By Vrushali GAIKWAD, Board member of the LMGlobal.Org & NGO Rep. to the
United Nations Department of Global Communications

Interactive Multi-Stakeholder Hearing as part of the preparatory process for the United Nations General Assembly High-Level meeting on the Appraisal of the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons

Introduction:
[LMGlobal.Org] Under resolution General Assembly resolution 79/286, the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations convened an informal interactive multi-stakeholder hearing as part of the preparatory process for the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the appraisal of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, was held on 30 June 2025, at the Trusteeship Chamber of the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This report outlines the key observations and remarks from the meeting, underscored by the esteemed participation of our organization, LMGlobal.Org. It also presents my insights derived from direct contributions in the proceedings.

Opening segment:
The meeting commenced with the opening message of the President of the General Assembly. He emphasized the urgent need for collective accountability in the fight against human trafficking – a grave violation of human rights affecting millions of people worldwide.

In his message, the President noted that the majority of identified victims are women and children, with 61 percent being women and girls, most of whom are trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Alarmingly, the number of trafficked children continues to rise, and there is an increasing prevalence of forced labor across the globe. He underscored that human trafficking now affects more countries and a broader diversity of victims than ever before.

He highlighted the root causes of trafficking, including poverty, unemployment, armed conflict, displacement, and the climate crisis, and stressed that these must be addressed through coordinated and sustained international action. Reaffirming the commitment enshrined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, he pointed to the specific goals and targets aimed at eradicating trafficking in persons. He called on Member States to uphold their responsibilities to protect and support victims and survivors, and to strengthen their national and international efforts. Recognizing the scale and complexity of this global challenge, the President urged the formation of strong, cross-sectoral partnerships involving governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector. Such collaboration, he stated, is essential to raise awareness, build resilience, and provide comprehensive, long-term support to survivors. In conclusion, the President invited all stakeholders to share their insights and recommendations to reinforce global efforts and move toward a future free from trafficking in persons.

He noted that human trafficking now affects more countries and a broader diversity of victims than ever before. He emphasized that the root causes, including poverty, unemployment, armed conflict, displacement, and the climate crisis, must be addressed through coordinated and sustained international action. He reaffirmed that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes specific goals and targets to combat trafficking in persons and called upon Member States to uphold their commitments to support victims and survivors. Recognizing the scale and complexity of this challenge, the President called for strong, cross-sectoral partnerships, involving governments, academia, civil society, and the private sector, to raise awareness, build resilience, and provide long-term support to survivors. In conclusion, the President invited all stakeholders to contribute their insights and recommendations to strengthen global efforts and build a future free from trafficking in persons.

Remarks by Ms. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC):
She addressed the meeting via pre-recorded video by highlighting the significance of the Global Plan of Action, which over the past 15 years has served as a vital framework for collective efforts to combat human trafficking. She noted that the Plan of Action mandated the production of UNODC’s Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, a key source of data and analysis on trafficking trends and patterns worldwide. It also led to the establishment of the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for victims of trafficking in persons, which continues to provide essential support to victims and survivors each year. Ms. Waly emphasized that the Global Plan of Action has also created a platform for Member States to review progress every four years, enabling them to identify gaps, share good practices, and strengthen their responses.

“The need for coordinated action is now more urgent than ever, as the trafficking landscape continues to evolve with traffickers increasingly exploiting digital technologies and online platforms to perpetrate fraud and abuse.” – Ghada Waly, Executive Director of UNODC.

In this context, Ms. Waly highlighted a recent milestone: the first-ever Global Forum for Human Trafficking Survivors, convened by UNODC under the theme “Voices of Resilience.” The forum provided an important platform for survivors to share their experiences and expertise, offering valuable insights on effective prevention, protection, and systemic response strategies. She concluded by encouraging all stakeholders to contribute their ideas and recommendations through the dedicated UNODC webpage, reinforcing the importance of inclusive, survivor-informed action in the global fight against human trafficking.

Remarks by Par Liljert, Director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM):
He emphasized the importance of Article 6 of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, which encourages States Parties to support the physical, psychological, and social recovery of victims. He urged the international community to reflect critically, asking:

“Are we meeting the minimum standards? Are we supporting the right approaches to effectively combat this issue?”

