OAS to Assist St. Kitts and Nevis Officials in Combating Trafficking in Persons

ZIZ News…Jan. 31, 2011 – The Organization of American States (OAS) will train 40 police and immigration officials, prosecutors and judges on February 2 and 3, in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, with the goal of increasing their awareness of the crime of trafficking in persons and strengthening their efforts to prevent and fight it.

Trafficking in persons is a modern form of slavery and a violation of basic human rights involving coercive sexual exploitation, forced labor and involuntary servitude. The OAS program, “Strengthening the Capacity of Law Enforcement Officials, Judges and Prosecutors in the Caribbean to Identify and Combat Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children,” is being implemented in 13 English-speaking Caribbean countries.

During the two-day training seminar, led by OAS anti-trafficking in persons experts, officials will look at areas such as the distinction between trafficking and smuggling; crime scene management; victim identification, assistance and protection; standard operating procedures for immigration control; understanding the gender perspective as part of the human rights framework; and how trafficking in persons affects men, women, boys and girls in different ways.

The OAS is working to strengthen the capacity of police, prosecutors and courts to implement laws to combat this crime, increase the exchange of information among Caribbean agencies working to tackle this threat, and improve the capacity of law enforcement officers to protect and provide assistance to victims.