Nakuru to host 'World Day Against Trafficking in Persons' commemoration amid rise in cases

From 2020 to 2023, there were more than 200,000 trafficked victims globally. (Photo: Freepik)

By Mary Wambui
Wednesday, July 30, 2025

UN statistics show that from 2020 to 2023, there were more than 200,000 detected victims globally, which is just the tip of the iceberg.

Kenya is set to join the world in marking the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons in Nakuru.

This year, the day, marked under the theme 'Human Trafficking is Organised Crime, End exploitation', seeks to highlight that trafficking results in forced criminality, with calls for the protection of victims of this abuse.

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UN statistics show that from 2020 to 2023, there were more than 200,000 detected victims globally, which is just the tip of the iceberg.

"The actual number of unreported cases is believed to be significantly higher. Organised criminal networks are driving this victimisation and exploitation, using migration flows, global supply chains, legal and economic loopholes and digital platforms to facilitate cross-border trafficking on a massive scale. They profit from forced labour, sexual exploitation and coercion into criminal activities, such as online scams and drug smuggling," the organisation says.

Kenya has remained a source, a traffic route and a destination for human trafficking, currently ranking under tier two, for not fully meeting the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.

Countries in the Middle East account for 52.4 per cent of persons trafficked from Kenya, while those in Africa account for 42.1 per cent, a report by the National Crime Research Centre notes.

For the crime to end, said the UN, law enforcement must enforce strict laws, conduct proactive investigations, strengthen cross-border cooperation, target criminal finances, and leverage technology to identify and dismantle trafficking networks.

"Ensuring justice for survivors requires holding perpetrators accountable and providing a victim-centred approach to protection, support and access to justice," a statement from the UN adds.

According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), across the globe, trafficked persons, often migrants, youth, and children, are coerced into crimes like online scams, drug trafficking, and theft and instead of being recognised as victims, they are criminalised and denied support.

"To dismantle these networks, responses must focus on victim identification and survivor-centred justice. Governments, civil society, and international actors must ensure strong referral systems, reintegration support, and uphold the non-punishment principle. By listening to victims, strengthening protections, and holding traffickers accountable, we can end exploitation for good," the organisation urges.

Interpol boss Valdecy Urquiza adds that beyond sexual exploitation, human trafficking also takes the form of forced labour and even organ removal.

"While human trafficking and migrant smuggling are distinct crimes, they can be linked. Migrant smugglers exploit people seeking better lives and can use their desperation as an entry point for trafficking. At Interpol, we are committed to protecting victims and bringing to justice those responsible for these crimes which exploit the most vulnerable members of our society," he said on Wednesday.

On its part, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (East Africa) says ending the exploitation requires targeting criminal networks, not only small-scale traffickers, following the money and protecting victims.

"Human trafficking is not random; it is organised. Across borders and deep within communities, criminal networks operate with precision: exploiting poverty, preying on desperation, and silencing survivors," IOM says in a statement.

The UN Women adds that women and girls continue to be the most detected victims worldwide and continue to be exploited in all forms of trafficking, but particularly for sexual purposes.