Mr. Liljert stressed that collective action is essential and recommended that States and all relevant partners develop and strengthen National Referral Mechanisms (NRMs), ensuring a victim-centered approach. He called for improved coordination among Member States, international and regional organizations, civil society, academia, and the private sector to prevent and combat trafficking in persons effectively. He also drew attention to the misuse of technology, noting that many victims are misidentified or criminalized, which significantly hampers the identification process and limits frontline responses. At the same time, he emphasized the need to leverage information and communication technologies (ICT) and artificial intelligence (AI) in combating trafficking more effectively.

Highlighting a critical gap, Mr. Liljert called for more comprehensive research and data collection, particularly regarding victims of trafficking for labor exploitation. He stressed the need for robust, disaggregated data to better understand the scale, characteristics, patterns, and evolving trends of this crime. He concluded by announcing that IOM, in partnership with UNODC, has developed a common international classification standard, the ICS-TIP, that aims to facilitate the production and dissemination of high-quality administrative data relating to various aspects of the crime of trafficking in persons and encouraged all stakeholders to join in this collective mission.

Panel Discussion: The Global Plan of Action and enduring trafficking issues and gaps, and emerging issues

Evelyn Chumbow

The session was moderated by: Ms. Delphine Schantz, Representative, UNODC New York
Panelists of the session were:

• Ms. Siobhán Mullally, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children
• Ms. Evelyn Chumbow, Survivor of trafficking in persons, Advocacy & Survivors Leadership Program Director, The Human Trafficking Legal Center
• Ms. Catherine Kirkendall, Executive Director, Hagar International, US Office
• Mr. Colin Ward, Engagement Lead, UK & Europe, Marinus, Analytics

The panel discussion began with Evelyn Chumbow, Advocacy and Survivor Leadership Director at the Human Trafficking Legal Center. A survivor of child labor trafficking, Ms. Chumbow has since become a dedicated anti-trafficking advocate and public speaker, focusing her life’s work on ending modern-day slavery.

Ms. Chumbow delivered a powerful message, urging the United Nations and other global organizations to provide sustainable support and funding for survivors, particularly those who are asked to publicly recount their traumatic experiences on international platforms.

“If survivors are invited to speak about their trauma on global platforms, they must be supported not just with applause, but with funding, opportunities, and dignity. We need collective accountability, and we need it now.”

She also outlined the following critical recommendations for addressing human trafficking globally:
• Address child labor trafficking, one of the most urgent challenges, where children as young as six are subjected to forced labor. She urged Member States to ensure free education opportunities for both children and trafficking survivors.

• Strengthen global immigration systems, as many trafficked children are forcibly transported across borders.

• Tackle systemic racism, which contributes to the marginalization and exploitation of vulnerable communities.

• Expand public awareness efforts, ensure equal access to education, and increase funding for survivor support services.

• Confront the root causes of trafficking, including poverty and lack of access to education.

Remarks by Catherine Kirkendall, Executive Director at Hagar International:
She delivered a sobering message about the rapidly growing nexus between cybercrime and human trafficking, underscoring that vulnerable individuals are being deliberately targeted and exploited online. She described how traffickers lure victims through false online job advertisements, particularly in fields like information technology, customer service, and even through dating apps and social media platforms. Many of these schemes begin as romance scams or fake employment offers, leading unsuspecting individuals across borders, where their documents are confiscated, and they are trapped in heavily guarded compounds. Once inside, victims are forced to carry out online criminal operations such as romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and phishing schemes. Failure to comply often results in physical punishment, starvation, or being sold to other compounds.
Ms. Kirkendall shared harrowing examples from her work:

• A young man was lured across the border with the promise of a lucrative IT job but was instead physically abused and coerced into committing online fraud.
• A 17-year-old girl from Thailand was trafficked and forced to make scam calls under threat of being sold repeatedly if she disobeyed. With cross-border cooperation and the support of Hagar, she was ultimately rescued, and her trafficker was prosecuted.

