Armed conflict and political turmoil do not cause trafficking on their own, but they often make it easier for it to happen. When policing weakens, services are interrupted and people are uprooted from their homes, gaps open up that traffickers notice first. This overview sets out the main pathways from conflict to exploitation, gives short case examples, and lists practical steps for prevention and response. It is written for awareness and education, so readers can recognize patterns early and act safely.
Why conflict increases vulnerability
Large movements of people increase exposure to risky offers and to abuse. By late 2024, the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide reached about 123.2 million; crowded crossings, temporary accommodation and reliance on informal contacts can raise risk along travel routes and at arrival points. Conflict also weakens day to day oversight, from labour inspections to school attendance, which gives recruiters more room to operate. United Nations reporting links conflict with higher rates of trafficking for sexual exploitation and for forced labour, including sexual slavery.
Common tactics appear again and again in emergencies. False job offers, pressure to marry, promises of safe transit, new debts, and online recruitment all show up in the record. In parts of Southeast Asia, organizations have documented trafficking for forced criminality, where people are held in guarded compounds and made to run online scams. Victims describe threats, surveillance and very limited freedom of movement. It is not the only pattern, but it has grown quickly.
The role of armed groups
Armed groups sometimes carry out trafficking themselves, or benefit from it indirectly. UNODC’s 2024 Global Report notes cases where groups control territory and use forced labour, forced marriage, or sexual slavery in those areas. Children face particular risks. Recruitment and use by armed forces or armed groups is well documented, and the line with trafficking can be crossed where coercion, movement or exploitation is present.
Case snapshots
Syria and Iraq, Yazidi community. UN investigations recorded crimes by ISIS that included enslavement and trafficking of Yazidi women and girls. These acts are frequently cited as an example of sexual slavery used in war. The long term impacts on survivors and families are severe.
Ukraine. Millions of people, mostly women and children, have faced higher risk during displacement. OSCE and UN partners highlight vulnerabilities linked to housing, informal work and online recruitment; prevention measures have focused on information at borders, vetting of transport and accommodation, and more visible reporting channels.
Democratic Republic of the Congo. UN human rights reporting points to grave abuses against civilians by several parties to the conflict, including conflict related sexual violence. Control over mineral areas and repeated displacement can create openings for trafficking for sexual exploitation and for forced labour.
Myanmar. After the 2021 military coup, instability coincided with growth in trafficking linked to scam centres along the Thai, Myanmar and Laos border. IOM and UNODC describe victims coerced to run online fraud, with threats and confinement. Economic insecurity and conscription concerns increase vulnerability in the wider population.
Key drivers and targeted safeguards
| Driver in conflict settings | How it elevates risk | Targeted safeguards |
| Mass displacement | Heavy reliance on informal networks, limited options for income, and patchy oversight in transit or reception sites | Registration and case management, safe recruitment messages at key points, hotlines and reporting in several languages |
| Breakdown of rule of law | Fewer inspections and patrols, lower deterrence for armed actors | Mobile protection or justice teams, survivor centred investigations, links to specialised anti trafficking units |
| Economic shock and debt | People accept riskier jobs or travel, debts can lead to bondage | Cash or voucher assistance, vetted job matching, sanctions and enforcement against fraudulent recruiters |
| Online recruitment and scams | Platforms used for false offers or grooming, some cases of forced criminality in compounds | Clear reporting pathways on platforms, awareness campaigns, cross border cooperation on cyber enabled trafficking |
| Gender based violence and child recruitment | Sexual exploitation, forced marriage, recruitment of children by armed actors | GBV services, child protection casework, demobilization and reintegration programs with age checks |
International responses and prevention
Humanitarian and protection actors integrate anti trafficking into emergency response using established guidance and tools. IOM promotes migrant protection frameworks and vulnerability models that help identify risks early and refer survivors to services. UNHCR and regional coalitions support information campaigns, safe accommodation, and referral pathways for refugees at higher risk. At policy level, the UNODC Global Report helps states track conflict related patterns and plan criminal justice responses, including cross border cooperation.
Conflict multiplies risks rather than creates them from nothing. Reducing vulnerability through assistance and clear information, reinforcing protection systems, and ensuring survivors can access rights based services are practical steps. Consistent co-ordination between responders, law enforcement and civil society is essential to reduce harm during crises and after. Small improvements add up.