The IOM office in Ecuador is this week launching the Llama Y Vive
or “Call and Live” regional information campaign.



The campaign aims to raise awareness about human trafficking
amongst potential victims and the general public and to promote
telephone hotlines where victims can call for protection and
assistance.



Llama y Vive, created following a partnership between IOM, the
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Ricky Martin
Foundation is also underway in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua
and Peru.



In Ecuador, IOM is also working with the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, the National Institute for Childhood and Family (INNFA, by
its Spanish acronym), with funding from USAID.



A message from world famous pop star Ricky Martin is at the centre
of the campaign.  Television and radio public service
announcements, posters and other printed material will carry Ricky
Martin’s message to potential victims and the general
public.  The TV and radio spots will be broadcast by local,
national and regional media through October 2007.



The new campaign will complement a national campaign against human
trafficking and migrant smuggling managed by INNFA, which also
promotes the national assistance hotline.



Although there is a paucity of research and concrete statistics on
human trafficking in Ecuador, the International Labour Organization
(ILO) estimates that more 5,000 girls and adolescents have been
trafficked for sexual exploitation.  Cases of labour
exploitation, begging and organ extraction have also been
reported.  The majority of the victims hail from small towns
and are transported to larger urban areas.



The Ecuadorian Government has declared the fight against human
trafficking as a national priority and has taken important steps to
combat this crime in the past two years.

For more information contact

Nadia Zelisko

IOM Quito

Tel: 593.2-22-53-948/49/50

E-mail: "mailto:nzelisko@oim.org.ec" target="" title=
"">nzelisko@oim.org.ec