Afghanistan Launches First Referral Network to Combat Trafficking in Persons
Kabul – Afghanistan has launched its first national referral network of NGOs and media to combat trafficking in persons. The Afghanistan Network for Combating Trafficking in Persons (ANTCIP) is part of a multi-year United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded activity, implemented by the U.N. International Organization for Migration (IOM) to strengthen the country’s capacity to more effectively respond to trafficking in persons.
“Trafficking in persons is a serious concern in Afghanistan. Strengthening the capacity of national NGOs to help the Afghan government in effective implementation of the new Law to combat trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants is the key purpose of this network’ ’said IOM Afghanistan Chief of Mission Laurence Hart.
ANTCIP will also build public awareness about the new Trafficking in Persons Law of 2017, and advocate for the Government of Afghanistan to enforce the law.
“Human trafficking continues to affect the lives of millions of people,” said USAID Mission Director Herbert Smith. “It is important to focus on the rights and needs of victims in the fight against trafficking in persons.”
During a regional NGO forum in Dushanbe, Tajikistan in June 2017, Afghan NGOs working to prevent trafficking in persons and assist victims agreed to coordinate and consolidate efforts in the fight against trafficking. The forum initiated the process of setting up a national network. The network will share information and collaborate with countries bordering Afghanistan to eliminate trafficking across international borders.
“Our role is to advocate to [the] Afghan government the importance and urgent need to implement the new law to prevent trafficking, to protect the victims and to prosecute the traffickers’ said Mohammad Shoaib Nasiri, National Coordinator of ANCTIP.
At the launching event, His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan said, “The Afghan government is committed to counter human trafficking; there is still much to be done. It is crucial now more than ever to cooperate, coordinate, and share responsibility in the fight against human trafficking.” He emphasized the need for all stakeholders responding to human trafficking in Afghanistan to work together to build and sustain the referral network.
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About USAID
With almost $17 billion spent on development programs in Afghanistan since 2002, USAID provides the largest bilateral civilian assistance program to Afghanistan. USAID partners with the government and people of Afghanistan to ensure economic growth led by the country’s private sector, to establish a democratic and capable state governed by the rule of law, and to provide basic health and education services for all Afghans.
About IOM
IOM: The International Organization for Migration works to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration for the benefit of all, to promote international co-operation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need. IOM currently implements a range of humanitarian assistance, community stabilization and migration management initiatives in Afghanistan, in cooperation with government and humanitarian partners as well as local communities.
For further information please contact IOM Afghanistan. Eva Schwoerer (Tel: +93 729 229 129, Email: eschwoerer@iom.int) or Nasir Ahmad Haidarzai at IOM Afghanistan (Tel: +93 794 100 542, Email: nhaidarzai@iom.int)