Baghdad, Iraq - On 23 November 2024, a workshop was held in Baghdad, Iraq, to review the application of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for investigating cases of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and the Smuggling of Migrants (SOM).
The primary objective of the workshop was to present the newly developed SOPs developed by a technical committee comprising representatives from the Supreme Judicial Council, the Ministry of Interior, and the Ministry of Justice, with expert contributions from UNODC under the EU-funded GLO.ACT (PROTECT) project.
The session offered a comprehensive and detailed overview of these SOPs to investigation judges and the director of the judicial institute, who oversees the training and professional development of judges. A central focus of the discussions was the practical implementation of the SOPs in investigating human trafficking and migrant smuggling cases.
The technical committee emphasized how these procedures could enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of judicial investigations, ensuring cases are handled with precision and aligned with international best practices. The workshop also underscored the importance of close collaboration between law enforcement agencies, judicial bodies, and other key stakeholders in applying these SOPs.
This effective coordination ensures that investigations are thorough and balanced, leading to outcomes that uphold justice. The discussions also highlighted how the SOPs, when fully implemented, can protect victims by ensuring their rights are respected throughout the judicial process. These procedures aim to secure justice for victims while serving as a deterrent to perpetrators, advancing the broader mission of countering human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
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The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is implementing the European Union-(EU) funded PROTECT initiative within the framework of GLO.ACT across Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. This initiative also addresses challenges in the broader Central Asia region, including the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, with a primary focus on enhancing the effectiveness of responses to trafficking in persons (TIP) and smuggling of migrants (SOM), particularly in relation to criminal justice. Meanwhile, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) is responsible for implementing the PROTECT initiative in Afghanistan (specifically through virtual MRC Afghanistan), Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Their primary objectives include improving gender-sensitive and rights-based migration governance at the national level and establishing Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs).
The project is funded by the European Union.
For more information, please contact:
Martin Reeve (Mr.), GLO.ACT Coordinator, Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section, UNODC
Email: martin.reeve@un.org
Golda Myra ROMA (Ms.), Senior Project Manager, ICMPD Silk Routes Region – Budapest Process
Email: Golda.Roma@icmpd.org