Burundi officials get trained in combating human trafficking

News Hour:


IOM, UNICEF and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) are this week organizing a two and a half day counter-trafficking training for government officials in the Burundian capital Bujumbura.

The training, in close collaboration with the Burundian government, begins today and will address basic concepts of human trafficking, victim identification and investigation techniques.

It aims to help participants to understand the differences between trafficking and smuggling; to review international and national legal frameworks on human trafficking; to enhance victim identification skills; to present an overview of best practices in the treatment of victims; and to understand the specific nature of trafficking of children and how to respond to it.

against trafficking

Participants will also develop a plan of action to disseminate knowledge among their colleagues and collaborate in furthering efforts to combat human trafficking in Burundi.

The training is the first activity organized by a technical working group composed of focal points from Burundi’s Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Human Rights, Social Affairs and Gender, Ministry of External Relations and International Cooperation, IOM, OHCHR and UNICEF.

The working group aims to strengthen the effectiveness of government institutions and civil society to combat human trafficking in the areas of investigation, prevention, response, and protection.

Burundi is listed in the US State Department’s 2016 Trafficking in Persons Report as a Tier 3 country.

Mridha Shihab Mahmud is a writer, content editor and photojournalist. He works as a staff reporter at News Hour. He is also involved in humanitarian works through a trust called Safety Assistance For Emergencies (SAFE). Mridha also works as film director. His passion is photography. He is the chief respondent person in Mymensingh Film & Photography Society. Besides professional attachment, he loves graphics designing, painting, digital art and social networking.
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