Vienna, 30 July 2026

On 30 July, governments, international organisations and civil society around the world will mark the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, raising awareness of one of the world’s fastest-growing forms of organised crime and reaffirming the global commitment to protect victims and bring traffickers to justice.

This year’s campaign, led by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), is themed “Trapped Behind the Scam” and shines a spotlight on the growing exploitation of people by organised crime groups (OCGs) operating online.

Increasingly, transnational criminal networks are trafficking victims into large-scale online scam operations, where they are coerced into carrying out cyber-enabled fraud under threats, violence and deception. The campaign highlights how human trafficking is evolving alongside technology, with organised crime groups exploiting digital platforms to recruit, control and exploit vulnerable people around the world.

The theme closely reflects the challenges being addressed through the Phygital-OC project. Organised crime groups today operate seamlessly across both physical and digital environments, combining traditional criminal activity with sophisticated online operations that make detection, investigation and disruption increasingly complex.  Tackling these threats requires stronger international cooperation, better intelligence sharing and the innovative use of technology.

Through collaboration between law enforcement agencies (LEAs), judicial authorities, researchers and civil society organisations across Europe and beyond, Phygital-OC is helping to strengthen the capabilities needed to respond to these evolving threats and support a more coordinated international response to transnational organised crime.

Sergio Bianchi, Phygital-OC project coordinator and Research Director at Italian NGO Agenfor International, said: “The consortium is proud to support the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons and its efforts to raise awareness of the realities faced by victims of trafficking and exploitation.”

To learn more about this year’s campaign and access campaign resources, visit www.endht.org.