Baghdad, Iraq 31 July 2023 – UNODC, under the Global Action Against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants project (GLO.ACT Asia and Middle East) organized, from 18 to 19 July 2023, the third meeting of the Standard Operating Procedures Development Committee, which was formed by the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior as well as other qualified and accredited representatives of the Ministry of Interior of Federal Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, the Iraqi High Judicial Council, and the Iraqi Ministry of Justice's human rights department.
This meeting is the third in a series of meetings aimed at developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for law enforcement authorities, including those of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to thoroughly investigate Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrant (SOM) cases.
The SOP consists of eight chapters, including the international legislative framework, national legislative framework, identification of victims of trafficking and traffickers, TIP and SOM investigation, victim protection and assistance, case management, and review mechanisms.
The meeting was held in accordance with its agenda. Participants first reviewed and finalized the fifth chapter of the draft SOP related to TIP and SOM case investigations, followed by review. They also finalized the sixth chapter of the SOP on TIP and SOM victim protection and assistance. In addition to this, participants initiated the discussion and drafting process for the seventh chapter on case management as well as the eight chapter on review mechanisms.
Developing and solidifying SOPs is crucial since specifying actions and providing guidance on how to investigate TIP and SOM offences, significantly enhances the ability of law enforcement authorities to better identify such crimes and swiftly initiate investigation processes. Furthermore, developing effective mechanisms to provide protection and assistance to TIP and SOM victims is essential to ensure a victim-centered approach.
The event was facilitated by Omeed Salih, UNODC GLO.ACT National Project Officer, Michael Brooks, an international consultant, and Duaa Shahab, a national consultant. It was attended by a total of eight representatives – all of them male.
The Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants – Asia and the Middle East (GLO.ACT-Asia and the Middle East) is a four-year joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in up to five countries: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (Afghanistan), Islamic Republic of Iran (I.R. of Iran), Republic of Iraq (Iraq), Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Pakistan). GLO.ACT-Bangladesh is a parallel initiative also financed by the EU and implemented with IOM.
The project builds on a global community of practice set in motion in GLO.ACT 2015-2019 and assists governmental authorities and civil society organizations in targeted, innovative, and demand-driven interventions: sustaining effective strategy and policy development, legislative review and harmonization, capability development, and regional and trans-regional cooperation. The project also provides direct assistance to victims of human trafficking and vulnerable migrants through the strengthening of identification, referral, and protection mechanisms. The project is fully committed to mainstreaming Human Rights and Gender Equality considerations across all of its activities.
The project is funded by the European Union
For more information, please contact:
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/glo-act2/index.html
Email: unodc-glo.act@un.org
Twitter: @glo_act
