Internal Publication
Anti-trafficking and humanitarian operations: transferring learnings for a better world
The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to draw insights from the rich literature on humanitarian operations efforts to combat human trafficking; second, to inspire humanitarian operations researchers to work more on human anti-trafficking.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a conceptual paper inspired by recent relevant reports, the academic literature and the authors’ years of involvement in both humanitarian operations and anti-trafficking.
Findings
Humanitarian supply chains and human trafficking supply chains very often operate in the same environments and hence face similar challenges. The paper highlights the overlaps between the two domains and demonstrates how two decades of learnings from humanitarian supply chain literature can help improve the understanding of the more recent academic field of human trafficking supply chains significantly.
Research limitations/implications
This study is conceptual and illuminates numerous opportunities for research in anti-trafficking.
Practical implications
By inspiring more research on anti-trafficking, this paper hopes to facilitate enhancements to human trafficking operation to prevent more cases and protect victims.
Social implications
There is an opportunity to increase the effectiveness of anti-trafficking activities, disrupt human trafficking and enlarge the “humanitarian space.”
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to discuss human trafficking operations in relation to humanitarian supply chains.
Author: Sokat, Kezban Yagci | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0386-3146
Co-author: Besiou, Maria | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6401-2738
Institution: Kühne Logistics University | Centre: Sustainable Operations for Resource Management and Food Supply (SCO)
Type: Journal article | English
Subjects: Logistics
Published in: Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management ISSN: 2042-6747
Publisher of document: Emerald Publishing
Date: 19 August 2024
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/jhlscm-08-2023-0066/full/html
Copyright: Kezban Yagci Sokat, Maria Besiou
