GENEVA, Switzerland, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM, in collaboration with UNICEF and the Ministry of Women’s Development and Family Affairs (MoWDFA), has organized a training in Puntland, Somalia on assistance to and referral of victims of human trafficking.
The training targeted 53 participants from international and local NGOs, Puntland ministries and UN agencies involved in protection issues, including gender-based violence (GBV) and child protection.
“Human trafficking is a social problem that needs to be urgently addressed in Puntland. MoWDFA supports and will continue to collaborate with partners to implement referral mechanisms and standard operating procedures (developed by IOM) to help victims,” said Ms. Amina Mohamoud Noor, Director of Child Protection at MoWDFA.
“The government of Puntland and MoWDFA will make sure that strong coordination among different actors is observed in the process of using this referral instrument established (to help) victims of trafficking,” said MoWDFA Minister Mr. Anisa Haji.
Puntland is a transit route for migrants from the Horn of Africa and the studies conducted by IOM indicate that trafficking of migrants is a major concern.
IOM supported the establishment of a Counter-Trafficking Board within the Puntland Authority to co-ordinate the actions of different ministries. It has also helped the police to set up a counter-trafficking unit in Garowe to investigate cases of human trafficking.
Since 2012, IOM through financial and technical support to the Puntland Authority and civil society organizations has assisted a total of 17 victims of trafficking, of whom 15 were girls under 18 years old.
“We believe that this is a tip of the iceberg. There are complicated scenarios where smuggling mutates into human trafficking. By raising awareness and understanding of human trafficking and strengthening the support network in Puntland, through this type of training, we can reach more of those who need help,” said IOM counter trafficking programme manager Hiroko Nishino.
IOM Somalia’s counter trafficking project is funded by Japan and the European Union.
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