London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Labour Exploitation, Trafficking and Migrant Health involved 71 in-depth interviews with men and women who had worked (or been trafficked) in the commonly under-regulated sectors of textiles, mining and construction, in Argentina, Peru and Kazakhstan, respectively.

The exploratory study found that migrants face gruelling hours and risky conditions, and have to 'learn on the job' how to use machinery, chemicals and other dangerous materials. Many were hurt while working and few were able to get medical care. 

Those interviewed for the study were commonly recruited by family and community networks, and travelled for work (within their own country or internationally) as part of a general strategy to improve their lives. Most had little or no information about the conditions of the work before they travelled and some were deceived or misled, particularly those who ended up in trafficking situations.

In jobs where they were paid by the piece (textiles) or by the ounce (gold), migrants reported very high levels of stress, as they worked long hours in an attempt to make more money to support themselves and their families left behind, or to pay off debts. Migrant and trafficked workers had little information about their rights, even in those countries which had laws to protect them from exploitation.

Respondents did not understand the health risks they were facing, and tended to focus on short-term problems rather than more serious consequences, such as mercury poisoning or tuberculosis. Most viewed law enforcement or migration officials with suspicion, rather than as sources of support. In some cases, migrants had heard about trafficking and were aware risks might exist, but still saw migration for work in these sectors as their best option.

The report was led by Dr Cathy Zimmerman and co-authored by Dr Ana Maria Buller and Hanni Stoklosa from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Hanni Stoklosa, now based at the Brigham and Women's Hospital & Harvard Medical School, said: "Trafficking exists in the supply chains of the jewellery and clothes we wear as well as the buildings we work in. Most people assume that trafficking is limited to sexual exploitation. This study expands our understanding of labour trafficking and its health effects, in industries that touch all of our lives."

IOM's Rosilyne Borland, Regional Migrant Rights and Vulnerable Groups Specialist and a co-author of the research, said: "As you might expect, our study showed that people who were identified as trafficked worked longer hours, experienced more violence, had less freedom of movement, and were more likely to be deceived by recruiters. However, the research also shows that the larger population of migrant workers lived and worked in similar conditions, with similar health risks and consequences, even if not identified as trafficked."

Worldwide, people are trafficked into many different kinds of exploitation, including sexual exploitation and forced labour. While the majority of victims identified worldwide continue to be those in sex trafficking, labour exploitation is of growing concern. Since 2010, the majority of the victims of trafficking assisted by the IOM Global Assistance Fund - which has helped more than 70,000 people - have been trafficked into labour exploitation.

Publication:

• Labour Exploitation, Trafficking and Migrant Health: Multi-country Findings on the Health Risks and Consequences of Migrant and Trafficked Workers

Related links

• Feature - On the move: the race to keep forced migrants healthy
• Gender Violence and Health Centre
• Research reveals health of child trafficking survivors
• First comprehensive study of health of trafficked men, women and children