Enhancing Human Security: Developing Capacities to Protect and Assist Victims of Human Trafficking

Human trafficking, the largest slave trade in history, is a crime against humanity that poses perennial threats to human security. It involves an act of recruiting, transporting, transfering, harbouring or receiving a person through the use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them. As such, it is an outright violation of human rights. Every year, thousands of men, women and children fall into the hands of traffickers, in their own countries and abroad. Every country in the world is affected by trafficking, whether as a country of origin, transit or destination for victims. 

Not only is human trafficking the fastest growing form of transnational crime according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), research by the US Department of State estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked across international borders each year. Despite the magnitude of victims, experience has demonstrated that victims are reluctant to come to the authorities for a number of reasons: fear of reprisal, trauma and shame, lack of trust, and lack of information on available assistance. 

The UN Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power recommends measures to be taken on behalf of victims of crime at the international, regional and national levels to improve access to justice and fair treatment, restitution, compensation and assitance. In addition, the UN’s Trafficking in Persons Protocol specifically addresses the need for comprehensive and coordinated intervention to protect victims of human trafficking and offer them practical assistance. 

Cities in the Asia-Pacific region can substantailly improve the situation of victims by focusing and sharing experiences on the issue of protection and reintegration of survivors. 

Human security is a concept that encompasses virtually all aspects of our life. It is also a concept inseparably related to human rights and human development. Human trafficking, the topic of this workshop, is only one of the wide-ranging issues of human security, but it is a topic worth addressing, especially with the victim-first approach. 

Event Type 
Workshop 

Date 
March 28(Wed) – 30(Fri) 2012 
  
Location 
Seogwipo City, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Republic of Korea 

Content 
The workshop is composed of the following: 

- Introduction of the concept of Human Security and its development 
- Round table discussion on key challenges and ‘One-Stop Shop’ practices 
- Overview of the regional trends of trafficking 
- Lectures on protection of and assistance to victims 
- Bad/Good Practices and Key Case Studies in Protection of Victims 

Structure 
The workshop is structured based on the following four pillars: 
- UNITAR CITYSHARE Methodology 
- Presentations and Discussions 
- Sharing of Bad/Good Practices and Lessons Learned 
- Case Studies from Selected Participants 

Targeted Audience 
High-level Officials and Experts from Central / Local Governments and NGOs in the Asia-Pacific Region whose work deals with protection of victims of trafficking 

Requirements 
(a) Participants are required to attend and actively participate in all workshops, complete assignments and interact with resource persons, and complete pre-workshop readings/assignments and come with prepared questions. 

(b) Fluency in English, spoken and written. 

Course Certificates 
CIFAL Jeju and UNITAR will jointly issue a certificate to participants upon completion of the full program. 

Sponsorship 
- Self-sponsored (air fare and accommodation) participants are welcome 
※ Accommodation: Approx. $90 per night 
- 50 per cent of air fare will be sponsored for participants from LDCs 
- All local expenses (transportation, accommodation - except for self-sponsored 
Participants -, and meals) will be sponsored by CIFAL Jeju and partner institutions 

How to apply 
- Application form can be downloaded from www.cifaljeju.org 
- Please send the application form, CV, case study description, letter of nomination and letter of commitment (form attached to ‘application form’) by February 29(Wed) 2012 to: [email protected] 

Note 
- Participation subject to approval of the application by CIFAL Jeju. 
- Notification will be sent once the selection process has been finalised.