United States Ambassador to Peru Krishna R. Urs, United States Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office) John Cotton Richmond, and Peruvian Deputy Minister of Interior for Public Safety Nataly Ponce commemorated the launch of activities to implement the
The CPC Partnership was signed in 2017 to strengthen efforts to combat child trafficking in the Inca country and is the first of its kind in the region.
Peru's Multi-Sectoral Commission Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (Multi-Sectoral Commission) led the CPC Partnership negotiations for the Government of Peru and pledged at least S/8 million (around US$2.37 million) to support the partnership's objectives and increase personnel of the member entities of the Multi-Sectoral Commission.
Furthermore, ILO Office of Andean Countries Director Philippe Vanhuynegem, and Centro Yanapanakusun Program Coordinator Pilar Contreras participated in the activities implementation launch.
The governments of the United States and Peru have committed to working collaboratively in the Inca country over the four-year implementation period to achieve improved and sustainable policies and practices to meet the CPC Partnership's objectives.
It should be noted activities will be focused primarily in Metropolitan Lima,
Cusco Region, and rainforest Loreto Region, while certain activities may be conducted in other regions.
"Today's event is the culmination of over a year of collaboration between our governments and celebrates the implementation of a four-year partnership between the United States and Peru to combat a horrific crime as is that of child trafficking,"
Ambassador Urs expressed.
CPC Partnership implementing partners ILO and Centro Yanapanakusun, and sub-recipients
Human and Social Capital Alternativo (CHS Alternativo) and
Institute of Legal Defense (IDL), have begun working collaboratively with Peruvian officials at the national, regional, and local levels to build on existing efforts to prosecute and punish perpetrators of child trafficking, identify child trafficking victims and coordinate the provision of comprehensive protective services, and prevent child trafficking from occurring.
Through the CPC, ILO is supporting criminal justice officials to increase accountability for child traffickers, including through enhancing proactive investigations, improving investigative techniques, and increasing the effectiveness of prosecutions.
ILO will also promote victim-centered, trauma-informed approaches to enhance collaboration between criminal justice officials and social service providers.
Additionally, ILO, Centro Yanapanakusun, and the sub-recipients will work with stakeholders across government sectors, as well as local community members in Cusco, to improve their ability to identify and appropriately refer suspected cases of child trafficking for investigation and protection.
Likewise, Centro Yanapanakusun will organize and mobilize resources from civil society and municipal governments to strengthen child trafficking prevention for populations at high risk in the Cusco region.
Working directly with communities most affected by child trafficking, Centro Yanapanakusun will establish alliances with key local actors, including traditional authorities, local governments, and schools to increase awareness of anti-trafficking policies and protocols and develop strategies and tools for prevention.
In addition, the ILO and CHS Alternativo will build the capacity of state shelters to provide enhanced services to child trafficking victims.
(END) NDP/DTK/MVB