(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.

KPL