Human Services Ministry and UNDP team up to increase awareness and provide support for TIP victims
Georgetown, GINA, May 18, 2012
Minister of Human Services and Social Security Jennifer Webster addressing stakeholders prior to signing a project document to tackle Trafficking In Persons at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in, Brickdam.
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security today signed onto a Trafficking In Person (TIP) support project document with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Guyana as the administration continues to work with stakeholders to tackle this scourge that affects countries worldwide.
The project document which was prepared by the Ministry of Human Services with support from UNDP, seeks to provide assistance for victims of TIP and their family members.
The project was initiated as a result of discussions with stakeholders involved in the Tackling Child Labour through Education (TACKLE) project and the Ministry of Human Services. Human Services Minister Jennifer Webster, prior to signing the project document at the UNDP office in Brickdam, said that TIP remains a concern for the Government, and thus it will continue to partner will all stakeholders to tackle the issue.
“The issue of human trafficking is … all around the World, and we the Government recognize the need to tackle and eliminate the issue and therefore we would like to express gratitude to the UNDP for providing the funding to support the project,” Minister Webster said.
The project document she said will enable Government to continue to educate the populace on the issue, while enhancing cooperation with donor agencies, thus enabling Guyana to implement programmes and strategies to curb TIP.
“The project will provide various forms of support to victims and their families so that they can become equipped with the knowledge and the skills to be reintegrated into society…while the Ministry will work to tackle the issue, society too has a role to play,” Minister Webster noted.
United Nations Development Programme resident representative, Khadija Musa presenting a Trafficking In Person project document to Minister of Human Services and Social Security at the UNDP office in Brickdam.
The project will provide several forms of assistance to victims and the families, including financial, material, psychological, legal and educational support, Minister Webster said.
The project, she said will complement the progress of the TIP taskforce that was established by the Government and will serve as a conduit of getting the public more involved in tackling the issue.
UNDP resident representative, Khadija Musa said her agency will continue to work with the Ministry in strengthening its capacity to respond to issues related to TIP.
A section of gathering that witnessed the signing of project document to tackle Trafficking In Person
The programme aims to strengthen the on-going efforts of the Ministry towards public awareness, particularly in communities predisposed to incidence of trafficking, training of focal points in six identified regions and the upgrading the directory of focal points within those regions. It will be implemented in collaboration with key stakeholders, including the mining industry and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Guyana is on now Tier Two of the United States (US) State Department TIP report after they acknowledged efforts by the Guyana Government to comply with the minimum standards to eliminate trafficking.