COMMIT Highlights: Good Practice

CASE STUDY

COMMIT victim protection work in Cyclone Nargis-affected areas: Translating COMMIT’s high-level political commitments into action that directly helps people

COMMIT work on victim protection under PPC 5 led to the UNIAP Myanmar team receiving information on an internal trafficking case of 5 male victims that occurred in WahKaeMa township, in one of the cyclone Nargis-affected areas. UNIAP verified the information through its inter-agency and community networks, and referred the case to the Anti-Trafficking Police Unit and Special Branch of Myanmar Police Force to initiate the rescue, identification, and return of the male victims. The victims were rescued from a palm oil plantation in March 2009 with the help of the Special Branch office based in Kawthoung.

UNIAP will continue to gather case information and data on vulnerability factors through SIREN fieldwork, to be used for intervention targeting as well as advocacy to high-level policy makers regarding the trends and patterns of internal trafficking in Myanmar. If necessary, UNIAP can mobilize additional resources under its Support to Underserved Victims initiative to provide support to local non-government organizations who are providing post-return assistance to these victims as well.