Trafficking in persons (TiP) is a modern-day form of slavery and a violation of basic human rights involving not only coercive sexual exploitation, but also forced labor, involuntary servitude, and child soldiers, among others. The Department of Public Security (DPS) of the Organization of American States, with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), will implement a training program to train police and immigration officials as well as prosecutors and judges, from 13 English-speaking Caribbean countries, in order to increase awareness and support the efforts of law enforcement agencies in combating human trafficking. Training will begin in Belize City, Belize, on March 22-23, 2010.

The program aspires to increase awareness of the crime of trafficking among law enforcement; strengthen the role of police, prosecutors’ offices and courts in their capacity to implement laws to combat trafficking; increase the exchange of information between agencies involved in combating human trafficking in the Caribbean region; and strengthen the capacity of law enforcement officers to protect victims.

To do so, the program “Strengthening Capacity of Law Enforcement Officials, Judges, and Prosecutors in the Caribbean to Identify and Combat Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children”, led by OAS anti-trafficking experts, will train law enforcement personnel in such areas as the distinction between trafficking and smuggling; crime scene management; victim identification, assistance and protection; and standard operating procedures for immigration control.

The Department of Public Security expects to train at least 40 Belizean police officials, prosecutors and judges in this 2-day training course.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org

Reference: E-082/10