Vienna, Austria – On 5 December 2023, UNODC in the framework of the European Union-funded GLO.ACT project, convened the 8th meeting of the GLO.ACT Women’s Network Advisory Board, embracing the voices of new board members, celebrating the achievements and dedication of old board members, and identifying key priorities for 2024.
Constituted to help address the gendered nature of human trafficking and migrant smuggling and serious underrepresentation of women in institutions responding to Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM), the GLO.ACT Women's Network has grown into an active community of female officials and male champions of women's rights working in policy making, the justice sector, law enforcement, civil society and other relevant local entities.
Dr. Ibtisam Ali, chair of the network, provided opening remarks. Ilias Chatzis, Chief of UNODC’s Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section also intervened extending a warm welcome to new and returning board members and celebrating the vibrant and dynamic community of over 120 members it has built.
This was followed by a round of introductions of new board members from Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan, moderated by Sabrina Knapp, GLO.ACT Policy Support Officer. The Network is pleased to welcome candidates of high calibre whose commitment, enthusiasm and expertise will be of immense value.
Finally, moderated by Emmanuelle Kunigk, GLO.ACT Stakeholder Engagement Expert, the meeting identified topics of relevance for the upcoming year as well as blind spots in current anti-trafficking efforts, most notably the invisibility of non-binary and queer victims of trafficking and smuggling. It further commits itself to bringing to forefront the voices of survivors and promoting their inclusion in policymaking.
As GLO.ACT, under PROTECT, expands into Central Asia, the network is also excited to widen its geographic scope and build synergies with women’s rights activists and anti-human trafficking and smuggling migrant professionals in the region.
12 Advisory Board members (11 female; 1 male) participated in the meeting. Find out who they are here.
The Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants – Asia and the Middle East (GLO.ACT-Asia and the Middle East) is a four-year joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in up to five countries: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (Afghanistan), Islamic Republic of Iran (I.R. of Iran), Republic of Iraq (Iraq), Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Pakistan). GLO.ACT-Bangladesh is a parallel initiative also financed by the EU and implemented with IOM.
The project builds on a global community of practice set in motion in GLO.ACT 2015-2019 and assists governmental authorities and civil society organizations in targeted, innovative, and demand-driven interventions: sustaining effective strategy and policy development, legislative review and harmonization, capability development, and regional and trans-regional cooperation. The project also provides direct assistance to victims of human trafficking and vulnerable migrants through the strengthening of identification, referral, and protection mechanisms. The project is fully committed to mainstreaming Human Rights and Gender Equality considerations across all of its activities.
The project is funded by the European Union.
To find out more about the Women’s Network and GLO.ACT, please check:
GLO.ACT - Asia and Middle East
Email: unodc-glo.act@un.org
