IOM and partners’ efforts to fight trafficking in human
beings in Viet Nam have received much welcome support from the
Government of Kuwait.

As part of Kuwait’s annual voluntary contribution to IOM
activities worldwide, funds were earmarked to help support a return
and reintegration assistance project implemented by IOM in close
cooperation with the local Vietnamese authorities in An Giang
province, near the border with Cambodia.

While trafficking in women and children to neighbouring
countries such as Cambodia remains a significant concern, new forms
of trafficking, to destinations further away and involving boys and
men for labour exploitation, have recently been reported.

For the past decade, IOM has worked closely with the Ministries
for Foreign Affairs, Public Security, Labour, Invalids and Social
Affairs, as well as with non-governmental and other organizations
such as the Vietnamese Women’s Union to address human
trafficking.

Counter-trafficking efforts include a wide range of activities
from prevention to prosecution of traffickers to victim protection
services such as voluntary return and reintegration
assistance.  IOM works closely as well with the UN country
team in Viet Nam.

The project in An Giang is part of a pilot reintegration scheme
being tested in a number of provinces, combining shelter-based
assistance, referral mechanisms and community-based integration
measures.

The project falls within overall IOM Viet Nam
counter-trafficking activities, carried out with support from a
number of donors such as the US Government, the European Union, and
IOM’s own 1035 facility.

For further information, please contact:

Jobst Koehler

IOM Hanoi

Tel: +84 43 736 6258, ext.107

E-mail: "mailto:JKoehler@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">JKoehler@iom.int