Watchmaker Backes and Strauss partners UNODC to help victims of human trafficking

London-based watchmaker Backes and Strauss has decided to support the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in raising funds for victims of human trafficking by launching an exclusive line of “Victoria Blue Heart watches”.

“A portion of the proceeds from sales will go towards the Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking created in 2010 by the United Nations General Assembly,” said the UNODC in a statement January 18, 2012.

The Blue Heart is the international symbol of solidarity with victims of human trafficking.

One of the most lucrative forms of organized crime, human trafficking generates $32 billion annually, rivalling the profits reaped by the illicit trade in arms and drugs, according to the UN agency.

And data shows women comprise two thirds of the trafficking victims as estimated 2.4 million people are trapped in modern-day slavery.

By Ekow Quandzie