21St Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum – Human Trafficking and Illicit Finance
Ms. Anne Basham expressed her gratitude to Alejandro Giammattei, Allan Rodríguez Rivera, and Sandy Recinos for their leadership in Guatemala’s efforts to combat human trafficking. She elucidated that human trafficking ranks as the world’s second-largest criminal market, following drug trafficking, and generates approximately $150 billion annually. This illicit activity affects millions of victims globally, as per the United Nations and the International Labour Organization. Basham characterized human trafficking as modern slavery that disproportionately targets vulnerable populations, particularly migrants and children.
Basham underscored that migration crises, such as the displacement resulting from the war in Ukraine, exacerbate the risk of exploitation and trafficking by organized criminal networks. She emphasized the necessity of implementing robust legislation, providing education, offering victim support, and fostering international collaboration to effectively combat trafficking. Basham concluded by introducing Rosi Orozco, an anti-trafficking advocate from Mexico.
