Press Release
First Counter-Trafficking Training for Officials and Civil Society
Bridgetown, Barbados, Tuesday, March 24, 2009 – Concerned about the negative consequences of human trafficking, the Government of Dominica welcomes the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to lead a counter-trafficking training seminar for government officials and civil society on March 25 and 26.
During the two-day training, the first by IOM in Dominica, the 30 participants will follow the IOM Counter-Trafficking Module on Capacity Building to acquire a basic understanding of human trafficking and explore the ways of identifying national strengths and weaknesses, using international standards and best practices, and developing counter-trafficking task forces and national action plans.
Through its counter-trafficking work in the Caribbean, IOM has identified the areas of forced labor, sexual exploitation and domestic servitude as trends particular to the Caribbean. The victims (adults and children, from within and outside the region) are trafficked through legal methods, such as work permits and visas, and illegal methods, such as smuggling.
The migration context in Dominica poses specific challenges, including the possible presence of human trafficking. A small island nation with a population of 70,000; Dominica officials are faced with the challenge of managing porous borders. Like other Caribbean islands, Dominica can serve as a transit point for migrants moving within and out of the region. Dominica is sandwiched between the French territories of Martinique and Guadeloupe, gateways to France and thus Europe. For 2009, there is an estimated negative net migration rate of 5.45 migrant(s)/1,000population.
The training is organized in partnership with Dominica’s Office of the Prime Minister and offered through IOM’s Caribbean Counter-Trafficking Initiative (CCTI). The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) have financially supported the CCTI since its inception in 2004.
For more information, please contact Chissey Mueller or Niurka Piñeiro, IOM Washington; Tel: +1-202-862-1826; Email cmueller@iom.int and npineiro@iom.int