Dr Fernanda Rangel

Labour Exploitation in South America: An Econometric Approach

Human trafficking in South America is largely a regional phenomenon—97% of identified victims are natives from within the region. While comparative and regional studies in other regions have revealed significant trends in trafficking and anti-trafficking, there have been few such studies in the South American context. The proposed Fellowship will deliver important new research to understand regional trafficking dynamics in South America. National and international literature reviews will be carried out, comparing countries and analysing trends. The Fellowship will develop a circular visualization by region flows of victims using UNODC data, a descriptive analysis, and two econometric models using the Probit Model and the Heckman Sample Selection Model, using data from various sources to understand the heads of slavery. The Fellow will collaborate with Rights Lab researchers from different backgrounds to deploy statistical methods, contextualise these through sociological findings, and develop a large-scale project on trafficking in South America.