Human Trafficking in Conflict Zones: The Exploitation of Vulnerable Populations

Abstract

This research investigates human trafficking in conflict zones, where vulnerable populations such as women, children, refugees, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are severely exploited amidst the chaos and breakdown of law and order. The study explores how rebel groups and organized crime networks capitalize on these conditions, engaging in forced labour, sexual exploitation, and child soldier recruitment, often to fund their operations. By examining case studies in Syria, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Libya, it illustrates how trafficking dynamics differ based on local factors such as resource-driven conflicts and displacement crises. The research also evaluates international frameworks, including the Palermo Protocol, while identifying gaps in both national and global responses. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the urgent need for stronger legal frameworks, enhanced global cooperation, and targeted interventions to address the root causes poverty, displacement, and weak governance that perpetuate human trafficking in conflict zones.