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Understanding and Responding to the Role of Human Smugglers in Migration

Knowledge Platform

Understanding and Responding to the Role of Human Smugglers in Migration

This brief argues for a more structured understanding of the spectrum of the smuggling industry, and the importance of drawing a distinction between smuggling and trafficking. While the smuggling industry has become a significant vector in facilitating large scale migration, those working in it may range from altruistic actors who offer a critical lifeline and serve as a resilience or protection mechanism in situations of fragility, inequality and conflict where legitimate alternatives are absent or restricted. In other cases, however, those in the smuggling industry can form part of exploitative organized crime networks associated with violence, extortion, forced labor and other forms of abuse, including being used as a source of terror or a “means of war” by armed groups. 

Date of Publication
Type of Resource
Policy Brief
Target Audience
Government
Intergovernmental Organization
Source / Publisher
Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
Language
English
Geographic Scope
Global
Workstream Output
No
Regional Review Process
No
GCM Objectives
9
Cross Cutting Theme
Human rights
Keywords
Smuggling of migrants
Trafficking in persons
Status
Published

*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).