IOM and the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs will today co-host a
three-day training in Beijing for shelter managers to better
identify, protect and assist victims of trafficking. The activity
will bring together shelter managers from all over the country.

The training, made possible through support provided by the US
State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
(PRM), is part of IOM's ongoing commitment to the Ministry of Civil
Affairs to improve the direct assistance provided to victims of
trafficking in China.

"IOM Beijing counter-trafficking training (15-17 March). IOM and the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs will today co-host a three-day training in Beijing for shelter managers to better identify, protect and assist victims of trafficking. The activity will bring together shelter managers from all over the country."
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Building on a previous workshop held in 2010, it targets shelter
managers from the provinces with highest rates of internal and
cross-border human trafficking.

A direct response to China's commitment to improving shelter
management and direct assistance to trafficked women and children
as part of China's National Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking
(2008–2012), the training will provide practical guidance on
screening procedures, medical and psycho-social assistance, as well
as repatriation and reintegration options.

"Physical abuse, sexual assault, deprivation and intimidation
are all hallmarks of human trafficking and can leave victims with
severe physical and psychological scars, including bodily harm,
post-traumatic stress and malnourishment," says Thomas Sinkovits,
head of IOM's China Liaison Office.

"This training brings Chinese and international shelter experts
together to share specialized knowledge on how to help victims
restore both their physical and emotional well-being," he adds.

In recent years, China has stepped up its efforts to combat
trafficking through a large-scale anti-trafficking campaign
targeting transnational and internal criminal syndicates. According
to the Ministry of Public Security, as of January this year,
Chinese police have solved 9,165 trafficking cases and rescued
17,746 women since April 2009, when the campaign was launched.

"This training, based on previous exchanges with IOM, will
further deepen and expand our institutional knowledge on shelter
management. We hope that through more in-depth exchanges of
advanced experiences, proven methods and professional skills, we
can enhance the protection and aid to victims of trafficking in
China," remarked Director General Zhang Mingliang from the Ministry
of Civil Affairs.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs is the lead Chinese agency in
providing assistance to victims of trafficking, and currently
administers 1,400 shelters nationally.

For more information please contact:

Kieran Best 

IOM Beijing

Tel: +86 10 8532 5303, Ext. 203

E-mail: "mailto:kgormanbest@iom.int">kgormanbest@iom.int