Shelter opened for women victims of human trafficking

Rasika Somarathna

The first ever government shelter for women victims of human trafficking was opened by Child Development and Women's Affairs Minister Tissa Karaliyadda yesterday.

The minister opened the facility whilst making a decleration at the BMICH in the presence of US Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Michele J. Sison, IOM Chief, Richard Danziger and officials, members of the human trafficking task force and representatives of stakeholder ministries and organizations.

Authorities said that the location of the shelter will not be disclosed to the public due to security and confidentiality reasons. The ministry will run the shelter in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration.

The US government has provided funds amounting to US $ 450,000 for the building and renovation of infrastructure and the Western Provincial Council has provided the land and the original building.

While identifying human trafficking as a modern day scourge, Minister Karalliyadda said that government was taking steps to both punish traffickers and assist victims.

He said that the shelter opened yesterday would mark a milestone in the country's efforts to help female and child trafficking victims.

He added that this will also assist Sri Lanka in its endeavours at fulfilling its international obligations in the protection of victims of human trafficking and their rights.

Ambassador Michele J. Sison said Sri Lanka over the years has made commendable progress in helping human trafficking victims and punishing traffickers. The country's progress and achievements in this regard have been noted in the US State Department annual report on trafficking, she added.

The Ambassador observed that trafficking if put in its correct perspective was 'modern day slavery' and nothing less. She added that the scourge was not confined to one country but a global menace and called for enhanced cross-border collaboration between anti-trafficking stakeholders to protect and assist victims and prosecute offenders.

IOM Chief of Mission Richard Danziger said the first shelter for victims of human trafficking in the country will ensure that identified victims are provided with safe shelter and are also referred for necessary services, including medical, psychological and legal assistance.

The provision of a shelter for victims of trafficking will ensure that appropriate assistance is provided and that the re-victimization of victims is prevented.

It will also prevent victims being placed in remand homes and detention centres due to lack of government shelter facilities and fulfill Sri Lanka's international obligations in the protection of victims of human trafficking and their rights," Danziger said.

He noted that IOM has over the past five years, with almost USD 1.3 million support from the US government, implemented anti-human trafficking programmes that seek to prevent the trafficking of vulnerable men, women and children through awareness raising; protect identified victims through the provision of direct assistance; and build the capacity of law enforcement to identify, investigate and prosecute cases of human trafficking.

"IOM also successfully advocated for and assisted with the establishment of the National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force led by the Justice Ministry to increase co-ordination in combating human trafficking in Sri Lanka," he added.

Child Development and Women's Affairs Ministry Secretary Eric Illayapparachchi and Additional Secretary - Legal, Justice Ministry also spoke.