In 2024, the global landscape for migrant workers, sex workers, and individuals vulnerable to human trafficking remained fraught with challenges. Economic disparities and conflicts continued to drive migration, often leading to exploitation and human rights abuses.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported a 25% increase in detected trafficking victims compared to pre-pandemic figures, with a notable 47% surge in forced labour cases. Alarmingly, child trafficking rose by 31%, disproportionately affecting girls.
In Southeast Asia, thousands were coerced into labour within online scam operations, undergoing inhumane conditions. At least 120,000 people were trafficked into scam compounds in Myanmar, and around 100,000 were held in similar conditions in Cambodia. Similar operations also took place in Laos, the Philippines, and Thailand.