Centre on countering human trafficking opened

The Immigration and Emigration Department (IED) of Sri Lanka opened a National Resource Centre to counter human trafficking with the support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The centre, which is housed at the IED, will offer comprehensive training to IED staff, promote research and enhance information sharing among stakeholders on human trafficking. To provide appropriate assistance and redress to victims of human trafficking, it will also enable the development of a referral system.

"Human trafficking is becoming a major issue in Sri Lanka and the Government works closely with State, non-State and international agencies to combat it. This resource centre will add to the Government's efforts in trying to curb this global phenomenon", Controller of Immigration and Emigration, P.B. Abeykoon said.

IOM's support to the centre includes comprehensive training on identifying and prevention of human trafficking for IED officers and the provision of all relevant equipment to start operations at the centre.

The centre complements a series of nationwide IOM training programs on victim identification, protection and prosecution of human traffickers and a study tour organized by the IOM for selected law enforcement officials exposing them to international best practices on combatting human trafficking.

The project is funded by the US Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.