Cabin Crew to be Better Equipped to Prevent Human Trafficking

United Nations efforts to prevent trafficking in persons have taken an important step forward, with the launch of new online training to support the implementation of the ICAO-OHCHR Guidelines for Training Cabin Crew on Identifying and Responding to Trafficking in Persons.

Developed in cooperation with the Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the free e-learning course explores the unique opportunities cabin crew have to observe passengers over the duration of their flights and potentially identify and assist human trafficking victims. Additional course elements will also be of value to airport and other aviation industry professionals.

“The entire global aviation community has a key role to play in preventing trafficking in persons,” stressed ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu. “The development of the new training, based on the ICAO-OHCHR guidelines provides an important foundation from which we can offer critical capacity-building, and ultimately help put an end to the abuse of international air transport by traffickers.”

The International Labour Office reports that 1-in-200 people worldwide are still being forced into work and living conditions resulting from  trafficking in persons, a practice considered akin to modern slavery.

Reflecting the fact that many of these victims were moved from country to country via commercial aircraft, the ICAO-OHCHR training launched today also includes video interviews with trafficking survivors and airlines who already train their cabin crew on this subject.

The new ICAO-OHCHR training to combat trafficking in persons for cabin crew must be supplemented by further airline training on specific internal procedures and practices. It is accessible to cabin crew members and other aviation professionals through ICAO’s e-learning portal.