Laws & Conventions

Legislation on trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation

International level

  Paris, 18 May 1904, International Agreement for the suppression of the “White Slave Traffic” 

• Paris, 4 May 1910, International Convention for the Suppression of the White Slave Traffic 
  

• Geneva, 11 October 1933, International Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Women of the Full Age 
  

• 1949, Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others 
  

• 1951, Refugee Convention relating to the Status of Refugees 
  

• 1967, Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees 
  

• 1979, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 
  

• 1989, Convention on the Rights of the Child 
  

• 2000, Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography 
  

• 2000, Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

• Italian Legislation

• 1958, Merlin Law (Article 3 in particular). Read the original Italian text of Article 3.

• 1998, Law 269/1998 Norms against the exploitation of prostitution, pornography and child sex tourism, as new forms of enslavement. Read the original Italian text of Law 269/1998.

• 1998, Consolidated Act of the provisions on immigration regulations and rules on the status of foreign citizens (Article 18 in particular). Read the original Italian text in full. 
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• 2002, Law 46-2002 ratifying and implementing the optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, concerning the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and the involvement of children. Read the original Italian articles of ratification in full. Read the Convention protocols in English. 
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• 2003, Law 228/2003 concerning measures against trafficking in persons, which amends and updates Articles 600, 601, 602 of the Penal Code, transposes the provisions of the Palermo Protocol. Read the Italian text in full. 
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• 2006, Law 146-2006 ratification and implementation of the UN Convention and Protocols against Transnational Organised Crime, adopted by the General Assembly on 15 November 2000 and 31 May 2001. Read the Italian text in full.
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• 2006, Law 38-2006, measures to combat the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, including via the Internet. Read the Italian text in full.
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• 2007, Act 13-12-2007, Establishment of the Permanent Forum against Serious Harassment and Violence against Women for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. Read the Italian text in full.
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• 2009, Maroni Law 11-2009, Urgent measures on public security, combating sexual violence and persecutory acts. Read the Italian text in full.
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• 2014, Legislative Decree 24/2014 transposing Directive 2011/36/EU.  Read the Italian text in full. Read the text of Directive 2011/36/EU in English here.
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• 2016, Prime Minister’s Decree, which initiates the Definition of the Single Programme of emergence, assistance and social integration in favor of foreigners and citizens referred to in paragraph 6-bis of art. 18 of Legislative Decree no. 286/1998. Read the Italian text in full.
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• 2016-2018 National action plan against trafficking and serious exploitation. Read the Italian text in full.

Here you can read a more in-depth description of the Italian legislation.

This page was written in collaboration with Dr. Giulia Poletti. Updated in 2021