The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) published a report titled ‘Leveraging innovation to fight trafficking in human beings: A comprehensive analyses of technology tools’.

The aim of the report was to carry out an analysis of the technology tools used to combat human trafficking in the OSCE region and beyond, with the goal to aid stakeholders in engaging with technology strategically, raising awareness about tools to help their work and inspiring them to pursue future innovation.

The report notes that human traffickers make use of technology to their advantage whilst the same cannot be said of those responsible for combating human trafficking. The report identified that although some resources are dedicated to investigating human trafficking as cybercrime, much less resources have been dedicated to exploring ways in which technology can be used in positive ways to combat it. The report also found there was little “awareness of existing technology initiatives in the anti-trafficking field, which increases the risk of fragmented and disjointed development and use of technology-based tools.”

Therefore, the report bridges the information gap in the on the use of technology to combat trafficking, whilst 305 technology tools and initiatives addressing trafficking in human beings were identified during the research for the report.

Please see the report for full recommendations to governments and organisations, as well as for the detailed analysis of how different stakeholders, including law enforcement, civil society, businesses and academia can take advantage of technology to combat human trafficking.