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World Day Against Human Trafficking highlighted on July 30 with global awareness campaigns
The United Nations observed World Day Against Human Trafficking on 30 July 2026, using the theme “Trapped behind deception”. Campaigns in Poland and elsewhere urged the public to recognise the “Help Me” hand signal – a closed fist with the thumb inside, then opened – as a silent plea for assistance.
Polish police partnered with the La Strada Foundation on the #TwojeŻycieTwojaKarta initiative, while the International Police Unit in Wrocław promoted the gesture in local outreach. The United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres warned that traffickers increasingly exploit fake job offers and artificial‑intelligence tools to lure victims.
In North Macedonia, official data recorded 46 trafficking victims between 2019 and 2024. The Global Chain operation, involving 59 states, led to 1 024 arrests and the identification of 2 070 victims worldwide, including 162 minors. The International Labour Organization estimated that 27.6 million people lived in modern slavery in 2021, illustrating the global scale of the problem.
Entities
#TwojeŻycieTwojaKarta · Antonio Guterres · Global Chain · International Labour Organization · La Strada Foundation · North Macedonia · Poland · United Nations
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The International Labour Organization estimated 27.6 million people lived in modern slavery in 2021. skopje1.mk
- [○ 1 SOURCE] UN Secretary‑General António Guterres warned traffickers use fake job ads and AI to recruit victims. skopje1.mk
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The UN theme for 2026 is “Trapped behind deception”. skopje1.mk
- [● 2 SOURCES] The “Help Me” gesture is a closed fist with thumb inside, then opened, used to signal a need for help. katowice.policja.gov.pl · www.wrocek.pl
- [● 4 SOURCES] World Day Against Human Trafficking is observed on 30 July 2026. laskonline.pl · skopje1.mk · katowice.policja.gov.pl · www.wrocek.pl
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Polish police and the La Strada Foundation launched the #TwojeŻycieTwojaKarta campaign for anti‑trafficking awareness. www.wrocek.pl
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Global Chain operation involved 59 states, resulting in 1 024 arrests and identification of 2 070 victims, including 162 minors. skopje1.mk
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 46 trafficking victims were identified in Macedonia between 2019 and 2024. skopje1.mk