GLO.ACT supports the V National Meeting of State Commissions for the Eradication of Slave Labour

Ilhéus, Bahia - 18 September 2018 - The Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants ( GLO.ACT) organized alongside the Ministry of Human Rights, the Ministry of Justice, the International Labour Organization, the Public Ministry of Labour in Bahia, and State Commission for the Eradication of Slave Labour in Bahia, the V National Meeting of State Commissions for the Eradication of Slave Labour, between 4 and 6 September 2018, in Ilheús, Bahia. Government representatives, civil society, and international organizations dealing with combating slave labour and trafficking in persons participated in the meeting.

The objective of the meeting was to inform participants on progress made since the previous meeting, convened in Rio de Janeiro in October 2017. This included discussing the current needs across the country of the State Commissions and the sharing of best practices regarding combating these crimes as well as victim protection. Another aim of the meeting was to bring together the network to combat slave labour and the network to combat trafficking in persons in order for them to start to think in a joint manner about public policies for prevention, assistance and repression of these human rights violations. Joining together two themes that are not always addressed in a coordinated way was the main challenge of the event. As a result of the meeting, for the first time, the approach will seek coordinated action by linking trafficking in persons to the exploitation of labour analogous to slavery. The appropriate treatment of migrants, especially the current situation of Venezuelans migrants was also a topic of discussion.

"This meeting is a milestone in improving the institutional performance in the defense of decent work and in combating internal and international trafficking in persons, as it allows for the exchange of experiences and more than that, the integration of actions carried out by various segments of the state and NGOs throughout the country" said Mr. Marcelo Travassos, Deputy Prosecutor General for Public Ministry of Labour in Bahia.

The Minister of Human Rights, Mr. Gustavo Rocha, highlighted "the importance of uniting forces and developing partnerships with the states to combat slave labour." He also observed that combating slave labour is foreseen in the National Human Rights Program, in the 2nd National Plan for the Eradication of Slave Labour and in the 3rd National Plan against Trafficking in Persons.

Besides thematic presentations, the meeting ran "knowledge fair", with presentations of experiences related to the themes by NGOs and public agencies.

The Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) is a four-year (2015-2019), €11 million joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The project is being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). GLO.ACT aims to provide assistance to governmental authorities and civil society organizations across 13 strategically selected countries: Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine.  GLO.ACT works with the 13 countries to plan and implement strategic national counter-trafficking and counter smuggling efforts through a prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships approach. It supports the development of more effective responses to trafficking and smuggling, including providing assistance to victims of trafficking and vulnerable migrants through the strengthening of identification, referral, and direct support mechanisms.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Fernanda Patricia Fuentes Munoz

National Project Officer

UNODC Liaison and Partnership Office in Brazil

fernanda.fuentes@unodc.org

https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/glo-act/

Email: glo.act@un.org

Twitter: @glo_act

Please find below link to the agenda of the V National Meeting of State Commissions for the Eradication of Slave Labour (in Portuguese):

https://www.ilheus.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Programa%C3%A7%C3%A3o_Encontro-Coetraes-04-09-2018.pdf

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