Thread by @HRF

1/ Today, July 30th, is World Day Against Human Trafficking. After two decades of international efforts to end human trafficking and modern slavery, it remains to be a poorly understood global issue. 🧵

2/ While human trafficking affects almost all countries, HRF’s research has consistently found that authoritarianism is at the structural root of human trafficking. buff.ly/2VcIkYf

3/ In the 2021 US Department of States’ Trafficking in Persons report, 89% of the highest-ranking countries in efforts to combat trafficking are democratic, while 100% of the lowest-ranked countries are ruled by authoritarian regimes. buff.ly/3rBf5KK

4/ By revealing the links between authoritarianism and trafficking, we are left with the reality that in order to combat human trafficking, we must defend democracy around the world. buff.ly/2SSKQ0E

5/ Given the global economic recession due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is predicted that even more people are predisposed to fall victim to trafficking, particularly forced labor, due to the sharp global increase in unemployment.

6/ This means those living under authoritarian regimes will be even more vulnerable to precarious circumstances, because of the lack of rule of law which allows traffickers to commit crimes with impunity. buff.ly/37iTD3s

7/ Read more of HRF’s research on human trafficking and join its efforts to #EndTrafficking. buff.ly/3zyF34u