IOM Nepal formalizes the MBHR Asia initiative to enhance migrant workers' rights and promote ethical recruitment. Panelists at

Migrant domestic workers in the UK lack protections amid increasing abuse

A new report claims the UK has rolled back domestic workers’ rights even as its legal system facilitates their exploitation, GFEMS announces its closure at the end of the year, and African child migrants are brutally exploited by European drug cartels. A report released on International Domestic Workers’ Day on

CSO knowledge is crucial in responding to cyberscam-related trafficking

The response to human trafficking for forced criminality must include CSO perspectives, a new law helps protect domestic workers in Ukraine, and UN experts flag up the risk of trafficking and exploitation faced by migrant workers in the UK. The importance of non-governmental and civil society perspectives in identifying actionable

Local efforts to break up cybercrime syndicates help disrupt the trafficking cycle

An Indian law enforcement operation targets local traffickers for scamming compounds, the latest IOM World Migration Report shows a major increase in international remittances, and California poultry companies must pay millions in back wages amid labour law violations. An anti-trafficking operation carried out by police in the Indian state of