The IOM Mission in Guatemala and its local partner NGO Refugio de
la Niñez (A Refuge for Children) are today signing a
cooperation agreement that paves the way for the establishment of
the first shelter for victims of trafficking in Guatemala.

With IOM financial and technical support, Refugio de la
Niñez will be able to provide food, shelter and protection,
as well medical and psychosocial assistance, legal advice and
vocational training to minors and women victims of trafficking.

The new shelter is equipped to accommodate some 25 minors and 10
adult victims of trafficking.

"IOM is happy to provide support to Refugio de la Niñez
to open the doors of this much-needed shelter.  Because the
country had no facilities to house victims of trafficking, many
times officials did not have a place to refer them to and simply
returned the victims to their countries of origin without gathering
information and providing protection and assistance," explains
Delbert Field, IOM Chief of Mission in Guatemala.

According to Refugio de la Niñez, young girls are
trafficked from Central American countries, mainly El Salvador,
Honduras and Nicaragua, lured by false employment offers, and once
in Guatemala are forced into prostitution.  They also confirm
cases of trafficking of children and labour and sexual exploitation
in border areas.

IOM's 1035 Facility, which provides special support to IOM
Developing Member States and Member States with Economy in
Transition for the development and implementation of
migration-related projects, is providing the initial USD150,000 to
fund the pilot phase of this project.  Since its inception in
2001, the 1035 Facility has supported more than 300 projects which
have benefited over 85 IOM Member States.

For more information, please contact:

Karla Villamar

IOM Guatemala

Tel. +502- 2333 6052, Ext. 215

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

or

Sonia Pellecer

Tel: +502-2333 6052, Ext. 218

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