In April 2014, Boko Haram shocked the world when it stormed a secondary school in Chibok, northeastern Nigeria, and abducted over 200 girls. This tragedy was immediately condemned by the wider international community and prompted a campaign to “bring back our girls.” Ten months later, many of the girls are still missing – with reports that some may have been sold or otherwise enslaved. This horrific event shined a light on the issue of human trafficking, a perennial but often overlooked challenge that affects millions worldwide.

The far-reaching impact of human trafficking and its implications for security and development highlight the need for more integrated responses to better leverage the expertise of industry and civil society. Human trafficking is inextricably linked to poverty, violence, and corruption, and therefore necessitates a whole-of-society approach to mitigate and ultimately prevent this transnational challenge. 

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