A new IOM centre in northern Viet Nam has been officially opened to
ensure that Vietnamese men and women trafficked abroad and who have
returned home are provided essential care and support to help them
recover from their ordeals.

The centre has already assisted 15 women returned from China
since it was constructed. All of the women were trafficked for
sexual exploitation with some having been forced into marriage with
Chinese men.

The victims, who stay at the centre at Lao Cai for up to two
weeks, are provided essential support needed for reintegration into
Vietnamese life and society including health care, counselling and
information. This includes support in identifying realistic
employment goals for the future and being given vocational training
for livelihoods that would support them and minimize the risk of
re-trafficking.

The staff, which consists of a manager, two health and social
workers respectively and five other part-time workers, also arrange
the women's return to their home community or referral to a
longer-term shelter if necessary.

The centre can accommodate between 50-60 trafficked women at a
time. Part of a programme implemented in partnership with the Lao
Cai Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (DOLISA), the
centre was established after it became clear that there was a
greater need in being able to identify trafficking victims who had
already returned home by themselves as they were unlikely to get
the essential reintegration services they needed otherwise. This
includes appropriate accommodation as victims identified by border
guards were previously being housed at existing border guard
stations.

For further information, please contact:

Andy Bruce

IOM Vietnam

Tel: + 84.437 36 62 58

Email: "mailto:abruce@iom.int">abruce@iom.int