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(b) What types of violence and related crime are migrants, migrant workers and their families subjected to? What are the special vulnerabilities of migrant women and children in this regard? (c) Who inflicts the violence on migrants, migrant workers and their families? (...) What measures specifically target migrant women, women migrant workers, children of migrants and unaccompanied minors?

• What disruptive techniques are most effective in obstructing the smuggling of migrants, while also protecting migrants? • How can special investigative techniques be appropriately managed in the context of smuggling of migrants investigations so as not to compromise the rights of migrants? (...) Investigative efforts are often aimed at irregular migrants rather than migrant smugglers. The key investigative challenge is to target organized criminal networks behind the smuggling of migrants, rather than low-level actors or migrants themselves. (...) To avoid playing into the hands of smugglers, good practice is to treat smuggled migrants as witnesses to smuggling of migrants rather than as targets of smuggling of migrants investigations.

It also provides a thematic study on the right to freedom of association of migrants, in which the Special Rapporteur examines recent trends in restrictions in law and in practice on freedom of association for migrants and civil society organizations that work to protect migrants’ rights. (...) Given the interconnected nature of human rights, restrictions on migrants’ and their defenders’ freedom of association further hinder migrants’ enjoyment of other rights. (...) Notably, countries that have active migrant associations have seen some important improvements for migrant rights.

It discusses promising practices and challenges in responding to the smuggling of migrants and current issues relating to the criminalization of the smuggling of migrants. (...) Observatory on the Smuggling of Migrants 25. The UNODC Observatory on the Smuggling of Migrants is a flagship project designed to assess the characteristics, drivers and impact of the smuggling of migrants in rapidly changing contexts. (...) Accordingly, efforts to successfully prevent the smuggling of migrants also require a focus on the demand for migrant smuggling services.

(c) What is the estimated extent of migrant smuggling by air? How many smuggled migrants have been detected at airports in recent years? (...) Global data about the smuggling of migrants by air, as well as the smuggling of migrants in general, are limited. (...) Such services do not usually include migrant smuggling by air. 39. Migrant smuggling by air is more likely to occur as part of pre -organized migrant smuggling.

UNODC added to its e-learning programme new language versions of the three following modules dedicated to the subject of the smuggling of migrants: (a) introduction to the smuggling of migrants; (b) investigative approaches to the smuggling of migrants; and (c) investigative techniques to counter the smuggling of migrants. (...) UNODC delivered 38 activities addressing both trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants and 16 activities addressing only the smuggling of migrants. (...) Protection of and support for smuggled migrants 51. The purpose of the Smuggling of Migrants Protocol is to prevent and combat the smuggling of migrants, as well as to promote cooperation among State parties to that end, while protecting the rights of smuggled migrants.

Migrants are also often victims of unfair dismissal. (...) A/HRC/26/35 13 3. Migrant women 53. Migrant women risk being the victims of multiple discrimination, both as women and as migrants. (...) Migrant children are more vulnerable to abuse and injuries than adult migrants.

Furthermore, the report assesses the challenges faced by documented and undocumented migrants in gaining access to adequate housing, paying particular attention to the situation of migrant workers in low-skilled and informal jobs, undocumented migrants, migrants belonging to minority groups and migrant women and children. (...) B. Undocumented migrants 48. Undocumented migrants are those who lack legal status in the host or transit country. (...) Living in the workplace; forced labour and trafficking of migrants 57. The living conditions of migrants housed by their employers, described above, fully applies to undocumented migrants in similar conditions.

(c) What are the elements of an effective criminal justice response to the smuggling of migrants, in accordance with the purpose and scope of the Smuggling of Migrants Protocol? (...) Interviewing smuggled migrants as witnesses also requires particular sensitivity to ensure that trust is built between investigators and migrants and that migrants agree to testify. (...) Its chapters cover the criminalization of the smuggling of migrants, protection and assistance measures in respect of smuggled migrants, coordination and cooperation between agencies, cooperation in respect of the smuggling of migrants at sea, and processes related to the return of smuggled migrants.

States parties may wish to consider involving their consular and diplomatic representations abroad in enhancing the protection of smuggled migrants and the provision of assistance to such migrants. (...) States parties are encouraged to implement article 18 of the Smuggling of Migrants Protocol, including by negotiating agreements for the orderly return of smuggled migrants. 10. (...) Keeping in mind that the “financial and material benefit” is the purpose of smuggling of migrants within the international definition as set in the Smuggling of Migrants Protocol and, often, the reason why migrants’ lives are put at risk, States parties should, as appropriate, prioritize investigations and prosecutions of migrant smuggling cases where there is a clear financial benefit.