Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children
| Type | Organized crime; international criminal law |
|---|---|
| Drafted | 15 November 2000 |
| Signed | 12 December 2000 |
| Location | New York City, United States |
| Effective | 25 December 2003 |
| Condition | 40 ratifications |
| Signatories | 117 |
| Parties | 185 |
| Depositary | Secretary-General of the United Nations |
| Languages | Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish |
The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (also referred to as the Trafficking Protocol or UN TIP Protocol) is a protocol to the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime. It is one of the three Palermo protocols, the others being the Protocol Against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air and the Protocol Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms.
The protocol was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2000 and entered into force on 25 December 2003. As of July 2025, it has been ratified by 185 parties.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is responsible for implementing the protocol. It offers practical help to states with drafting laws, creating comprehensive national anti-trafficking strategies, and assisting with resources to implement them. In March 2009, UNODC launched the Blue Heart Campaign to fight human trafficking, to raise awareness, and to encourage involvement and inspire action.
The protocol commits ratifying states to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, protecting and assisting victims of trafficking and promoting cooperation among states in order to meet those objectives.