IOM's toll free national hotline to report cases of human
trafficking and obtain information will today be handed over to the
Colombian government.

The 01 8000 52 20 20 hotline, which was funded by the Embassy of
the Netherlands and has received more than 28,000 calls since it
became operational in 2003,  will become a permanent service
managed by the Ministry of Interior and Justice, and part of a new
national campaign against human trafficking.

Colombia's anti-trafficking law (Act 985), which was enacted in
2005, includes harsh sentences for human traffickers of up to 23
years in prison. It is credited with strengthening law enforcement
in the fight against human trafficking, and under the legislation
the Colombian authorities have opened 49 enquiries against human
traffickers.

IOM has focused its counter-trafficking efforts in Colombia in
providing technical support to the authorities to build their
prevention and response capacity, and developing an integral policy
to combat trafficking. 

In 2006 IOM launched the information campaign "Que nadie
dañe tus sueños" ("Don't Let Anyone Shatter Your
Dreams"), with the Inter-institutional Committee Against
Trafficking, the Ricky Martin Foundation, the Inter-American
Development Bank and 25 private sector companies.

IOM Colombia has assisted more than 300 victims since its
counter-trafficking programme began in 2001. IOM and its partners
have also trained more than 4,000 government officials and members
of civil society.

According to estimates provided by DAS/Interpol in Colombia,
there are approximately 50,000 Colombian women practising
prostitution abroad, many of them thought to be victims of
trafficking for sexual exploitation.

IOM recently signed an agreement with the Ministry of Interior
and Justice to support the Anti-Trafficking Operations Centre (COAT
in Spanish), and to implement and strengthen the national strategy
to combat human trafficking. 

The IOM-created Information Record on Human Trafficking (RITRA)
database is facilitating the exchange of information about
trafficking between state institutions responsible for
investigating and prosecuting human traffickers.

IOM's counter trafficking programme has also received funding
from the US State Department, the Embassy of Belgium and the
Inter-American Development Bank.  The Hotline has also
received support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC).

For more information please contact:

Jorge Andres Gallo

IOM Colombia

Tel: +57.1.594.6410 Ext. 142

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