Freedom is one of the founding values of the European Union. Yet, the scourge of trafficking in human beings continues to destroy victims’ lives and deny their access to this fundamental human right through force, fraud, and coercion.

This deplorable form of modern slavery and traffickers’ exploitative practices affect every country in the world - whether as a country of origin, transit or destination for victims - and Malta is no exception.

Locally, traffickers have exploited both Maltese and foreign women, men and children for sex trafficking and labour trafficking. Despite significant strides forward made so far to combat trafficking and provide the necessary support to victims, it is clear that there is still much work to be done at all levels: global, regional, national and societal.  

Since 2007, Europe has marked 18^th October as the EU Anti-Trafficking Day to commemorate victims of trafficking in human beings, raise awareness on this heinous crime and increase the exchange of information, knowledge and best practices amongst the different actors working in this field. As Malta joins the rest of Europe in this initiative, the Government maintains its resolve and intensive work to press ahead with its reform on combatting trafficking in human beings.

Since 2021, the coordination of the Anti-Trafficking Reform has been entrusted to the Human Rights Initiatives Unit within the Human Rights Directorate. The Unit is leading the setting up of mechanisms aimed at strengthening the national cooperation among the Policy Development and Programme Implementation Officers on matters related to combatting THB.

On the eve of the EU Anti-Trafficking Day, the Human Rights Directorate, in collaboration with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, will organise a discussion forum on the prevention of trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation in supply chains. During this event, foreign and local practitioners and experts will be given the opportunity to contribute to the exchange of views and experience different aspects of this phenomenon.

On the EU Anti-Trafficking Day, the Human Rights Directorate will also, for the first time ever, convene the Anti-Human Trafficking Inter-Ministerial Committee, which will be composed of focal persons from all government ministries. The committee will explore ways how ministries and departments could improve their coordination in the field of trafficking in human beings: it will also serve as an essential tool for Malta’s efforts to meet its coordination, reporting and monitoring obligations under European and international frameworks. The Committee is part of the mechanisms of the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) project being implemented in collaboration with the European Commission and the Council of Europe to set-up the relevant tools and structures and launch the first National Strategy and Action Plan Against Trafficking.

During this event, the Head of Anti-Trafficking Unit within the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) will be delivering a presentation to the members of the Committee and providing information on training programmes available to public officers. The ICMPD will also be organising an event the same evening at MUZA in Valletta to launch the newly established Learning Management System of the Training Institute on Migration Capacity Partnership for the Mediterranean. The Unit is also collaborating with the National Statistics Office and the Office of the Data Protection Commission to develop the necessary data collection and National Referral Mechanism.

The progress made by Malta is highly recognized by the European and international institutions and we shall continue to strive for more prevention, protection, prosecution and partnerships to combat this crime. We are honoured that the EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator has given an audio-visual message to Malta to praise its progress in combatting trafficking whilst guaranteeing her continued support.

The public can learn more about these and all other national initiatives to combat trafficking in human beings by visiting the revamped Anti-Trafficking Malta Facebook page and the Human Rights Initiatives Unit’s official website http://antitraffickingmalta.gov.mt, whereas the status of the implementation of the National Action Plan 2020-2023 can be viewed here.

Trafficking in human beings is a global crisis and one of the world’s most shameful crimes, affecting millions of people around the world of all backgrounds, nationalities and genders: whilst robbing them of their dignity. It procures high profits to traffickers, who abuse individuals’ vulnerabilities and exploit the demand for the services provided by the victims across a variety of industries.