Kandahar, Afghanistan 14 April 2021 – Central to the implementation approach of the Global Action to address Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT Asia and the Middle East) is to go local as much as possible, ensuring the project invests resources and training outside of the capital and privileges and fosters national expertise.
In the spirit of going beyond the capital, UNODC, under the framework of GLO.ACT Asia and the Middle East, supported a mission for the Afghan High Commission to Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) Technical Committee from 26 February to 5 March 2021 to Kandahar.
The aim of the mission was to identify gaps and challenges encountered by local law enforcement and criminal justice authorities tasked with addressing TIP and SOM. A key aspect of the mission was to better understand criminal network’s modus operandi between Nimruz and Kandahar.
The mission also facilitated the first meeting between the Afghan High Commission to Combat TIP and SOM Technical Committee and the Provincial Commission to Combat TIP and SOM and included meetings with relevant provincial level authorities and the provincial Governor of Kandahar himself.
During the visit, UNODC also explored opportunities for relevant capacity development, including providing specialized training to law enforcement and criminal justice practitioners that will focus on strengthening investigation capacities. The delegation also considered how victim protection mechanisms could be enhanced.
Over the course of the visit, the delegation met with the provincial Governor of Kandahar. The Governor acknowledged that human trafficking and all other forms of exploitation are a key concern. The delegation also met with a Commander of the Afghanistan National Army (ANA) in Kandahar and spoke about a range of topics, including the recruitment system into the ANA itself.
Towards the end of the mission, the delegation attended a scheduled coordination meeting with the provincial Commission to combat TIP. Concluding the meeting the Governor urged members to renew their efforts to address human trafficking and other forms of exploitation. He expressed his strong support and commitment to help overcome any obstacles or challenges that may hinder progress in this area.
The delegation that travelled to Kandahar included representatives fromUNODC and the Afghan High Commission to Combat TIP and SOM Technical Committee which includes representatives from the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) officials. In total, 9 delegates participated in the mission to Kandahar.
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 (2018-2022), €12 million 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.
For more information, please contact:
Email: unodc-glo.act@un.org
Twitter: @glo_act