IOM Chad has organized the first national workshops for law
enforcement officials and civil society organizations on combating
human trafficking.

The "Strengthening Chad's Capacity to Prevent and Combat
Trafficking in Persons" workshops, which began the last week of
October and concluded on Thursday 4 November in the capital
N'Djamena, are a key component of IOM's Counter Trafficking in
Persons Project in the country. The two-year project, the first of
its kind in Chad, is funded by the US Department of State, Office
to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (GTIP).

The main objective of the workshops was to increase participant
knowledge and skills in combating trafficking in persons. Training
provided included information on victim identification techniques
and victim assistance options, as well as familiarization with a
service provider referral system.

The workshops included representatives from the National Police;
Gendarmerie; Security and Immigration services; Chadian-Sudanese
Joint Forces; Integrated Detachment of Security (a body devoted to
the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons); the
Defence and Justice Ministries; and civil society
organizations.

A counter-trafficking training manual for all country partners
was developed by IOM Chad based on an initial assessment and in
consultation with civil society groups and the Ministries of
Justice and Human Rights. IOM is also providing technical support
to the National Project Coordinator for counter-trafficking.

IOM worked closely with the Ministries of Justice, Public
Security and Immigration,

Social Action, National Solidarity and Family, Human Rights and
Promotion of Freedom in the planning and implementation of the
groundbreaking workshops.

"These workshops represent the first steps towards awareness
raising among national partners. There is very little information
available on this subject in the country and we will need to
continue these joint efforts to effectively prevent and combat
human trafficking in Chad," said IOM Chief of Mission, Dr. Qasim
Sufi.

Key priorities thus-far identified for the IOM
Counter-Trafficking Project in Chad include: assessing the main
trends of trafficking in persons in the country; conducting
sensitization campaigns on preventive actions; and providing direct
assistance to child victims of trafficking.

For more information please contact:

Mahamat Nour Moussa

IOM N'Djamena

Tel: +23566507777

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