Post on 04-Jan-2016
Challenge in the Americas:Challenge in the Americas:Trafficking in PersonsTrafficking in Persons
A Presentation to the Special CommitteeA Presentation to the Special Committeeon Fighting Transnational Organizedon Fighting Transnational OrganizedCime in the AmericasCime in the Americas
February 15, 2006February 15, 2006
Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in PersonsPunish Trafficking in Persons
“Trafficking in persons” shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force, or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power, or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.
Identifying Crime is linked to finding Identifying Crime is linked to finding VictimsVictims
Victims are generally difficult for officials to identify
Most victims do no self-identifyVictims are usually linked to clandestine
activities:ProstitutionMigrant SmugglingSweatshop and Agricultural labor
Internal and International Human Internal and International Human TraffickingTrafficking
Victims of internal human trafficking or trafficking within the same country
Victims of cross-border or international human trafficking
Mission of the OAS Anti-Trafficking Mission of the OAS Anti-Trafficking in Persons Section: in Persons Section:
Increase awareness and understanding
Help build a Hemispheric consensus
Provide training opportunities
Provide better information on trafficking
Anti-Trafficking Training SeminarsAnti-Trafficking Training Seminars
Argentina November 2004
Belize April 2005
Bolivia 2004-05
Caribbean Countries 2004-05
Mexico 2004-05
Peru April 2005
Ecuador August 2005
Venezuela January 2005
Guatemala September, December 2005
Special OAS ProjectsSpecial OAS Projects
HAITI: Fielding of an OAS advisor with the Haitian Police
JAPAN: Report on trafficking of Latin women from the region to Japan for the commercial sex trade
EUROPE: Coordination with Latin American source countries and Western European destination countries
Countries with Specific Anti-Countries with Specific Anti-Trafficking Laws in ForceTrafficking Laws in Force
Belize
Bolivia
Colombia
Dominican Republic
Guyana
Panama
United States
Countries with a Combination of Countries with a Combination of Effective Criminal LawsEffective Criminal Laws
Brazil
Canada
Costa Rica
Ecuador
El Salvador
Jamaica
Countries with Significant Anti-Countries with Significant Anti-Trafficking Legislation PendingTrafficking Legislation Pending
Argentina
Mexico
Countries with Advanced Police Countries with Advanced Police Capacity on Human TraffickingCapacity on Human Trafficking
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
El Salvador
Guatemala
Panama
Bilateral Agreements in the OAS Bilateral Agreements in the OAS RegionRegion
Guatemala -- Mexico
Venezuela -- Brazil
Estimates of Victims Annually Estimates of Victims Annually
16,000 – 22,000 victims transported across borders within the Western Hemisphere
9,000 – 12,000 victims transported from the Western Hemisphere to Europe
5,000 – 8,000 victims transported from Europe to the Western Hemisphere
12,500 – 16,500 victims transported from Asia to the Western Hemisphere
RecommendationsRecommendations
Political Leadership:
Place fighting human trafficking on the national agenda
Appoint a senior policy figure to act as a “czar” to coordinate policy
Create a modern legal framework
RecommendationsRecommendations
Law Enforcement:Develop dedicated police, immigration and
prosecutorial unitsFocus on the “easy” cases firstPubilicize high profile prosecutionsWork with NGOs to develop casesFind a strategy to deal with corruption
RecommendationsRecommendations
Social Services and Crime Prevention:
Work with NGOs and encourage their activities
Develop the capacity to identify victims and treat them humanely
Develop the capacity to collect information on human trafficking
RecommendationsRecommendations
Foreign Relations: Develop expertise in foreign affairs ministries Develop ability to exchange information Train consular and diplomatic officials before
sending them abroad Implement transparency in foreign labor,
residency and visa documents Eliminate so-called “Entertainer Visas”
Thank you for your attention.Thank you for your attention.
OAS Website on Human Trafficking
oas.org/atip