IOM has this week signed agreements with authorities in the
Ecuadoran provinces of Sucumbíos and Esmeraldas on
strengthening local capacities to combat human trafficking,
principally in the northern border towns of Lago Agrio and San
Lorenzo.

Several unofficial studies and media sources have reported an
increase in cases of human trafficking for sexual and labour
exploitation in these communities, along the northern border.

"IOM considers it a priority to make inroads at the local level
and so we are providing our support and expertise to the
municipalities in order to strengthen their counter- trafficking
policies," says Rogelio Bernal, IOM Chief of Mission in
Ecuador.

As part of the new agreements, IOM will assist in the design,
implementation and/or strengthening of legal instruments and action
plans; in the implementation of active and operational action plans
and the sharing and exchange of information and best practices
between both towns and others with a high incidence of human
trafficking but with weak counter-trafficking initiatives.

As part of the agreement, FLACSO, the Latin America Faculty of
Social Sciences, will also conduct a diagnostic study in eight
districts along the northern border where several cases of human
trafficking have been registered. The majority were related to
sexual, begging and labour exploitation.

The study will compile existing data and information to
determine the extent of trafficking, the level of awareness of
local authorities and capacities as well as the mechanisms in place
to prevent human trafficking.

"In order to tackle the problem IOM and its government partners
need to have data on human trafficking, so the study will look at
the number of cases reported in the past five years in the border
regions, including race, gender age, level of education and family
situation of the victims," explains Bernal.

IOM is currently implementing a second phase of its
counter-trafficking programme in Ecuador funded by the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID), which has
played a pivotal role in providing support for the implementation
of the National Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons,
the government's main tool to prevent human trafficking, protect
its victims and prosecute the traffickers.

The programme also promotes coordination amongst state
institutions as well as with international organizations, civil
society and donors, and identifies existing shelters that provide
specialized services for victims but which need to enhance their
service capacity and financial sustainability.

IOM works with local NGOs that have received USAID grants to
ensure that job training and income generation opportunities are
available for the victims.

The Organization is also combating human trafficking in the
northern border region through an emergency assistance programme
funded by the US State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees
and Migration (PRM) which assists people in search of international
protection.

For further information please contact:

Ana Guzmán

IOM Ecuador

Tel: +593.2.4449.28/29

E-mail: "mailto:aguzman@oim.org.ec">aguzman@oim.org.ec