Women and girls account for 70 percent of global human trafficking victims, according to a United Nations report. Most victims are trafficked for sexual exploitation, with the report warning of "vast areas of impunity."
Populist anti-immigration parties have gained strength in many European countries following a massive influx of migration into the EU. The bloc's border agency says illegal arrivals in 2018 fell to around 150,000 people.
UPDATE: After 17 days in the Mediterranean Sea and battered by winter storms, the two NGO rescue boats stranded close to Malta's shores with 49 migrants on board are still waiting for port access. One of the ships has received suppl1
Several mayors in Italy have joined forces against the anti-migration policies of far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini.
A wave of Iranian asylum seekers is attempting to cross into the UK via dinghies, a trend that has become popular in recent months. The British navy deployed a vessel Thursday to "help prevent" the crossings from France.