Human Rights and Human Trafficking of Adolescents: Legal and Clinical Perspectives

Health and human rights are inextricably linked by the principle that all people have the right to the highest attainable standards of health and well-being. Human trafficking of adolescents violates their most basic human rights. Young people in conflict zones and on the move in migration are at particular risk for severe maltreatment. Adolescent survivors of labor and sex trafficking often suffer long-term adverse health consequences. Numerous international treaties and conventions as well as national and state laws offer legal protection for the human rights of trafficked youth but often are not enforced. Healthcare professionals are uniquely placed to use their education, experience, expertise, and positions to identify, treat, and document violations of human rights and to advocate for and educate peers, patients, organizations, and communities for the protection of human rights.