Human trafficking and human rights in Asia: Trends, issues and challenges

Human trafficking is one of the most pernicious crimes in modern history and poses one of the gravest threats to human security. In a highly interconnected environment, human trafficking has become pervasive and widespread across the globe. A recent study from the UN Human Rights Council noted that there are 2.5 million victims of human trafficking at any given time (AFP 2009). Despite this alarming figure, statistics on human trafficking at any level, at best, represent only estimates, given the clandestine nature of this crime. Furthermore, the lack of agreement on the methodology used to calculate numbers has made data-gathering difficult since figures quoted often contradict each other.

Related Subject(s): Democracy and Governance