Saint Lucia observes World Day against Trafficking in Persons

World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, an observance initiated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2013, is commemorated annually on July 30. This year, global activities to mark the event have been guided by the theme “Reach Every Victim of Trafficking, Leave No One Behind”. Saint Lucia marked the observance with an educational session for the youth population on the detrimental impact of human trafficking.
Spearheaded by representatives of Anti-Trafficking Saint Lucia, the first sensitization exercise was held at the Balata Primary school on July 26 for students aged 10 to 17. The session covered how to define and identify human trafficking; the network of organizations and governmental departments charged with averting cases and prosecuting criminals associated with human trafficking; and the critical role of inter-agency cooperation in eliminating the exploitation of potential victims.
“We will continue to work diligently, via our ongoing public relations campaigns, supported by Operation Underground Railroad ( OUR) to reach as many citizens as possible, particularly young persons, so that they can be on guard, should they find themselves in any questionable situation,” Ms. Monlouis said.
The 2022 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons states that victims increasingly rely on “self-rescue” due to gaps in anti-trafficking responses. Additionally, a drop in the number of victims detected has fallen for the first time in 20 years; a shift attributed to limitations imposed by COVID-19 which “potentially pushed trafficking further underground, while constraining law enforcement capacities to target the crime.”
The vulnerability of youth was also outlined by the report, with women and children said to “suffer greater violence at the hands of traffickers” while boys and men “account for a greater share of detected victims as new forms of exploitation emerge”. Targeted action and inter-agency corporation have resulted in improvement to Saint Lucia’s positioning on the US Department of State international watch list. The Anti Human Trafficking Task force, led by the chairperson Dr. Elizabeth Bailey reported that the island had been reinstated at Tier Two.
The sensitization effort mounted by Anti Trafficking Saint Lucia will see presentations continue at the Des Barras Community Centre, from 6 p.m. Saturday’s session is structured to also inform parents about human trafficking. Reporting suspected cases remains a critical step in the global fight against human trafficking. Locally, citizens are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any sign of suspected cases to the national anti-trafficking hotline, 847.