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UNODC supporting Comoros to counter trafficking in persons 

Moroni, Comoros, 28 May 2020 - UNODC has this week conducted the first in a series of video conference training sessions for senior officials of the Government of the Union of Comoros, its Human Rights Commission and members of civil society on countering Trafficking in Persons. 

As part of its regional project on Enhancing Effective and Victim-centred Criminal Justice Responses to Trafficking in Persons in Eastern Africa – funded by the US Department of State – UNODC is delivering the training series for Comoros on a weekly basis between May and June 2020. 

Being conducted by the UNODC Regional Office for Eastern Africa together with the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section at UNODC headquarters, the series focuses specifically on the legal obligations to be incorporated into national policy and legislation in terms of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its supplementary Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children.

In addition, the training series, comprising five virtual workshops of three hours each, concentrates on the concept of exploitation, role of consent in terms of the Protocol against Trafficking in Persons, countering Trafficking in Persons in accordance with the Principles of Islamic Law, victim protection, effective national coordination and improving international cooperation in criminal matters. 

The facilitated sessions will be supplemented by three self-study UNODC e-Learning modules on Trafficking in Persons. 

Apart from the training series, UNODC is also assisting the government to accede to the Protocol against Trafficking in Persons, and is providing technical advice and support in drafting the necessary incorporating legislation, strengthening Comoros’s national Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons, and enhancing inter-agency national coordination and cooperation in countering this crime. 

Speaking to senior officials and members of civil society during the opening session on behalf of UNODC’s Regional Representative for Eastern Africa, Dr. Amado Philip de Andrés, , the Head of Transnational Organized Crime, Illicit Trafficking and Terrorism Programmes for Eastern Africa, Mr. Johan Kruger, commended the government for its commitment in strengthening its fight against crime, and its decision to accede to the Protocol against Trafficking in Persons. 

Mr. Kruger emphasized the importance of a strong policy and legal framework and reiterated the critical role of policy makers and senior advisors in giving effect to both the Convention and the Protocol against Trafficking in Persons. 

“Whether through effective legislation, national policy and action plan, strong national coordination and cooperation among relevant departments, and international cooperation in criminal matters, all with a strong victim-centred-approach, your guidance and advice will make all the difference in saving victims while prosecuting the perpetrators of these heinous crimes,” Mr. Kruger said. 

UNODC Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officers, Mr. Sandro Donati and Mr. Panagiotis Papadimitriou, provided an overview of the Convention and Protocol while members of the working group for the prevention and fight against Trafficking in Persons, the National Commission of Human Rights and representatives of civil society actively took part in the virtual workshop. 

About the project

This UNODC regional project is funded by the US Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. It is implemented within the framework of the UNODC Regional Programme for Eastern Africa (2016-2021) and its regional Countering Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Programme. 

The project has two primary objectives:

  1. To enhance the legal, policy and coordination frameworks of Member States in Eastern Africa to prevent, suppress and prosecute Trafficking in Persons, while effectively protecting and supporting victims of trafficking; and
  2. To enhance regional cooperation and coordination to counter Trafficking in Persons in Eastern Africa in terms of the Convention and Protocol – ideally through a regional Plan of Action to Counter Trafficking in Persons in Eastern Africa.

  

More information

Mr. Johan Kruger, Head of Transnational Organized Crime, Illicit Trafficking and Terrorism Programmes, UNODC Regional Office for Eastern Africa, johan.kruger@un.org