Ambassador-at-Large Luis CdeBaca Office To Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons today announced that the U.S. government is providing foreign assidtance funds for international anti-trafficking programs.
Mr. CdeBaca highlighted that the production of the annual “Trafficking in Persons Report “and a range of direct diplomatic and public engagement on human trafficking issues, one of the primary responsibilities of U.S. office.
“Our grantees operate in all regions of the world and are advancing all three Ps of the 3P Paradigm-prevention, prosecution, and protection-that guide our efforts to fight modern slavery here at home and around the world.” -Mr. CdeBaca
He noted that the work of U.S. grantees runs the gamut of anti-trafficking efforts, whether victim protection and rehabilitation, training for prosecutors and law enforcement officials, or prevention efforts, including partnerships with civil society and the private sector, that look to address this crime and curb demand before it takes place.
“These efforts are closely linked to the mandates and purposes laid out in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) and its subsequent reauthorizations. The provisions in the TVPA help to prioritize the allocation of our anti-trafficking funds.” -Mr. CdeBaca
He said the three Ps function as interlocking paradigm, no single P stands alone. He said it is not enough to prosecute traffickers if governments do not also provide assistance to the survivors and work to ensure that no one else is victimized.
“Thus, many of G/TIP’s projects are cross-cutting in their approach to combating trafficking, and we place a particular emphasis on programs that address victim protection. Ninety percent of projects we have funded last year include a protection component and 61 percent provide direct services for victims.” -Mr. CdeBaca
He cited that just over half of the projects build capacity of local law enforcement and prosecutors to apprehend and prosecute traffickers; victim protection is a critical component of these projects as well because justice for the most vulnerable begins with a robust victim-centered approach.
Mr. CdeBaca noted that more than 90 percent of prevention programs include victim protection activities. Fifty-nine percent of all protection programs include activities to increase prosecutions and convictions, and nearly three quarters of projects focus on both labor and sex trafficking to ensure a comprehensive response to all forms of trafficking.
“As I hope to demonstrate today, the programs we help fund are successful, but our foreign assistance budget is modest relative to the global scale of the crime of trafficking in persons. Our final foreign assistance appropriation for this fiscal year was $16.2 million.” -Mr. CdeBaca
He stressed that his testimony will demonstrate that the appropriation for U.S. international programs is money well spent, both in terms of the transparency of its grant selection process and in terms of the effectiveness of these funds in advancing U.S. foreign policy.
“A good starting point is to explain how we decide to spend our foreign assistance funds. Responsible administration of foreign assistance funds is a top priority for our office. That’s why we’ve implemented a rigorous, transparent, and competitive application process for our grants.” -Mr. CdeBaca