Our approach
As Red Cross and Red Crescent staff and volunteers, you may encounter people at risk or survivors of trafficking while working with communities and in emergency situations.
Your work with them should be informed by the Red Cross and Red Crescent fundamental principles and the humanitarian principle of ‘do no harm’. You should also be aware of the important role we can play in identifying survivors or those at risk of trafficking, and in providing them with access to protection.
Depending on your role and the capacities of your National Society, you may take various actions to support survivors and reduce the risks of trafficking. These may include providing:
- first aid and healthcare
- psychological first aid
- legal aid
- cash-based assistance
- material and social assistance
- links to specialised services
With training, tools and processes in place, you may also consider strengthening efforts to identify and respond to survivors and those at risk of trafficking. This could involve providing accurate information or referring someone with their informed consent for specialist support. Please refer to the Tools section to read more about the process of linking or referring someone for support.
Some National Societies have made a commitment through a joint pledge to respond to human trafficking across all our operational activity. You can read more about the approach to mainstream trafficking considerations within broader programmes in our Guidance section.
Support for your activities
Deciding whether to engage directly with trafficking survivors should involve a careful assessment of your capacity, relevant expertise, resources, processes and procedures, in line with the humanitarian principle of doing no harm. If your National Society lacks the necessary experience, you can contact the IFRC Global Protection Gender Inclusion team, other National Societies or Movement networks to get support.
The Asia Pacific Migration Network (APMN) and the Action for Trafficked Persons Network (ATN) both support National Societies to develop their own regional responses to trafficking.
The APMN is a regional network of Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies. It is a platform for National Society peer exchange, learning and support on regional migration and displacement issues. The network is co-chaired by the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society and the Pakistan Red Crescent Society, with the IFRC Asia-Pacific Regional Office providing it with secretariat support.
The ATN is open to members from European Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies. It aims to reduce human trafficking and help protect survivors. It also promotes Movement initiatives for the prevention of trafficking, and for supporting and protecting survivors and those at risk. The Netherlands Red Cross and British Red Cross currently co-chair the network.
For further information please contact: