A/RES/80/228 Improving the coordination of efforts against trafficking in persons Children, by making use of existing capacity-building tools, lessons learned from Member States and expertise available in other international organizations, Recognizing the role of the Working Group on Trafficking in Persons established by the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and taking note of the recommendations arising from its meetings, which guide States Parties to the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime in strengthening international cooperation as well as in exchanging best practices to fight the crime of trafficking in persons, Expressing concern about the increasing reports of trafficking in persons in the context of sport, which often involves transnational organized crime groups exploiting people in vulnerable situations, especially children, and in this regard recognizing the need to address the knowledge gap around this issue through support for and engagement in data-gathering on trafficking in persons in the context of sport in order to ensure that responses are evidence-based, Recognizing the need to continue to foster a global partnership against trafficking in persons among all stakeholders and the need to continue to work towards an enhanced comprehensive and coordinated approach to prevent and combat trafficking and to protect and assist victims of trafficking in persons through the appropriate national, regional and international mechanisms, Recognizing also the importance of bilateral, subregional, regional and international cooperation mechanisms and initiatives, including information exchanges on good practices and mutual legal assistance, where appropriate, of Governments and of intergovernmental and non‑governmental organizations to address the crime of trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Taking note with appreciation of the different initiatives of Member States, promoted in the United Nations to contribute to the global fight against trafficking in persons, 23 Recalling that trafficking in persons is fuelled by high profits for traffickers and demand that fosters all forms of exploitation, with trafficking in persons disproportionately affecting women and girls, who are particularly vulnerable to trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, Stressing the need to take appropriate measures to ensure access to justice and protections for victims in criminal justice processes, including measures to ensure that identified victims of trafficking in persons are not penalized for having been trafficked and that they do not suffer from victimization as a result of actions taken by government authorities, communities and families, and in this regard taking note of the report of the Secretary-General entitled “Trafficking in women and girls: strengthening access to justice for victim-survivors”, 24 Recognizing that broad international cooperation between Member States and relevant intergovernmental and non‑governmental organizations is essential for effectively countering the threat of trafficking in persons and other contemporary forms of slavery, _______________ 23 Such as, inter alia, Alliance 8.7; Finance Against Slavery and Trafficking; the call to action to end forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking; the principles to guide government action to combat human trafficking in global supply chains; and the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime. 24 A/79/322. 6/14 25-20946