Colombia: UN expert calls for effective protection of victims of trafficking

BOGOTA (31 May 2023) – Trafficking in persons, especially children by non-state armed groups and criminal organisations continues to undermine peacebuilding in Colombia, a UN expert warned today.

“Trafficking in persons is a serious human rights violation, a violation of international humanitarian law, and a serious crime that undermines peacebuilding, sustainable development and social justice,” said Siobhán Mullally, UN Special Rapporteur on  trafficking in persons, especially women and children in a statement following a nine-day visit to Colombia.

The expert welcomed the Government’s commitment to protecting the rights of victims and combating impunity but said this commitment must be implemented in practice throughout Colombia, particularly in rural areas.  She also welcomed the Government’s commitment to a human rights-based response to trafficking in persons and to expanding safe, regular and orderly migration, and urged authorities to include the issue of trafficking in persons in the country’s Peace Policy.

“Trafficking in persons is committed by non-state armed groups and criminal organisations to support their activities and control communities. It especially impacts Afro-Colombian and rural communities, indigenous peoples and Venezuelan migrants,” Mullally said.

“It is imperative that trafficking in persons is part of Colombia’s Peace Policy discussions and that the ethnic chapter of the Final Agreement is implemented and strengthened to prevent trafficking, assist and protect victims, develop survivor-centred and survivor-led programmes, and measures to combat impunity,” she said. “The commitment to comprehensive rural reform, and to promoting the rights of rural women and rural communities is welcome, and essential to prevention of trafficking in persons.”

“Protection measures should be long-term, and fully resourced,” the expert said.

Mullally said conflict related displacement contributed to increased risks of trafficking in persons due to loss of livelihoods, loss of shelter and a breakdown of community and family networks.

“Children are most affected and an increase in recruitment and use of children by armed groups in recent years is a serious concern,” the Special Rapporteur said.  “The Government must urgently progress measures to prevent recruitment and use of all children under the age of 18, especially in conflict areas,” she said.

Women and girls in particular, are exposed to trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation by armed groups and criminal networks, Mullally said.

The Special Rapporteur also commended Colombian authorities for the Temporary Protection Status granted to Venezuelans, over a million of whom have crossed into Colombia.

She urged the Government to address delays in accessing documentation and securing protection status, especially by migrants in remote areas.

Since Colombia is a transit country for migrants, Mullally urged authorities to pay particular attention to unaccompanied and separated children, especially in border areas and in transit points where their exposure to risks of trafficking is acute and where services are limited.

“Safe accommodation and protection measures, particularly in conflict affected and rural areas among Afro-Colombian, indigenous communities and communities affected by migration, are urgently needed,” the UN expert said.

“Territorial authorities are underfunded and do not have budgetary or human resources to assist victims.  In the absence of assistance and protection, victims are vulnerable to revictimisation,” Mullally added.

During her visit, the Special Rapporteur met with survivors and victims of trafficking and with human rights defenders. Her visit took her to the capital Bogota, and to Cartagena, Cúcuta, Apartadó, Necoclí, Pasto and Ipiales.

The UN expert called for coordinated action by Colombian authorities to ensure effective investigations into human trafficking. She urged the Government to increase the presence of civilian authorities in areas affected by armed group violence, expand deployment and territorial capacity of the Attorney General's Office, and implement measures to promptly respond to early warnings.

“Access to reparations for victims of conflict-related trafficking, for all purposes of exploitation, including forced recruitment, recruitment and use of children, sexual exploitation and sexual slavery, forced labour, domestic servitude and forced criminality must be ensured,” the expert said.

ENDS

Ms. Siobhán Mullally (Ireland) was appointed as Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children by the UN Human Rights Council in July 2020, to promote the prevention of trafficking in persons in all its forms, and to encourage measures to uphold and protect the human rights of victims. She is also the Established Professor of Human Rights Law and Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the School of Law, National University of Ireland, Galway. Prior to her appointment as Special Rapporteur, she was a member of the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), elected as President of GRETA from 2016-2018 and as 1st Vice-President from 2014-2018.

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.