TO RECEIVE REGULAR UPDATES ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING NEWS AROUND THE GREATER MEKONG SUB-REGION
Beyond COMMIT and SIREN, UNIAP plays an important catalytic role in identifying and mobilizing immediate support for underserved victims of trafficking. Some of these victims are not recognized as such under existing national laws, yet would be according to international standards. For example, men trafficked onto fishing boats often fall into this category as few national legal frameworks in Asia recognize men as trafficking victims (although this is changing rapidly). Where such populations are identifed, UNIAP works with concerned and relevant actors to provide comprehensive support to these victims.
Whether UNIAP or one of its partners identifies these populations, UNIAP can facilitate raising the urgent issue to a broader audience and to the policy level, where policy changes can be made and an appropriate victim support response can be designed. With the changing nature of human trafficking and exploitation in the Greater Mekong Sub-region, the UNIAP Support to Underserved Victim Populations initiative will help to fill gaps and provide quality interim support to those who need it most. The initiative is comprised of two parts:
Funds to support underserved victim populations
To address urgent needs, particularly those of a cross-border nature where UNIAP's regionality adds value and speeds responsiveness, UNIAP also provides immediate financial and logistical support for victim protection when others cannot. This is done in coordination with IOM, local victim service providers, and relevant authorities and Embassies. Underserved victim populations provided with assistance and support by UNIAP and partners to date include:
Cambodian men trafficked onto Thai fishing boats who jump ship and escape in Thailand or Malaysia
The Myanmar survivors of the Ranong tragedy, where over 50 Myanmar nationals died in a truck while being brought across the border into Thailand
Do you have information on other underserved
victim populations in or from Southeast Asia who require urgent
assistance but have limited access to protection; are not being
identified as victims of trafficking; or are being arrested and
imprisoned for violating other laws (usually immigration or
prostitution) because they are not being identified as
victims? If so, please contact Lisa Rende Taylor (lisa.rende.taylor@un.or.th)
to see if UNIAP can assist.
Shelter Self-Improvement Project
Despite the fact that anti-trafficking organizations and victim service agencies have been working steadily to improve the services available to trafficked persons, there are still shelters in the GMS that are in violation of international standards and basic human rights. These facilities are often run by well-meaning government or non-government shelter managers who lack the financial or technical resources to improve the conditions of their facilities, or the quality of services that they offer to trafficked persons. While many government and non-government agencies are involved in the longer term process of developing and implementing procedures for improved comprehensive victim protection under COMMIT PPC 5, UNIAP aims to jump-start this process through an innovative project that builds the capacity of shelter managers and helps them to help each other improve the conditions of their facilities.
Shelter for women and children in Cambodia.
Within the process of victim protection, from victim identification to reintegration, shelter (and other custodial facility) stays are just a fraction of the services that may be appropriate for an individual victim. Still, investing in better shelters and transit centers that meet international standards, and in the capacity of facility managers to provide better services, is an investment that trafficking victims deserve. The objectives of the Shelter Self-Improvement Project more specifically are:
1.
To measurably improve shelters and other custodial facilities that serve trafficked persons throughout the GMS;
2.
To build the capacity of shelter / facility managers to maintain international standards for victim care and support; and
3.
To build a sustainable network of government and non-government shelter managers and other victim service providers who know how to maintain international standards in victim care and support, and can help other victim service providers reach these standards in their programs and facilities.
