Trafficking and exploitation of children. A legal framework

The fight against human trafficking and exploitation is a growing criminal phenomenon that primarily targets children, girls and teenagers fleeing poverty, deprivation and war.

Data from the "Global Report on Trafficking in Persons" (UNODC, 2020) reveals that they are the second-largest group of victims after women: in particular, 1 in 5 victims is a female child, who generally ends up a victim of sexual exploitation in 72% of cases and of labour exploitation in 21%.

With respect to children, they are victims of labour exploitation in 50% of cases, but many are also victims of sexual exploitation (27%) or other forms of exploitation (23%), including begging.