Regional Trends Report: Study Research On Vulnerability To Trafficking In Persons Among The Crisis-Affected Populations In The Levant Region, 2021

The study was commissioned to explore trafficking in persons in the Levant countries, aiming to produce reliable evidence on crisis and vulnerability to trafficking. It identifies key forms of trafficking, including labor exploitation, forced recruitment, forced marriage, and sexual exploitation. The study highlights the exacerbation of vulnerabilities due to insecure livelihoods and the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted state functions and increased risks of exploitation.

It seeks to inform programming and policy by understanding the characteristics of crisis-affected populations at risk, patterns of exploitation and control, the relationship between coping strategies and potential recruitment into trafficking, and the assistance needs and challenges of trafficked victims or at-risk individuals. The gathered data is crucial for devising appropriate recommendations to address trafficking in humanitarian settings in the Levant region.

The report also provides few recommendations to enhance coordination between humanitarian and counter-trafficking actors, improving identification and referral mechanisms, and strengthening criminal justice responses to better protect and assist victims.