Ethics & Human Rights

In 2008, UNIAP published the Guide to Ethics and Human Rights in Counter-Trafficking.

UNIAP also developed ethics training to be delivered in conjunction with the guide. Training on ethics in human rights and counter trafficking has since been conducted throughout the region with participants from government (including police and immigration), non-government organisations, journalists and the media.

The overall aim of the Ethics initiative is ensure that no harm is done to victims of trafficking, their families and their communities, during trafficking research and field work. UNIAP continues to work closely with partners to:

• disseminate the Guide in numerous languages to implementing partners around the world;
• disseminate tools and training materials to aid in comprehension;
  
• provide ethics training to field staff doing research, data collection, victim protection and victim identification;
  
• collect, analyse and disseminate information about the impact of ethics training within the region and beyond, and eventually,
  
• spark global adoption of the Guide.

Other ethics guidelines of relevance include the World Health Organization’s guidelines on ethics and UNICEF’s child-friendly guidelines.

 

Update

During 2009, UNIAP disseminated the Guide to Ethics and Human Rights in Counter-Trafficking and provided associated training in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam. A wide range of people working in counter-trafficking participated in the training, including judges and other members of the judiciary, lawyers, journalists, national police officers and representatives from government and non-government organisations.

The ethics training encourages participants to consider ethical principles of conduct before undertaking any work activity involving potential trafficking victims. It is interactive and includes group discussions, videos, scenario activities, role plays and experience sharing.

In 2010, UNIAP has delivered additional training in Cambodia and Lao PDR. Ethics training will be delivered in Myanmar and the People’s Republic of China in the near future.