19th April 2018 - Khartoum, Sudan
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducted the first training workshop for Sudanese law enforcement officers and criminal justice practitioners to strengthen their capacity in investigating and prosecuting human trafficking cases.
The training workshop was held in Khartoum, Sudan from 8 to 11 April 2018 in collaboration with the Judicial and Legal Science Institute (JLSI), under the framework of the GIZ project "Better Migration Management Programme". It brought together 17 participants: 7 judges, 4 prosecutors and 6 law enforcement officers (out of which 1 female law enforcement officer was attending).
The workshop was facilitated by three trainers, who have previously received TOT trainings on the JLSI training curriculum on investigating and prosecuting human trafficking cases. The sessions covered a wide array of topics including; an introductory presentation on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) and the differences amongst them, migration and trafficking patterns affecting Sudan, analytical session on the national legal framework of TIP and SOM and relevant legislation. Moreover, the deliberations at the sessions went on to cover the investigation of human trafficking cases as well as the ways of trauma treatment to victims of human trafficking. Also, it covered the gaps in the existing legislation in addition to the importance of public communications abiding by the victim protection principles besides the accurate use of terminologies when describing the victim status, accused and crime.
The training was concluded with recommendations to organize a specialized training session for investigator on investigation of TIP.
Notably, Sudan has made significant steps in the fight against trafficking in persons. This includes the drafting and the enactment of the Combating of Human Trafficking Act of 2014, that was adopted by the Parliament on 3 March 2014; and the accession to the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children on 2 December 2014; besides the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), which Su dan has ratified in 10 December 2004. Moreover, the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking in Sudan was subsequently established under the 2014 Combating of Human Trafficking Act. The Committee is under the supervision of the Minister of Justice and headed by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice.
The workshop was possible thanks to the Better Migration Management Programme, funded by the EU and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.