Joint Statement

On 31 December 2014, the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT), an alliance of six organizations committed to combatting human trafficking, concluded its long-standing work towards curbing one of the most heinous crimes and human rights violations of our time.

Members of UN.GIFT

• Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
• International Labour Organization (ILO)
• International Organization for Migration (IOM)
• Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
• United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Conceived as a global project with a finite mandate, UN.GIFT has achieved impressive results since its launch in March 2007. Pooling technical know-how and expertise on how to most effectively address the global human trafficking challenge, UN.GIFT helped to forge a strong network of partners and allies in the fight against human trafficking and placed the issue high on the global policy agenda. Among other achievements, UN.GIFT served as a unique mechanism for developing a wealth of technical tools and influential publications, including the first ever global report on trafficking in persons, establishing pioneering partnerships with the private sector to highlight the responsibility of private business, launching public awareness campaigns to alert and sensitize the public to the nature and prevalence of human trafficking, strengthening the role of civil society to support and assist victims, and finally implementing joint programmes designed to support the efforts of Member States in eradicating this crime.

Acknowledging the need to build on progress already achieved, UN.GIFT members are committed to ensuring that all products of UN.GIFT, which continue to be highly relevant, remain available to the global anti-trafficking community.

UN.GIFT Members would like to take this opportunity to thank all stakeholders who contributed to the success of UN.GIFT during its lifetime, in particular the United Arab Emirates as the main donor of UN.GIFT, as well as the Governments of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France and Switzerland, UNICEF, UNIFEM, UNDP and the United Nations International Fund for Partnerships, who have provided their general financial support. UN.GIFT members further call on the international community to remain committed to promoting multi-stakeholder cooperation, coordination and coherence in combating trafficking in persons at all levels.