Migration, Human Trafficking and Organised Crime in the Americas: A gender perspective
The Latin American and Caribbean Network (REDLAC) of the Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women is made up of 14 civil society organisations operating from nine countries in the region. Its areas of work include prevention and direct assistance to victims of trafficking, addressing the commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents, defending the human rights of migrant women and sex workers, and the labour rights of workers in different sectors. As a whole, REDLAC carries out information campaigns and participates in political advocacy actions at the national and regional levels.
The current socio-political context in which organisations operate is highly complex and multifaceted, characterised by institutional crises, social inequalities and the growing influence of organised crime – all of which have a direct impact on the lives of millions of people. The region continues to face structural challenges, such as corruption, violence and economic instability, exacerbating social vulnerabilities in countries such as Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. With frequent changes of government, these countries have faced acute political instability that has eroded democratic institutions and led to a decline in human rights and civil liberties.
The weakness of state institutions has allowed non-state actors such as criminal organisations to exercise significant control over territories and populations, leading to an erosion of trust in governments and facilitating the expansion of illicit activities, including human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
Migration is one of the most visible consequences of this crisis. Violence, poverty, natural disasters and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have amplified existing vulnerabilities and posed serious challenges to the stability and development of the affected countries.
This report focuses on the challenges that REDLAC faces in this dynamic regional panorama and the responses that the various organisations have implemented to overcome them, both at the organisational level and within the framework of the network.
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