Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Abolishing Slavery and its Contemporary Forms

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Abolishing Slavery
tion and assistance provisions are discretionary. In practice, this difference is likely to result in
weak protection of victims’ human rights. For example, States parties are required to protect the
privacy of victims “in appropriate cases” and “to the extent possible under international law”
119
and “shall consider” implementing measures to provide for the physical, psychological, and social
recovery of victims,
120
while “endeavouring” to provide for the physical safety of victims.
121
This
lack of specific obligation seems likely to undermine the Protocol’s effectiveness as a law enforce-
ment instrument since the identification and prosecution of traffickers is dependent on the coop-
eration of trafficked persons.
122
“States should be obliged to provide information to trafficking vic-
tims on the possibility of obtaining remedies, including compensation for trafficking and other
criminal acts to which they have been subjected, and to render assistance to such victims, giving
particular attention to the special needs of children to enable them to obtain the remedies to which
they are entitled.”
123
79. The status of trafficking victims and the related issue of repatriation were both contested
issues during the drafting of the Protocol
124
since both issues have a major influence on the degree
of witness protection available for successful prosecutions once the Trafficking Protocol is imple-
mented in national legislation. Receiving States parties are required to consider adopting legisla-
tive or other measures permitting the victims of trafficking to remain in their territories temporarily
or permanently in “appropriate cases” with “appropriate consideration” being given to humani-
tarian and compassionate factors.
125
The State of origin of the trafficked person is obliged to facil-
itate and accept “the return of that person without undue or unreasonable delay”, with “due regard
for the safety of that person”.
126
States of origin are also required to verify the nationality of a vic-
tim and issue the necessary travel documents in order to facilitate his or her return.
127
Similarly,
the receiving State, when repatriating a trafficked person, is required to ensure that return is with
due regard both to the person’s safety and to the status of any legal proceedings relating to the fact
that the person is a victim of trafficking.
128
As Gallagher highlights, however, while article 8(2)
states that return of a trafficked person “shall preferably be voluntary”, the travaux preparatoires
effectively render this concession meaningless by indicating that these words are to be understood
as not to be placing any obligation on the returning State party.
129
A note by the Secretary-General
on “Smuggling and trafficking in persons and the protection of their human rights” states that, fol-
lowing the implementation of the Trafficking Protocol, “at a minimum, it would appear that the
identification of an individual as a trafficked person should be sufficient to ensure that immediate
expulsion which goes against the will of the victim does not occur and that necessary protection
and assistance is provided.”
130
80. Chapter III of the Protocol, containing the law enforcement and border control provisions, is
“clearly at the heart of the Protocol”; “the principal emphasis of the Protocol remains firmly on the
interception of traffickers rather than the identification and protection of victims.”
131
States are
required to cooperate through information exchange; strengthen law enforcement, immigration
119
Trafficking Protocol, supra note 28, art. 6(1).
120
Trafficking Protocol, supra note 28, art. 6(3)(a). These measures include the provision of appropriate housing,
counselling and information, particularly regarding legal rights, medical, psychological and material assistance, em-
ployment as well as educational and training opportunities.
121
Trafficking Protocol, supra note 28, art. 6(5).
122
Anne Gallagher, supra note 102. 
123
Smuggling and trafficking in persons and the protection of their human rights, Note by the Secretary- General,
United Nations document E/CN.4/Sub.2/2001/26, para.11.
124
Anne Gallagher, supra note 102.
125
Trafficking Protocol, supra note 28, art. 7.
126
Trafficking Protocol, supra note 28, art. 8(1).
127
Trafficking Protocol, supra note 28, art. 8(3) and (4).
128
Trafficking Protocol, supra note 28, art. 8(2).
129
Anne Gallagher, supra note 102.
130
Smuggling and trafficking in persons and the protection of their human rights, Note by the Secretary- General,
supra note 123, para. 12.
131
Anne Gallagher, supra note 102.

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