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September, the month against Human Trafficking in Panama

UNODC ROPAN supports the initiative of the Ministry of Security (MINSEG) with its new campaign for the month of September against Human Trafficking.

Human Trafficking, which is a global scourge, is the 3rd most lucrative business for organized crime and each year millions of people fall into their criminal networks, mainly women and girls who account for 71% of the victims of this crime, according to the latest UNODC Global Human Trafficking Report.

Panama, like other countries in the region, is the path of displacement of South American and extracontinental migrants, who are at risk of being victims of human trafficking, as It was pointed out in the Declaration of New York adopted during the Summit for Refugees and Migrants in September 2016.

All these data only confirm the relevance of the Human Trafficking and Illicit Trafficking of Migrants Project implemented by UNODC ROPAN since 2013, in 8 countries of the region including Panama, whose objective is to strengthen the capacities of the institutions in the region to fight against human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants, training 1,077 people, through 41 workshops, resulting in 57 new investigations of human trafficking, 10 sentences and the rescue of victims.

Within the framework of the joint project of UNODC and MINSEG, we have worked for:

  1. Establishment of a Shelter for victims of Human Trafficking.
  2. Development and implementation of a Master Training Plan that covers the different actors of the public and private sectors.
  3. Development of the first Shelter for victims of Human Trafficking Booklet.

In addition, UNODC has created and launched the "Blue Heart" Prevention Campaign in 4 countries of Central America (Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador) with the objective of raising awareness in the education and health sectors in vulnerable areas.

The joint effort reinforces the link between the fight against this crime and the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, in particular, SGD 5-Gender Equality and SGD 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.