The Identification and Referral of Trafficked Persons to Procedures for Determining International Protection Needs

This paper's overall purpose is to identify the current gaps in protection mechanisms for trafficked persons, particularly trafficked children, as well as ways to address these lacunae. The study provides background research and information on three connected issues: i) the protection challenges that arise out of existing state mechanisms for identifying trafficked persons; ii) the establishment of a national referral system that guarantees assessment of the needs for international protection of persons identified as trafficked (including their entitlement to protection against refoulement under international refugee and/or human rights law); and iii) procedures adopted to address the special protection needs of trafficked children.