Trafficking in Persons Awareness Rising during the World Cup

3 August 2010. The cheerful sounds of FIFA World Cup ™ are now silent. However, the issue of human trafficking still echoes in the minds of South Africans and the fans who attended the event.

"Tricked, Trapped, Trafficked" was the message that UN. GIFT and its partners used to bring attention to the problem of human trafficking on a world stage. UN.GIFT joint forces with The International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Together, the organizations carried out a joint campaign to bring awareness about human trafficking in South Africa.

Thousands of posters, flyers and t-shirts were distributed by the participating agencies throughout the country, accompanying other anti-trafficking activities on the ground. And, the message will continue even after the final match. National civil society organizations will continue to spread the anti-trafficking campaign and will further distribute the materials of "Tricked, Trapped, Trafficked".

The campaign allowed the UN in South Africa and its partner agencies to enable cooperation mechanisms and join forces to increase awareness of human trafficking, while supporting non-governmental organizations working on the ground. UN.GIFT celebrates the opportunity to work with its partners to prevent human trafficking and protect those who are most vulnerable.