Vientiane – IOM and the Lao Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MoLSW) have organized a workshop on shelter management and how to provide direct assistance to vulnerable groups and victims of human trafficking.

The one-day event, which was designed to share best practices and promote guiding principles for shelter management and the delivery of victim-centered support, attracted 22 management staff from six state and NGO-run protection shelters.

Participants discussed international standards and best practices in shelter management. They also identified challenges and ways to close current gaps in protection services in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.   

Human trafficking remains a challenge in much of Southeast Asia, despite efforts by governments, including the Lao authorities, to promote prevention, the protection of victims and the prosecution of traffickers. Access to shelters is seen as a key protection service for victims that facilitates their reintegration into society.

MoLSW Deputy Director General Vongkham Phanthanouvong recognized the work of shelter staff and said that he looked forward to closer collaborations among service providers, “There remain many challenges in protecting and assisting trafficking victims. This workshop provided a good platform for experienced managers to interact and discuss ways forward,” he noted.

The workshop was part of the IOM’s Asia Regional Migration Program, funded by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. The program, which aims to build the capacity of governments to manage complex migration flows and assist migrants in vulnerable situations, has been implemented across 11 countries in Southeast and Central Asia since 2011.

For more information please contact Zena Van Bemmel-Faulkner at IOM Vientiane. Tel. + 856.21267734, Email: zfaulkner@iom.int.