KPL
(KPL) The United Nations launched a major project to combat human trafficking in the Great Mekong sub-region in Vientiane on 17 July.
(KPL) The United Nations launched a major project to combat human
trafficking in the Great Mekong sub-region in Vientiane on 17 July.
Known as Action for cooperation against Trafficking
in person (UN-ACT), the project aims to increase strategic and effective
cooperation in counter-trafficking responses throughout the regional.
UN-ACT will function as a secretariat to the
government-led Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against
Trafficking (COMMIT), and it will emphasize a more coordinated response
to the problem of human trafficking, through the engagement of the
governments, UN agencies, civil society and other relevant stakeholders
in its project activities over the next five years.
"In Lao PDR, UN-ACT will strengthen cooperation and
coordination with various partners through regular stakeholder meetings
and workshops. Mechanisms for victim support will be further
strengthened by coordinated workshops between victim support agencies
and law enforcement at both the national and provincial levels,"said Ms
Kaarina Immonen, the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident
Representative to Laos at the lunching ceremony.
"UN-ACT will also continue supporting the Lao
government�s development of its first Anti-Human Trafficking law,"said
Ms Kaarina Immonen.
To achieve its objectives, UN-ACT will rely on close
coordination with the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Labour
and Social Welfare and the Lao Women�s Union, as well as other partners
including the civil society, the private sector and academic
organisations.
"The Ministry of Public Security and member of the
secretariat to the National Steering Committee on Anti-human trafficking
will continue our support to the UN-ACT,"said Colonel Dr Phengsavanh
Thipphavongsa, Head of the National Steering Committee, from Ministry of
Public Security.
"Under the existing COMMIT process, we will
reinforce international cooperation in prevention, legal framework,
criminal law enforcement, victim protection and will raise the
counter-trafficking work to a higher level," said Colonel Phengsavanh.
The project is funded through cooperative and
cost-sharing agreements from governments and international
organisations. The current donors include the government s of Norway and
Sweden.
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