Malta has just launched a strategy aimed at strengthening its administrative structures and enhancing its laws to combat human trafficking. This initiative, spearheaded by Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms and Equality Rebecca Buttigieg, marks a step forward in the fight against this insidious crime.

Human trafficking is a growing international phenomenon, facilitated by communication technology and an increasingly globalised world. According to the United Nations, this criminal industry is expanding rapidly, generating profits of €150 billion annually for traffickers and victimising hundreds of thousands of individuals worldwide.

This is the first strategy to provide a detailed framework for tackling organised crime related to human trafficking.

Over the past five years, more than 50 individuals have fallen victim to human trafficking in Malta, including three Maltese nationals identified by local authorities.

Buttigieg highlighted the government’s determination to combat this crime, noting that in 2018 the law was amended to increase the minimum prison sentence for human trafficking from four to six years. “We have already seen cases where the courts imposed harsher penalties due to these amendments,” she said.

Additional legal reforms have been made to support potential child trafficking cases and combat human organ trafficking, following Malta’s 2019 signing of the Council of Europe convention on this issue.

Through this collaboration, a strategy and action plan incorporating the best practices in Europe for fighting human trafficking has been developed. The strategy will continue to adapt to respond to evolving trends in human trafficking.

“It is essential to have full synergy between ministries, departments, authorities, government agencies, and non-governmental organisations to implement this strategy effectively,” Buttigieg emphasised.

Despite not having a strategy like this before, significant work has been done over the past three years through an action plan that included capacity building for officials and entities dealing with human trafficking situations, and public awareness campaigns to recognise and report potential trafficking cases.

One such campaign, known as the Blue Heart Campaign, is currently underway. This annual initiative commemorates the United Nations International Day Against Human Trafficking.

“These initiatives have paved the way for an effective strategy aimed at achieving the desired results in both preventing human trafficking and investigating existing cases,” Buttigieg noted. While there are various forms of human trafficking, the most common in Malta are women trafficked for prostitution and workers deceived and exploited in employment.

The Parliamentary Secretary expressed satisfaction that the police have already investigated and prosecuted several cases. “Human trafficking is rightly called modern slavery, as it blatantly violates universal human rights. The victims, who lose their personal freedom and end up enslaved by their traffickers, suffer every form of exploitation imaginable,” she said.

The strategy announced today is built on five strategic pillars:

1. Strengthening the framework and structures to combat human trafficking: This includes legal amendments such as licensing temping agencies and anti-money laundering laws.

2. Raising awareness to prevent potential trafficking cases: Officials in entities like Identity Malta, Jobsplus, and the police are vigilant for ‘red flags’ and indicators of potential trafficking cases.

3. Empowering victims through outreach programmes: Providing necessary empowerment for victims to come forward and report traffickers for investigation by competent authorities.

4. Providing assistance to victims: This includes protection, shelter, and legal assistance. The foundation programme for the Social Welfare Services Agency will continue to develop, providing shelter and other support to victims as needed.

5. Enhancing international cooperation: Strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation, as demonstrated in developing this strategy with the Council of Europe and the European Union.

For each of these five strategic goals, specific actions and measures have been identified for implementation over the next seven years. A technical committee will continuously evaluate their implementation.

“The ownership of this strategy lies with the entire government, as it was discussed and approved by the inter-ministerial committee established to address human trafficking in line with Malta’s international obligations under conventions and the EU directive on preventing human trafficking,” Rebecca Buttigieg stated.

“We are committed to continuing our efforts as a nation to combat this abhorrent crime, in the context of our commitment to protect, defend, and respect human rights,” she concluded.

Photo: Lalesh Aldarwish