Organized crime propels mass displacement globally, UN expert reports News
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Organized crime propels mass displacement globally, UN expert reports

A UN expert reported Tuesday to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that organized criminal activity has displaced at least 1.2 million people globally in 2024, creating a neglected humanitarian crisis with profound legal implications.

Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons Paula Gaviria Betancur outlined how organized crime, which includes trafficking, extortion, and territorial control by armed groups, now functions as a primary displacement driver, particularly in Central America, the Sahel, and Southeast Asia. The report underscores how criminal actors exploit state weaknesses with collusion or acquiescence from authorities and often exacerbate violations of displaced persons’ rights to life, security, and property.

“Displacement in these contexts is inherently arbitrary under international standards. It violates core protections against forced movement while creating cycles of confinement, exploitation, and impunity that obstruct durable solutions,” the special rapporteur stated, noting the absence of due process safeguards.

Legal tensions often arise where states invoke humanitarian law to justify militarized responses, potentially expanding permissible violence beyond human rights law’s stricter constraints. The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime offer complementary frameworks, yet implementation continues to lack. Gaviria emphasized that trafficking victims, including displaced persons coerced into crime, are routinely faced with prosecution rather than protection under the non-punishment principle.

Key recommendations following the complementary framework call for states to criminalize displacement linked to organized crime under domestic law, establish trauma-informed justice pathways for victims, and prioritize civilian protection over militarized interventions. The report further urges investment in land registries to resolve expropriation disputes and cross-border cooperation to address transnational criminal networks.

The special rapporteur’s findings will inform the Human Rights Council’s agenda during its 59th session, which runs through July 11.

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