Promoting global action and cooperation against trafficking in human beings and the smuggling of migrants (PACTS)

Introduction

Trafficking in human beings (THB) and migrant smuggling occur across continents in a constantly renewed combination of countries of origin, transit and destination. 

Many countries in the South that are affected by these crimes are experienced in preventing and combatting them, but lack the tools, resources and network to ensure efficient international cooperation and to engage in multilateral process and debates on this. As a result, investigations and prosecutions of the most serious transnational and transregional forms of these crimes remain scarce.

In this context, the PACTS project aims to increase the investigation and prosecution of trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling cases, to strengthen the human rights protection and assistance framework for trafficking victims and smuggled migrants and to step up engagement at global level in policy debates and exchanges of best practices on these crimes.

Scope and objectives

Using a whole-of-route approach, the project supports an effective investigation and prosecution of THB and migrant smuggling cases across borders, by organising operational meetings and exchanges between countries on transregional routes and creating a global community of investigators and prosecutors handling these crimes. It will also develop customed knowledge tools based on regional needs.

PACTS also seeks to increase awareness and understanding of the needs of trafficking victims and smuggled migrants and to empower civil society organisations to share experiences and inform policy-making. This should lead to a more developed framework to identify, assist and protect trafficking victims and smuggled migrants, adopting a human rights based approach and gender sensitive approach.

To achieve these objectives, the project will support the active participation of countries in the global South, and in particular Least Developed Countries, on global processes related to trafficking and smuggling such as the UNTOC Conference of the Parties, the UNGA review of the Global Plan of Action against human trafficking, and the 2025 International Migration Review Forum.

Results

Under the PACTS project, the first-ever International Forum of Prosecutors Countering Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling was organised in December 2024 in Vienna, Austria, bringing together prosecutors from nearly 60 countries from the South. 

During the Forum, prosecutors discussed and made progress on transnational investigations of human trafficking and migrant smuggling that required international cooperation. Prosecutors also agreed to  pursue the discussion in smaller groupes on routes affecting their countries

Implementing partner

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) implements the PACTS project. The implementing partner was chosen in light of its important role in setting norms in the field of organised crime as well as synergies with other projects and roles it has (including as Secretariat of for the Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC)).