IOM Peru this week presented the National Plan of Action on Human
Trafficking (2007-2013) to the Peruvian government after the
document was validated at a one-day workshop earlier this month.




Participants from the ministries that make up the Multi-Sectorial
Working Group gave the green light to the Plan, which is centered
on prevention of human trafficking, enforcement of the law, and
assistance to the victims. The Plan, which has 10 objectives
divided into 27 goals to be achieved through 60 activities,
includes an implementation and monitoring matrix with tools that
make it possible to convert the document into an effective public
policy.



Some of the objectives that must be reached by 2013, include
increased awareness, capacity building for law enforcement
officials, systematization of data, and the provision of shelters
for the victims.



“There are 130 indicators that allow the government to follow
the achievements on a yearly basis to make sure that the correct
steps are being taken to fight this heinous crime from now until
2013,” explains Pilar Norza, IOM’s Chief of Mission for
the Andean countries.



The National Plan promotes the participation of civil society, the
private sector, and international cooperation and
“establishes the creation of special bodies to implement the
strategy in provinces given the size and cultural diversity of
Peru,” states Antonio Encinas, Human Trafficking Focal Point
at the Ministry of Interior.



IOM began a technical draft of the Plan in 2005 following a request
from the Peruvian government in coordination with the Ministry of
Interior and the Government Focal Point for human trafficking in
Peru.



“A change in government and a weak legal framework slowed the
process that received renewed life after the approval of
Peru’s trafficking law in January 2007. This was central to
the plan,” notes Dolores Cortés, IOM Trafficking Focal
Point in Peru.



The drafting of the National Plan is part of IOM’s work to
fight human trafficking in Peru. An information and assistance
hotline, which became operational in March 2006, received more than
8,000 calls in one year and has referred 60 denunciations to the
police for investigation. At the same time IOM continues to build
the capacity of civil servants and law enforcement officials in
dealing with the crime.



Peru is a country of origin, transit and destination for human
trafficking with a predominance of internal trafficking of women
for sexual exploitation. Men and children are trafficked to work in
mines, timber and agriculture. There are also high rates of human
trafficking for domestic labour. At the international level, there
have been cases of Peruvian women taken to Argentina, Japan, Spain
and other countries for sexual exploitation.



For more information, please contact



Dolores Cortés

IOM Lima

Tel: +51.1.221.7209

Email: "mailto:dcortes@iom.int" target="" title="">dcortes@iom.int