Tragedies worldwide, whether it be conflict breaking out or political instability, are known for their devastating effects on communities. When you hear words like war or crisis, you instantly think of destruction and chaos. But do you think about human trafficking? It’s estimated over 49.6 million people are trapped in modern slavery globally, with many falling victim to human trafficking because of these global tragedies. Here’s Why:
Vulnerability, Vulnerability, Vulnerability.
When a region experiences armed conflict or political instability, the entire community becomes vulnerable. Resources are scarce, economic instability runs rampant, the government’s attention diverts to crisis management, and people are just trying to survive. Emerging from the devastation are whole populations becoming displaced or refugees – groups we know are highly vulnerable to trafficking. These conditions create the perfect storm for traffickers to target such individuals through a variety of coercive or forceful tactics.
Trafficked in the Crossfire
When war or armed conflict breaks out, the daily lives of the community surrounding the conflict are uprooted. There’s violence, death, economic instability, a lack of essential resources, and a breakdown of law and social order that allow traffickers to capitalize on the chaos. The dangers of trafficking are heightened both during and after conflicts.
Armed conflicts bring together factors that significantly increase the risks of trafficking. Conflict increases vulnerability while decreasing protections against trafficking and other crimes. Governments and institutions collapse, leaving the community unprotected. Since there’s no one around to stop and prosecute crime, trafficking thrives. Armed conflicts bring together factors that significantly increase the risks of trafficking.
Forced displacement is another key factor. In 2017, the United Nations reported that over 68 million people were forced to leave their homes because of violence, persecution, or human rights violations. Displaced people often have little access to education, money, or jobs. This makes it easier for traffickers to deceive them with false promises of safety, work, or education, leading to exploitation.
Children are especially at risk. Those separated from their families and without support are easy targets for traffickers. Marginalized groups facing discrimination, persecution, or violence often flee their homes in search of safety, leaving them vulnerable. The breakdown of social connections and loss of jobs in conflict zones push people to find other ways to survive, which can increase their risk of being exploited.
Armed groups often use various forms of trafficking as a tactic of war, such as:
Forced Labor: Mining, Servitude, and Porters.
In conflict-affected areas, individuals, including women, children, and men, are often trafficked for labor in dangerous, high-risk environments such as mining sites, where they are coerced into working under threat of violence, in degrading conditions, all for the benefit of the armed groups that control them. One of the most widely known examples comes from the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where armed groups have exploited local populations for forced labor in mining operations, specifically in the extraction of minerals like tin, tungsten, and tantalum. These minerals are often used in electronics, and armed groups have controlled mines, using both adults and children as forced laborers.
Similarly, many people are exploited through servitude, forced to clean and cook for armed groups under the direct threat of violence and cruelty. Often, this victimization overlaps with sexual exploitation or forced marriages, their entire personhood stolen through cruelty.
Porters, often civilians, are used to carrying heavy loads for armed groups, subjected to harsh conditions, long hours, and violence. In one case, the victims described themselves as slaves, saying conditions were so harsh some of their peers died of fatigue or were directly killed by armed groups.
Forced Marriage
Though not explicitly under the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol, forced marriage is recognized as a form of exploitation during times of conflict. Armed groups have been known to “gift” women and girls to their high-ranking officers or soldiers to take as brides, explicitly against her consent. One example comes from the conflicts in Sierra Lione, where men could be ‘assigned’ a wife through the violent use of abduction and rape. The Special Court of Sierra Lione described the process of high-ranking men organizing the trafficking:
“[The] witness testified that he and other “soldiers” under the command of “Woyoh” captured approximately 35 civilian women during the attack on Karina in June of 1998. The women were initially stripped naked but were later permitted to dress. When the soldiers left Karina they stopped at a temporary base in the jungle. There, Woyoh handed the women over to ‘Five-Five’ who was the Chief of Staff. ‘FiveFive’ distributed the women among the soldiers under his command by requiring them to “sign for” a woman. ‘FiveFive’ stated that if there were any problems the soldiers should immediately report directly to him. He also stated that if the soldiers “disturbed” the women, they would be removed from the soldier’s control. The women were “wives to the soldiers” and they remained with their “husbands” until the soldiers invaded Freetown.” -UNODC
Child Soldiers
The recruitment of children by armed groups is considered one of the six grave violations against children & a war crime by the International Criminal Court. Still, it’s frighteningly common. In the ongoing civil conflict in Sudan, groups like the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have children in their ranks. Mohammed, a 16-year-old boy, was taken by the RSF and quickly forced into combat. He was coerced into participating in raids and looting, disrupting his everyday life and leaving him with guilt and trauma. After escaping during a military airstrike, Mohammed expressed a longing to return to education, highlighting the social and psychological wounds caused by child trafficking for the purpose of war.
