Trafficking council steps up fight

Davao City  -As it opens the month-long observance of the global campaign against human trafficking, the Interagency Council Against Trafficking XI Network (IACAT XI Network) intensifies its advocacy with the recent massive distribution of posters to officials of the Liga ng mga Barangay in the whole region.

Earlier, through Resolution no. 2, Series of 2014, the Council has declared November 12 to December 12 of every year, as a month-long observance to stop human trafficking.

From January through October 2014, IACAT XI Network has served 81 victim-survivors, who were provided temporary shelter, transportation assistance, livelihood opportunities, legal aid, skills training and education assistance.

Forms of trafficking in persons may include sexual exploitation, forced labor or involuntary servitude, removal or sale of organs, armed activities of children, cybersex and sex tours.

At the launch of the massive postering at NCCC Mall, Director Priscilla N. Razon of DSWD urged barangay captains to strengthen their Local Council for the Protection of Children (LCPC) or the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC), launch education or awareness activities to help residents spot or identify indicators or signs of trafficking incidence, mobilize community members to sustain vigilance in the neighborhood to prevent and even help apprehend perpetrators of any attempt at trafficking, and establish community prevention and protection structures to ensure that the barangay is free from the dangers of trafficking.

“IACAT XI Network considers you as its significant partners in the fight versus human trafficking.Working with you to address this menace, we stand firm that we will never be defeated and we will succeed in making our communities peaceful, and our residents free from the threat of human trafficking,” Director Razon emphasized.

The Council is chaired by Department of Justice with DSWD as co-chair.

Meanwhile, on November 27-28, Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc., IACAT and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands will host the 2014 Civil Society Summit on Trafficking in Persons here under the theme, Mainstreaming Innovations to Address Emerging Vulnerabilities to Human Trafficking.
The Summit will highlight emerging vulnerabilities that contribute to the increase in trafficking cases, and provide an avenue for civil society to share innovations and learning in addressing human trafficking for purposes of linking interventions towards a more holistic and integrated approach.
DSWD will be sharing its experience and accomplishments under the discussion on “Innovations and Lessons Learned: Protection, Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reintegration”.(DSWD/VF/Carmela C. Duron)