Belgium fights human trafficking

Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery. It erodes democratic values and human dignity. This is why Belgium – together with the UN – is committed to eliminating all forms of human trafficking from the world, including sexual exploitation and forced labour.

Isn't slavery a thing of the past? Definitely not. While it may already be illegal, there are people today who are still forced to perform certain acts. One form of modern slavery is human trafficking, a crime in which a person exploits another person for his own profit.

Human traffickers take advantage of victims' vulnerable situation to exert control over them, often using physical or psychological violence and restricting victims' freedom. They may also keep them economically dependent, for food, housing or (residence) documents.
 

Different forms

Human trafficking can take different forms. For example, in cases of 'sexual exploitation', victims are forced to provide sexual services for the benefit of the exploiter, who may manipulate victims by promising them goods, money or a better life.

Sometimes, people are forced to work in degrading conditions, for many long hours with little or no pay. Again, the exploiter holds victims in a state of dependency. This kind of labour exploitation can occur in just about any industry, including restaurants, construction or agriculture.

In addition, people may be forced to commit crimes, for example, in youth gangs, while the exploiter pockets the profits. Beggars also sometimes beg under duress. Victims may even be exploited for their body parts: exploiters fool them with false promises of being able to 'buy' their organs for bitterly little money, often using violence in the process. Human trafficking also includes illegal migration and forced marriage.

All forms of human trafficking are completely unacceptable: they erode human dignity and democratic values, as well as respect for life, free choice and the right to a decent existence. Human trafficking can happen to anyone, anywhere in the world, including us.
 

Belgium as a pioneer

Belgium is a pioneer in the fight against human trafficking. The Belgian government considers it one of its priorities and intends to step up the fight, focusing on four perspectives: protection, prevention, prosecution and cooperation.

In Belgium, there are three specialised centres to support victims of human trafficking: PAG-ASA (Brussels), Payoke (Antwerp) and Sürya (Liège). In case of an emergency, victims can call 24 hours a day. They can also visit an easy-to-use website: Belgian helpline for victims of human trafficking
 

Blue Heart Campaign

Belgium also operates internationally: in 2019, we joined the Blue Heart Campaign run by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna. The aim is to raise awareness of this scourge among the general public, civil society and governments. The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is held every year on 30 July to draw attention to this issue.

The Blue Heart Campaign runs in place in Belgium under the banner of the FPS Justice, but our FPS is also participating. Indeed, all of our posts – embassies and consulates – are encouraged to support the campaign. This can be done through social media but equally through awareness-raising activities such as an event or meeting with organisations in the host country that are active in the fight against human trafficking.

"Leave no child behind in the fight against human trafficking": no less than one in three victims of human trafficking worldwide are children. For this reason, the campaign focused on the fight against child trafficking in 2024. Children are, after all, especially vulnerable, and during human trafficking, they are twice as likely as adults to experience violence.
 

UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons

In addition, Belgium is a distinguished donor to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons (2 million euros in 2018). The fund awards financial support to grassroots organisations around the world that take care of victims of human trafficking.

Since its inception in 2010, it has already been able to help 80,000 victims, including providing shelter, healthcare, psychosocial support, education, job training and access to financial inclusion. Former minister Inge Vervotte has been a member of the five-member board of trustees for some time.

Through its fight against human trafficking, Belgium is also contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically, SDG5.2 (eliminate trafficking in women and sexual and other types of exploitation), SDG5.3 (eliminate forced marriages), SDG8.7 (eradicate forced and child labour and end human trafficking and modern slavery) and SDG16.2 (end the abuse, trafficking and exploitation of children).