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Awareness Sessions on Human Trafficking with Uber Driver Partners

 

Panama, 22 July 2019. UNODC and Crime Stoppers, in collaboration with Uber, provided information sessions to driving partners on what human trafficking is, useful tips for identifying situations in which it may be occurring and how to anonymously report these cases. In addition, starting this week the application will include, for registered driver partners, relevant information to identify possible cases and promote their reporting.

"Unfortunately, human trafficking is a global problem that impacts different regions of Latin America. As part of our commitment to the communities where we operate, we are facilitating rapprochement between expert organisations on the issue, such as UNODC and Crime Stoppers, and the driver partners registered in Uber's app, because we know they can witness possible cases," said Ana Lorena Vigil, Police Liaison Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean in Uber. 

According to the UNODC Global Report against Trafficking in Persons, in Central America and the Caribbean the majority of victims detected in 2016 were girls. Together with the number of cases of adult women, the proportion of female victims of trafficking detected in this sub-region is as high as 80%. In addition, the proportion of children - girls and boys - was 66 per cent in 2016, one of the highest proportions of child victims of trafficking recorded worldwide.

In Panama, according to statistics from the National Police, from 2014 to 2018, 237 victims were rescued in 30 operations, resulting in the conviction of 18 people.

"The joint effort reinforces the link between the fight against this crime and the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Objectives of Agenda 2030, in particular, the 5-Gender Equality and 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions," said Lourdes Gutiérrez, Coordinator of the Project against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants of the UNODC Regional Office for Central America and the Caribbean.

During the sessions, partner drivers registered in Uber's app were invited to report anonymously directly on the web at https://panama.tupista.org/