Good practices in tackling human trafficking to be featured in Brazilian conference

São Paulo, 20 May 2014 - Brazil's 1 st National Conference on Migration and Refuge (Comigrar, in Portuguese) will be held in São Paulo from 30 May to 1 st June. The event will also include the country's 1 st National Fair on Practices to Counter Trafficking in Persons and Experiences on Migration Policies, which will feature 15 projects from government and civil society initiatives.

The selection took into account criteria such as creativity, possibility of replication, sustainability, impact and multidisciplinarity. The projects are diverse and include practices aimed at aiding victims of trafficking and including refugees in Brazilian culture, through Portuguese classes, professional training and psychological support. During the opening of the fair, three of the projects will receive the Simone Borges Felipe Award for the implementation of good practices in tackling human trafficking.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Rule of Law Officer, Nivio Nascimento, participated in the selection committee and emphasizes that Comigrar opens perspectives for the future. "The selected projects present creative and innovative practices, but Brazil still has a lot to do with regards to human trafficking and migration. The national conference will be a great opportunity to stimulate discussion and the exchange of experiences and expertise, contributing to the formulation of new public policies in this area".

The conference will gather about 650 delegates, including migrants, refugees, professionals involved in the immigration process, scholars, civil servants and several representatives who experience the reality of migration and refuge. The preparatory phase for the conference had about 200 stages, carried out in more than 10 Brazilian states, including the country's five regions as well as other countries. Only representatives elected by their respective organizations, from the government or civil society, will participate in the national conference in São Paulo.

Comigrar is organized by the Brazilian Ministry of Justice, through the National Secretariat of Justice, as a participatory process to stimulate public debate that will contribute to the creation of public policies on migration and refuge. The event is held in partnership with the Ministries of Labor and Foreign Affairs, and with the support of UNODC, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Program for Development (UNDP).

Service

1 st National Conference on Migration and Refuge (Comigrar)

Date: 30 May to 1 st June

Website: http://www.participa.br/comigrar

*With information from the Ministry of Justice

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