2018-07-26 Thu

A pane of 10 stamps and labels will be released by the UNPA on 30th July to observe World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Smuggling of migrants and Blue Heart Campaign against Human Trafficking will also be promoted through this release.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime launched the Blue Heart campaign in 2008 to raise awareness about the impacts of human trafficking. Mexico started its own Blue Heart campaign in 2010, to become the first country to do so.

As per UN reports, almost 80% women and girls are victims of human trafficking. They have to face sexual or labour exploitation, domestic servitude, the removal of organs and exploitation of children. The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons was established by the U.N. General Assembly in 2013 to not just create awareness about human trafficking but also for the promotion and protection of victims' rights.

The €0.80 stamps can be used for U.N. post office at the Vienna International Center in Vienna. The U.N. emblem in blue, the denomination, “2018”, and the United Nations name in German “Vereinte Nationen” are featured on the stamps. 10 labels are se-tenant with the stamps. Each label features a separate design highlighting Mexico’s Blue Heart campaign with the hashtag AQUIESTOY (Here I Am). Apart from the main graphic of a balloon, other symbols like a teddy bear, backpacks and hiking boots, a doll, a wheelchair, a tractor and a harp, agriculture, city and beach scenes are also featured.

The selvage depicts emblems, images and text. The pane features a young woman with a backpack walking on a railroad track with balloons and hashtag AQUIESTOY in the background. Information about human trafficking and the Blue Heart campaign is also provided in the pane. Campaign Blue Heart: #AQUIESTOY (#HereIAm) was created by UNODC Office. The campaign uses a balloon to represent a victim and is also a symbol of happiness, innocence and freedom.

Image courtesy: UNPA