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UNODCContainment measures to control the spread of the virus meant that people spent much more time online, especially children since schools were closed    30 October 2021Law and Crime Prevention Human traffickers who trick people with fake job offers and promises and then exploit them for profit, are taking advantage of online technologies for every step of their criminal activities.   Research conducted by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shows how victims are being targeted and recruited via social media and online dating platforms, where personal information and details of people’s locations are readily available.  Sexual abuse and other forms of exploitation are taking place virtually and photos and videos sold further on different platforms to customers worldwide, resulting in even more money for the traffickers at no additional cost.  New strategies This week, experts from around 100 countries met online and in Vienna, Austria, to discuss strategies to combat this phenomenon and make the best use of technology to prevent human trafficking and investigate cases of this crime.   The discussion formed part of the annual intergovernmental Working Group of Trafficking in Persons and centres around an in-depth background paper  on this topic produced by UNODC’s Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section.   Sexual abuse and other forms of exploitation are taking place virtually, by Unsplash/Priscilla…

Euku via Wikimedia Commons/UNESCODmitry Muratov (left) and Maria Messa were jointly award the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize.    8 October 2021Human Rights Two campaigning journalists were awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, which UN Secretary-General António Guterres said was recognition that a free press is “essential for peace, justice, sustainable development and human rights – and the cornerstone for building fair and impartial institutions”.  From the Philippines, Maria Ressa, Chief Executive and cofounder of online news outlet Rappler, and Russia’s Dmitry Muratov, cofounder and editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta newspaper, were named as the 2021 laureates by Berit Reiss-Andersen, chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee. Heartfelt congratulations to the journalist @mariaressa, laureate of the 2021 #UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World #PressFreedom Prize & key partner of @UNESCO, who has won the #NobelPeacePrize together w/ Dimitry Muratov. Freedom of expression is the lifeblood of democracy.#NobelPrize https://t.co/cZmkvZPB2t— Audrey Azoulay (@AAzoulay) October 8, 2021 “No society can be free and fair without journalists who are able to investigate wrongdoing, bring information to citizens, hold leaders accountable…

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