Earlier today, I had the privilege of joining USAID Administrator Raj Shah at the White House to announce the Agency for International Development’s new counter-trafficking in persons (C-TIP) initiative. As the Ambassador who spearheads the United States’ diplomatic efforts on this issue, I’m always happy to see our partners across government strengthening their efforts to [...]
Tag archives for Human Trafficking
Mobilizing the U.S. Government to Protect and Empower Women and Girls
In October 2010, I was honored to be at the UN Security Council meeting where Secretary of State Clinton announced that the United States would prepare its own National Action Plan to implement commitments on Women, Peace and Security. Having served on the UN Civil Society Advisory Group on Resolution 1325 and as an adviser [...]
USAID Training Brings Justice to Victim of Trafficking Attempt
While USAID’s observation of the annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence ended last week, stories like the one below will continue to occur – and USAID remains committed to working to end human trafficking in Nepal, Asia, and around the world. “[USAID’s training helped me] take action to protect my own daughter, who [...]
Combating Human Trafficking
As part of USAID’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence we wanted to share with you some information on an issue that the Congressional Women’s Caucus has been working on diligently to end across the globe: human trafficking. According to Department of State estimates, roughly 800,000 people are trafficked across borders each year. If [...]
Victim of Sex Trade Inspires Others to Adopt Healthy Behaviors
On World AIDS Day, I am reminded of a recent visit to Guatemala where I visited an old stretch of railroad called La Linea, which is now home to sex workers who rent tiny rooms for business each day. Their business is a precarious one. The solicitation of sex in exchange for payment brings inherent [...]
Teaching Children to Resist Traffickers
Submitted by Guest Blogger Aida Salcinovic, independent journalist “Are you a stranger?” an eight-year-old Kosovar girl asks her teacher. She is playing an educational game with a group of children at an asylum center in Bosnia–Herzegovina. The game, designed by USAID’s Sustainable Interventions to Combat Trafficking in Persons (SUSTAIN)(pdf 138KB) and the Women’s Initiative Foundation [...]
The Multiple Roles of Police in Combating Trafficking in Persons
Eric Beinhart, Associate Director, Department of Justice, International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP). Eric has been detailed to USAID as a Senior Criminal Justice Advisor since February 2009. People typically associate police with the investigation and prosecution of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) cases, but they often do not know the critical role that police [...]
Partnerships to End Child Sex Tourism
Guest post by Marina Colby, the Legislative Advisor to ECPAT-USA Child sex tourism is an egregious crime that can occur right under our noses by perpetrators who may believe that by having sex with children, they are helping them and contributing to the local economy. As one child sex tourist stated: “On this trip, I’ve [...]
Government Contractors and Trafficking in Persons—what we are doing to cut those links
On July 7, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice reported that the ArmorGroup North America has paid $7.5 million to “settle accusations that they filed false claims on a contract to guard the United States Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan.” The Associated Press article published by The New York Times on Friday, July 8, noted that [...]
USAID’S Work in Foreign Police Assistance: Lessons from the Field
Each year, the United States Government invests billions of dollars to train and equip police in countries that present a vital security interest such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Colombia, and Mexico. In FY 2009, USAID spent $45 million to fund 40 civilian police assistance programs in 27 countries. Activities ranged from inclusion of civilian police in [...]