His story is just one of thousands of boys and girls who are used as soldiers, cooks, spies, and more in armed conflicts around the world. According to UNICEF, “Between 2005 and 2022, more than 105,000 children were verified as recruited and used by parties to conflict, although the actual number of cases is believed to be much higher.” The organization has documented cases of children as young as 8 years old being used in suicide attacks and declared 2024 “one of the worst years in UNICEF's history."
Sexual Exploitation & Slavery
As we see throughout the history of exploitation, women and children – especially girls– remain the most vulnerable. This is heightened in areas of conflict. Sexual exploitation is commonly reported during times of war, both by armed groups and opportunists praying on the vulnerable. The deployment of the military increases the demand for sexual exploitation, especially when these individuals are coming from wealthier regions. This demand, paired with the lack of basic needs, the lack of a governmental or societal safety net, and the global system of gender-based violence, increases exploitation and trafficking.
Overcomer Spotlight: Nadia Murad
Nadia Murad, a Yazidi woman, was born in the small village of Kocho in Northern Iraq. Yazidis are a monotheistic religious minority who have long faced persecution for their beliefs, which blends elements of ancient Iranian religions, Judaism, Islam, and the Church of the East. The youngest of 11, Nadia enjoyed growing up in her community and attending school with her friends. That all changed in August 2014 when ISIS carried out an attack on her village as part of their reign of terror and genocide against the Yazidis. Nadia’s village was stormed by ISIS militants, who massacred Yazidi men and boys and abducted women and girls to be sold into sexual slavery. Nadia’s mother and six of her brothers were killed, part of the 680 killed that day for refusing to convert to Islam, and the rest taken into slavery. Nadia’s nephews and other young boys were taken to be trained as child soldiers in ISIS ranks. Nadia and the rest of the young women in the village were taken to Mosul, where they were enslaved, raped, and sold by ISIS in markets or on Facebook—sometimes for as little as $20. “My body, my soul, were occupied and used by people who look like humans, but they are not human.”
For months she endured rape, sexual violence, and abuse, where she was forced to convert to Islam and subjected to unimaginable torture. Despite the constant brutality she faced, Nadia's will to survive remained strong. She eventually found an opportunity to escape when her captor left the door unlocked and ran, eventually aided by the eldest son of a Sunni Muslim family who risked his life to save hers. Together, they fled to a Kurdish-controlled area in northern Iraq, where Nadia was able to contact her family and was eventually taken to a refugee camp.
Now, Nadia is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and global activist, bravely fighting to end the use of sexual violence as a tool of war and bringing light to the atrocities committed against the Yazidi people. Traveling the world, she bravely shares her story, hoping to be the last girl with one ever like it. She calls upon the international community to hold ISIS responsible, saying, “I think the only way for the international community to prevent future atrocities is to do it through the justice system.”
Through her foundation, Nadia’s Initiative, she helps rebuild the region she once called home, promoting the restoration of education, healthcare, livelihoods, WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), culture, and women’s empowerment. To learn more about Nadia Murad’s work, click here.
Fighting Back: Strategies to Combat Trafficking During Global Crises
Hold Perpetrators Accountable
One of the most critical steps in combating human trafficking during times of conflict is holding perpetrators accountable. To this day, ISIS Leaders have never faced any prosecution for their crimes committed against humanity. Strengthening international legal frameworks is essential to ensure that traffickers are prosecuted effectively, even across borders. Trafficking in conflict zones must also be explicitly recognized as a war crime, enabling international courts to pursue justice more vigorously. By creating stricter legal consequences and improving global cooperation, the international community can send a clear message: exploiting vulnerable populations during crises will not be tolerated.
Train Rescue and Peace Workers
Humanitarian and peacekeeping personnel are on the front lines of conflict, yet they often become the buyers or simply lack the training needed to identify and respond to trafficking situations. Equipping these workers with the skills to recognize signs of trafficking and respond appropriately is essential. Developing clear guidelines for assisting survivors while avoiding retraumatization can significantly improve outcomes for those rescued. When humanitarian workers and peacekeepers are empowered with knowledge, they become an essential defense against traffickers exploiting crises.
Support Vulnerable Populations
Preventing trafficking in conflict zones also requires addressing the root causes of vulnerability. Global efforts to mediate poverty, gender discrimination, and violence should all be supported. Safe zones and shelters for displaced individuals can provide much-needed protection for those who have lost everything. Empowering survivors through economic support, such as access to jobs, education, and basic needs, reduces the likelihood that individuals will turn to traffickers out of desperation. Empowering survivors to advocate for change and supporting organizations making a true difference can amplify awareness and drive systemic action to combat trafficking during crises.
Sources:
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: Global Report on Trafficking in Persons − in the context of armed conflict 2018
Nadia Marad: The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity And My Fight Against the Islamic State.
American University: To Survive and Thrive