Follow the Money: Financial Aspects of Combating Human Trafficking

Trafficking in human beings is one of the most profitable crimes worldwide. Forbes Magazine estimates that culprits receive 150 billion US Dollars every year. Yet only few victims of human trafficking successfully receive compensation for the mental and physical suffering they had to endure.

Therein lies the focus of this year’s conference marking the EU Anti-Trafficking Day, entitled “Follow the Money: Financial Aspects of Combating Human Trafficking”. Taking place virtually as well as in person in the Vienna School of International Studies, the conference’s goal is to shine a light upon the hidden paths of the money in this billion-dollar business. How do you identify suspicious assets? How do we make sure that the money does indeed reach those affected? What is the impact of lost wage payments and social security benefits on the livelihoods of those affected? In a panel discussion and four workshops, we will discuss these and other questions. The framework including governmental institutions, international organisations, NGOs, as well as representatives from the private sector and academia will provide for a lively discussion.

The Austrian Task Force on Combating Human Trafficking organises this conference on the occasion of the EU Anti-Trafficking Day in cooperation with the Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation (VIDC), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the OSCE, and, this year for the first time, the Principality of Liechtenstein.

The fight against human trafficking has been a priority of the Austrian foreign policy since the foundation of the Task Force on Combating Human Trafficking in 2004 under the leadership of the Austrian MFA. Within the Task Force, representatives of different ministries, regional authorities, trade union and employer associations and NGOs work closely together to combat this serious violation of human rights.