At the 64th Session of the General Assembly July of 2010, the United Nations adopted the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons. This action plan stated the commitments of UN Member Delegations to end human trafficking in all of its forms through the implementation of measures to prevent, protect, prosecute, and promote strong partnerships for creating effective anti-trafficking obligations and legislation in their own country.

Within the Global Plan of Action resolution 70/179, the United Nations General Assembly agreed to convene a high-level meeting in September of 2017 in order to review the progress made on these commitments and address the gaps and challenges that countries have witnessed with implementation and construction of legal instruments. This year, Member Delegations have been convening to produce an outcome document, drafting both modalities and political declarations, which will be adopted at the opening plenary meeting in September.

On Friday, June 23rd 2017, the UN had a Multi-Stakeholder meeting with members of Civil Society regarding the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons. This meeting marked an imperative segment of the review process with the engagement of Civil Society members; it gave an opportunity for NGO’s to offer vast input from grassroots experiences working with survivors and also offer practical steps to move forward in the review process. Ambassador of Fiji Peter Thomson, President of the General Assembly, remarked “Today’s meeting is an important opportunity for the international community to hear directly from experts working across our world to prevent, address and respond to trafficking in persons”.

Mercy Global Action at the UN is an active member of the NGO Committee to Stop Trafficking in Persons (CSTIP), which, with other members of Civil Society organizations, created an advocacy document detailing specific points that Member States should include within the review process of the Global Plan of Action. Advocacy points were presented on behalf of the NGO Committee by Sr. Winifred Doherty of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd. These are:

• Adopt an action oriented outcome document committing to the full implementation of the United Nations Global Plan of Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, specifically adhering to the requirements of Targets 5.2, 8.7 and 16.2.
• Adhere to the recommendations of the United Nations Global Plan of Action, specifically the universal ratification of the UN TIP Protocol.
• Actualize by December 2018 a robust review mechanism for the UN TIP Protocol, supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
• Allocate significant resources at the national and international levels towards prevention strategies and exit services to reverse what “constitutes a serious threat to human dignity, human rights, and development.
• Address demand. Without demand there is no trafficking of persons. Addressing this root cause is essential. Demand for high profits, cheap goods and labor, and commercialized sex is the driving force behind human trafficking.

Download the advocacy points (PDF)

Video: General Assembly: Civil society hearing on Trafficking
23 Jun 2017 - Informal interactive multi-stakeholder hearing.
In support of the preparatory process towards the high-level plenary meeting on the appraisal of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons.

Programme can be downloaded here (PDF)




  Messages to: Angela Reed rsm - MIA Coordinator at the UN - Mercy Global Action