IOM has received new funding to continue to expand and maintain its
Global Human Trafficking database until 2011 from the United States
Government Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
(G/TIP).

The IOM Global Human Trafficking Database is the world's largest
database of primary data on registered victims of trafficking
(VoTs), containing data on over 13,500 registered victims of more
than 80 different nationalities trafficked to more than 90
countries.

Initially designed as a case management tool for IOM
counter-trafficking direct assistance programmes, the system
quickly demonstrated its added value to research.  Containing
information of both a quantitative and qualitative nature, the
database stores valuable primary data on:

• The background of victims;
• The profile of traffickers;
• Patterns of exploitation and abuse;
• Nature of assistance provided;
• Instances of re-trafficking.

"In addition to serving its case management function, the
database also serves as a knowledge bank, from which statistical
and detailed reports can be drawn," explains Richard Danziger, Head
of IOM Counter-Trafficking Programmes.  "This strengthens the
research capacity and understanding of the causes, processes,
trends and consequences of trafficking, informing programme
development and policy making on counter-trafficking."

Whereas trafficking data collection efforts have often been
criticized for being fragmented, the IOM Global Human Trafficking
Database has notably been commended for being systematic.  As
cited in a 2006 report by the US Government Accountability Office,
"the database created by the International Organization for
Migration (IOM) provides a useful systematic profile of victims and
traffickers across countries" (2006:10) and "improves the overall
understanding of the broader dimensions of trafficking"
(2006:21).  The report further highlights that the system
could, in return, "assist... efforts to compile better data on
trafficking victims" (GAO, 2006: 20).

IOM continues to publish a number of in-depth narrative reports
which form part of the IOM Global Human Trafficking Thematic
Research Series.  Drawing upon both quantitative and
non-personal qualitative data held within the IOM database, the
series will specifically address contemporary issues on human
trafficking.  The first edition covered the issues of the
trafficking of males, with other topics to follow, including:
re-trafficking and trafficking and data collection. A number of
country-level reports will also be published, exploring changing
trafficking trends in the respective regions.

IOM will prioritize data collection in countries where the
knowledge base is lower.  All documents will be available at
"http://www.iom.int">www.iom.int.

For further information, please contact:

Sarah Craggs

IOM Geneva

Tel: +41.22.917.9526

E-mail: "mailto:scraggs@iom.int">scraggs@iom.int. or "paragraph-link-no-underline" href=
"mailto:CTS-db@iom.int">CTS-db@iom.int