Meeting of the Liaison Officer Network for Migrant
Smuggling and Trafficking
San José, Costa Rica
June 25, 2013
REGIONAL NETWORK FOR CIVIL ORGANIZATIONS
ON MIGRATION
ADVANCES IN COMBATING THE CRIME
OF TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS
 RNCOM has noticed advances in the promulgation of legislation
against the crime of trafficking in persons that includes significant
improvements in the following aspects:
 Prosecution of cases of trafficking
 Protection for victims of trafficking
 Prevention
 In addition, we have noticed the efforts implemented by governments
to share best practices relating to training of officers from public
security forces, the Attorney General’s Office and judicial investigation
units.
 An increase has been observed in the number of investigations,
prosecutions and sentences of traffickers in some Member States of RCM.
 RNCOM is pleased about the work of the Regional Coalition Against
Trafficking in Persons; for example, launching an information and
awareness-raising campaign named “Los caminos de la vida” (Paths of Life).
 RNCOM recognizes the efforts by the Nicaraguan Government to establish a
shelter for victims of trafficking and urge the other Member States of RCM
to establish specialized centres to provide comprehensive assistance to
victims of the crime of trafficking in persons. In addition, we recognize the
establishment of the Victim Assistance Unit of the National Immigration
Service of Panama and efforts to facilitate – jointly with the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs – the repatriation of Panamanian nationals objects of
migrant smuggling abroad.
 We are pleased about the approval of the National Policy Against
Trafficking in Persons in El Salvador, as well as the establishment of the
National Council Against Trafficking in Persons.
 We recognize the efforts of the Dominican authorities and civil society
to document cases of boys, girls and adolescents that are forced to
perform household work, beggary, agricultural work, and construction
work.
 Civil society in the Dominican Republic is implementing efforts to
benefit undocumented and stateless descendants of Haitian nationals.
These populations groups are considered to be in particularly
vulnerable situations.
 Through RNCOM, the number of social organizations providing refuge
and shelter to victims of trafficking has increased – especially for boys,
girls and adolescents – as well as legal aid, counselling, health care,
rights promotion, reintegration and referral.
 RNCOM joins the Latin American Observatory Against Trafficking in
Persons.
 RNCOM congratulates the Government of Costa Rica for promulgating
the Law Against Trafficking in Persons and for its efforts to prevent the
crimes of migrant smuggling and trafficking and provide assistance to
victims, and for implementing joint efforts with civil society.
 RNCOM recognizes the leadership of the Judiciary of Costa Rica in
coordinating the Sub-Committee for Access to Justice for Migrants and
Refugees.
CHALLENGES
 To follow up on the agreements reached at the meeting of the Ad Hoc
Group in February 2013 relating to the crime of trafficking in persons.
 RNCOM insists that it is urgent that States recognize forced
displacement as a result of organized crime and the need for protection
of victims at a national and international level.
 A need exists for mechanisms to protect the work carried out by
human rights ombudsmen to benefit migrant and refugee populations,
which are becoming increasingly vulnerable to human rights violations.
 States should develop a statistical information system and homogenized
data bases at a national and regional level to generate information on
behaviours related to the crime of trafficking in persons.
 States should strengthen actions to prevent the crime, especially for
unaccompanied boys, girls and adolescents victims of trafficking.
 We urge the Member States of RCM to establish district attorney’s
offices against trafficking in persons to ensure access to justice, as
promoted by Guatemala and Mexico.
 RNCOM requests that governments increase inspection efforts by
Ministries of Labour, with the aim of avoiding trafficking of migrants for
the purpose of labour exploitation.
 National legislation against trafficking in persons should consider the
specific needs of foreign victims, especially in terms of respect for the
principle of non-refoulement. In addition, an assessment should be
carried out of the modes of internal trafficking, at a national level and in
all its dimensions.
 Member States of RCM should take on the shared responsibility of
searching for missing migrants in countries of origin, transit and
destination.
 Civil society, represented through RNCOM, requests that States
establish joint actions for the protection of migrants along the
migration routes, due to the increase in the rates of increasingly violent
homicide, abduction and theft.
 To
develop mechanisms enabling the institutionalization of
prevention, assistance and protection actions in Member States of
RCM, which should be reflected in national budgets.
 The Regional Comprehensive Migration Policy proposed by SICA
should incorporate the principles of the Coalition Against Trafficking
in Persons.