She warned that up to 80% of text message scam operations may involve trafficking victims, making it clear that the misuse of technology is no longer a secondary concern; it is a central driver of modern trafficking. Ms. Kirkendall concluded by calling for global, coordinated efforts among governments, tech companies, civil society, and law enforcement to address this emerging threat and ensure victims are protected, not criminalized.

Remarks by Colin Ward, UK & Europe Engagement Lead at Marinus Analytics and a retired detective with over 15 years of specialization in human trafficking:
He emphasized the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in addressing complex trafficking crimes. Drawing from his extensive experience, Mr. Ward highlighted how AI-powered tools, such as facial recognition technology, are increasingly being used to identify victims and survivors, whether they are reported missing or not, by connecting visual data to investigative networks. These tools have become instrumental in locating exploited individuals and uncovering trafficking networks more effectively.

In the United States, Mr. Ward noted a disturbing rise in domestic child trafficking, with images and videos of exploited children being circulated on adult websites. He emphasized that AI technologies can detect high-risk areas and patterns of exploitation, but without sustained commitment and resources for investigation, these tools risk being underutilized. He concluded by urging stakeholders to invest in the continuous advancement of AI capabilities while maintaining a victim-centered and rights-based approach to ensure technology serves as a force for justice, not harm.

The meeting continued with a multi-stakeholder discussion, where representatives from various organizations put forward recommendations and strategies to strengthen the global response to human trafficking. Ms. Bircan Unver, founder-president of LMGlobal.org, highlighted growing online threat must be urgently addressed through protective measures and digital safety awareness, particularly focused on children by referrıng to a five years campaign titled, “Compulsory Peace & ICT Education From Kindergarten to K-12, and Beyond“, which was developed in support of the Summit of the Future, #SoTF, #PactForTheFuture and #SaveFutureGenerations. She emphasized that this vision to be supported by the UNGA might be the way to prevent the future generations from human trafficking.
• Full intervention

Closing remarks by Ms. Maria Michail, Permanent Representative of Cyprus, and Mr. Jonibek Hikmat Permanent Representative of Tajikistan:

Ms. Michail extended her sincere thanks to His Excellency, the President of the General Assembly, for convening this Informal Interactive Multi-Stakeholder Hearing, held as part of the preparatory process for the upcoming High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Appraisal of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons. She expressed appreciation to all speakers and esteemed panelists for their insightful contributions, as well as to all participants for their active engagement. She highlighted the UN Global Plan of Action, adopted by the General Assembly on 30 July 2010 as Resolution 64/293, as a key milestone in collective commitment in combating trafficking in persons. It reaffirms that member states are committed to combating this crime, protecting victims, prosecuting perpetrators, and enhancing global coordination and cooperation. Ms. Michail concluded by reiterating a strong call for continued collective action and collaboration.

Mr. Hikmat concluded by expressing that this meeting has added several important insights for Member States to consider. In particular, he highlighted key issues raised during the panel discussion, including child trafficking, trafficking for forced labor, and the links between trafficking in persons and organized crime groups. He also highlighted the emerging challenges related to the use of new technologies in trafficking, especially the growing role of artificial intelligence. Mr. Hikmat emphasized the critical need for collaboration among Member States, civil society, the private sector, and international partners to strengthen global coordination in the fight against trafficking in persons.

In conclusion, as someone committed to global justice, I intend to continue advocating and working on-ground to raise awareness and drive actionable change in the fight against trafficking. I propose raising public awareness about the role of technology in human trafficking, particularly its impact on child trafficking. Our organization is dedicated to promoting global peace, cultural diversity, and human advancement. We believe that, for a better tomorrow, humankind needs to create a global positive and effective energy as ONE-SOUL and VOICE.

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Report by Vrushali Gaikwad
Sources: images from LMGlobal.Org & UN WEB TV (screenshots)
References:
Concept Note & Program:
https://www.un.org/pga/wp-content/uploads/sites/109/2025/06/Multistakeholder-hearing-on-Trafficking-in-Persons-Programme-003.pdf
https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1z/k1zcnlp7bz
https://migrantprotection.iom.int/en/resources/guideline/international-classification-standard-administrative-data-trafficking-persons
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/profiles/ghada-waly