Tegucigalpa (Honduras), June 7 2022 – Human trafficking is a global problem that affects the lives of millions of people around the world. Central American countries are no exception. Due to its geographic location, Honduras has become a region of origin, transit, and destination for victims of human trafficking.
Traffickers exploit people in Honduras primarily for forced labour in street vending, forced begging, domestic service, drug and sex trafficking. Some victims are also forced to leave the country to be exploited in neighbouring countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Belize.
To support Honduras in addressing the problem, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in collaboration with the Organization of American States (OAS) and national authorities, has launched MENTHOR, a specialized training and mentoring programme on human trafficking.
MENTHOR will contribute to strengthening the skills and knowledge of a group of 120 prosecutors, law enforcement officers and government representatives involved in the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking cases in Honduras. Special focus will be placed on cases of exploitation for the purpose of forced labour or services related to domestic and agricultural workers.
"Through MENTHOR we want to build channels of cooperation against human trafficking with the help of experts from Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, El Salvador and Guatemala,” said Carlos Perez, UNODC Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme Officer.
Through specialized training, the programme will provide authorities with the knowledge necessary to further strengthen the justice response to human trafficking in the country.
"It is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity to share knowledge and experiences on specialized investigative techniques from countries in the region," said Wilson Sagastume, Magistrate of Second Instance of the Judiciary of El Salvador, who is participating in the programme as a mentor.
MENTHOR is funded by the U.S. Department of State's Office to Combat and Monitor Trafficking in Persons.
