The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) is committed to fostering democracy and to promoting human rights. Human trafficking, modern day slavery, is a horrific crime against human dignity. This is why the KAS dedicated an event to this important global issue. Somaly Mam, a former victim of human trafficking and winner of the Roland-Berger-Prize for Human Dignity in 2008, talked about her experiences at the KAS-Academy in Berlin.
Human trafficking victims, primarily women and children, are subjected to rape, torture, starvation, forced abortions and many other appalling forms of humiliation.
Modern day slavery has become a bigger business than drug trafficking and generates up to 32 billion dollars every year in illicit profits, according to United Nations statistics.
In 2006, there were only 5,808 prosecutions and 3,160 convictions worldwide, which means that for every 800 people trafficked, only one person was convicted.
Governments are asked to enhance cross-border cooperation in prosecuting traffickers. Human trafficking is a global challenge, which means it concerns us all.