COMMITTEE: United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)
AGENDA: Combating Human Trafficking and enforcing Legal Framework with special emphasis on
international collaboration, with leveraging technological advancements to protect human rights.
DELEGATION: Reino de España (Kingdom of Spain)
The Kingdom of Spain, renowned for its rich cultural heritage, picturesque landscapes, and strong
economic standing in Europe, continues to be a beacon of progress and innovation. From the vibrant
streets of Barcelona to the historic marvels of Madrid, Spain exemplifies resilience, diversity, and a
commitment to human rights. In the spirit of these values, Spain recognizes the grave threat posed by
human trafficking, a heinous crime that undermines the very principles of freedom and dignity. With an
estimated 27.6 million victims worldwide at any given time, human traffickers prey on people of all ages,
backgrounds, and nationalities, exploiting them for their own profit.i The Kingdom of Spain strongly
condemns such inhumane acts and remains highly vigilant to ensure prosecution of its propagators,
protection of its victims and prevention from its further spread.
The Government of Spain meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. The
government continues to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts, considering the impact of the COVID-
19 pandemic, if any, on its anti-trafficking capacity. ii In 2022, Spain identified 227 trafficking victims,
including 129 sex trafficking victims and 98 labor trafficking victims (including nine for forced
criminality). Compared with 467 trafficking victims in 2019, this was significantly less. iii Article 177 of
the Spanish Criminal Code criminalizes sex trafficking and labor trafficking, prescribing penalties from
five to eight years.iv In response to Russia’s war against Ukraine, the government adopted an amendment
to Article 177 in 2023, explicitly increasing the penalties for trafficking crimes involving victims
displaced as a result of armed conflict or humanitarian catastrophes. The Ministry of the Interior (MOI)
coordinates law enforcement efforts through the Spanish National Police, the Civil Guard, and local
security forces, which included specialized law enforcement units to address human trafficking. The Civil
Guard organized several conferences that covered human trafficking and developed its second extensive
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e-learning course in 2022 along with collaborating with a university to teach a one-week human
trafficking course in Cyprus to police officers from EU member states.
In 2022, law enforcement also conducted international investigations and joint operations with Belgium,
Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, France, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Poland, Romania, and Switzerland,
which resulted in the identification of at least 301 victims and arrest of at least 80 suspects. The Office of
the Prosecutor for Trafficking in Persons have specialized prosecutors who cover all jurisdictions. The
National Police continues to use an operational manual to combat labor trafficking, including forced
criminality on cannabis plantations. The Government of Spain maintains prevention efforts as well. The
national rapporteur, a politically appointed deputy ministerial position within the MOI, is responsible for
coordination, analysis, and assessment of efforts across the government, with MOI’s Center against
Terrorism and Organized Crime providing support and technical assistance.
The government of Spain, however, continues to lack adequate mechanisms for identifying potential
trafficking victims among the asylum-seeker and undocumented migrant populations and is showing
persistent effort to bridge this evident gap. In this regard, the kingdom of Spain emphasis the importance
of adopting a resolution that prioritizes following key elements:
1. There is a need to increase proactive victim identification, especially among vulnerable
populations such as children, undocumented migrants, asylum-seekers, and workers in industries
and agricultural regions with high incidences of labor exploitation. The development of uniform
national victim identification and referral protocols and systematic training for front-line officials
on proactive victim identification is an eminent need, especially in Spain. Entities other than law
enforcement including social workers, asylum care workers, health care professionals and NGOs
can be helpful in an efficient formal victim identification.
2. The expansion of victim service centers (UFAM Centers - Unidades de la Familia y la Mujer) for
trafficking victims to all autonomous communities is a model that can be adopted by other
nations accordingly. These centres can serve as first point of contact for victims of human
trafficking to seek protection.
3. The poor economic conditions and standard of living emerges as one of many root causes of
human trafficking. v Many victims unwillingly become part of these labour and sex exploitation
practices to meet the bare minimum need of their families. Establishment of state compensation
fund can incentivize many victims trapped in these rackets to seek help and protection. vi
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4. The implementation of strong regulation and oversight of recruitment companies can help ensure
effective workers’ protection along with increment in security of unaccompanied children in
immigration detention centers or government shelters to protect from recruitment by traffickers.
5. The judicial sector is a strong area which is essential for prosecution of perpetrators of human
trafficking. A long and tedious process of such prosecutions becomes a major obstacle in
determent of these crimes. Thus, the prosecutors and judges can be trained to have a victim-
centered approach to law enforcement along with pondering upon practices to make this sector
more efficient. This can also ensure increased survivor engagement.
6. NGOs play an important role in Spain in victim identification, exposing human trafficking
rackets, and providing protection & care to the victims. Improving coordination with an effective
multidisciplinary response between government and NGOs to combat trafficking serve as an
efficient to further strengthen this connection.
CONCLUSION:
The Kingdom of Spain reaffirms its unwavering commitment to combating human trafficking through a
holistic and integrated approach. By adhering to the 3P strategy—prosecution, protection, and
prevention—Spain aims to dismantle trafficking networks, safeguard victims, and prevent future
exploitation. We call upon all nations to unite in this critical endeavor, leveraging technological
advancements and fostering international collaboration to uphold human rights and eradicate human
trafficking worldwide.
i
www.state.gov/humantrafficking-about-human-trafficking/ . Accessed 23 May 2024.
“The Government of Spain takes a comprehensive approach to the fight against human trafficking and
ii
exploitation” www.lamoncloa.gob.es/lang/en/gobierno/councilministers/Paginas/2022/20221129_council.aspx .
Accessed 23 May 2024.
“Sex trafficking victims Spain 2022” Statista, 3 Nov. 2023, www.statista.com/statistics/1300849/number-victims-
iii
sex-trafficking-spain/ . Accessed 23 May 2024.
iv
26 Jan. 2018,
www.mjusticia.gob.es/es/AreaTematica/DocumentacionPublicaciones/Documents/www.mjusticia.gob.es/es/AreaTe
matica/DocumentacionPublicaciones/Documents/Criminal_Code_2016.pdf . Accessed 23 May 2024.
v
“13 victims of human trafficking safeguarded in Spain” Europol, www.europol.europa.eu/media-
press/newsroom/news/13-victims-of-human-trafficking-safeguarded-in-spain . Accessed 23 May 2024.
vi
“GRETA publishes its third report on Spain” Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, 12 June 2023,
www.coe.int/en/web/anti-human-trafficking/-/spain-urged-to-guarantee-compensation-to-victims-of-human-
trafficking-and-to-step-up-investigations-of-trafficking-for-labour-exploitation-1 . Accessed 23 May 2024.
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