Half of human trafficking cases are children: National Anti-Trafficking Authority

Tunisian National Anti-Trafficking Authority (INLCTP) confirmed that figures in its annual report indicate an increase in human trafficking in Tunisia, which involves 19 different nationalities. The authority recorded 438 cases of human trafficking, noting that the percentage of women and children is more than 65 percent, most are in the context of forced labor. Although crimes of sexual exploitation of human trafficking victims decreased by 15 percent in 2021, after it was around 30 percent in 2020, the authority noted the emergence of new phenomena, including attempts to sell infants and children. President of National Anti-Trafficking Authority, Raoudha Laabidi, told A24 that there is a 50 percent decline in sexual exploitation, but an increase in forced labor of children. She added that there is emergence of new phenomena; criminal exploitation of children, forced marriage and forced pregnancy. She said these cases mainly involve foreigners, adding that data changes year to year between an increase and a decrease.