Introduction
Not being strictly bound by the political landscape, intergovernmental (IGOs) and non-governmental (NGOs) organizations play a crucial role in alleviating countless transnational issues, including human trafficking. While anti-slavery initiatives began in the 1800s, this global problem remains unresolved and plagues many nations, especially in Asia and Europe (DoCarmo 2020). Limoncelli (2017) states that “The emergence and spread of contemporary anti-trafficking advocacy is an understudied phenomenon” (816). This essay aims to analyze the role of NGOs and IGOs in the recent transnational measures that combat human trafficking.
Background
The number of NGOs and IGOs that focus their attention on the issue has been steadily increasing over the past twenty years (DoCarmo 2020). Most of the countries in Europe, and North and South America created numerous transnational anti-slavery programs, such as the International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour established by the International Labour Organization in the United Nations (Limoncelli 2017). There are only a few long-standing anti-trafficking NGOs, such as Anti-Slavery International, which was founded over 200 years ago (Limoncelli 2017).
Remediation
The worldwide efforts to combat slavery combine thousands of NGOs and IGOs. Counter-trafficking organizations operate in every country regardless of the anti-slavery laws established by governments (DoCarmo 2020). While some NGOs focus on assisting the victims, such as the International Justice Mission, other organizations, such as The Human Trafficking Institute and Thorn, help governments with criminal investigations against perpetrators (DoCarmo 2020). Most the anti-trafficking organizations receive foreign financial assistance (Limoncelli 2017).
Evaluation
The current rate of human trafficking incidents across the globe can not be sufficiently measured due to the lack of exact statistics on victims (Limoncelli 2017). However, it is possible to evaluate the growing number of organizations and the funding they receive. DoCarmo (2020) states that “there were very few NGOs that focused on trafficking as recently as the 1990s,” while there are thousands of them nowadays (1430). NGOs and IGOs spearheaded several anti-slavery projects that helped to define human trafficking under international law, oppose any form of slavery, and coerced influential figures to stand against this issue (Limoncelli 2017).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the measures taken by NGOs and IGOs facilitate the combined global actions against human trafficking and provide assistance to its victims. The recent increase of attention to the issue signifies its severity and calls for further examination. The critical role of these organizations in combating human trafficking shows how NGOs and IGOs can stimulate cooperation and promote unified efforts against other long-standing issues.
References
DoCarmo, Tania E. 2019. “Major International Counter-Trafficking Organizations: Addressing Human Trafficking from Multiple Directions.” The Palgrave International Handbook of Human Trafficking, October, 1429–44. Web.
Limoncelli, Stephanie A. 2017. “The Global Development of Contemporary Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy.” International Sociology 32 (6): 814–34. Web.