The prevention of trafficking in persons in high schools: the experience of Chiapas, Mexico

 
4 December, 2017

125 students from the 4th Preparatory in Tapachula (Chiapas) received on the 15th of November an awareness-raising talk about trafficking in persons, in the framework of the prevention activities developed by the Inter-Institutional Committee on Trafficking in Persons in Tapachula, led by the National Institute for Migration with the support of the Mesoamerica Program.

It is the second time this year that these alliances with schools are forged to impart talks on trafficking in persons for students. In this opportunity, jointly with active members of the Committee and the National Commission on Human Rights (CNDH), the activity covered the myths of migration and then was followed by an informational video, and an analysis and questions discussion to conclude.

The Inter-institutional Committee for the Attention of Victims of Trafficking in Persons of the State of Chiapas was created after the adoption of the “Federal Law to Prevent and Sanction Trafficking in Persons“, adopted in 2007. The Committee meets twice a month, and includes the participation of various institutions such as; the National Migration Institute, Beta Group, The State Commission for the Attention of Victims, The National Commission of Human Rights, the Regional Attorney for the Comprehensive Development of Families, the Secretariat of Foreing Affairs, the State Commission for Human Rights, Doctors without Borders from France and Spain, The Secretariat for the Development of the South Border and the Liaison for International Cooperation, the Federal and State Police, UNHCR, the Specialized Prosecutor of Crimes Committed against Migrants, among others.

Trafficking in persons is a crime that remains a priority in IOM’s agenda, for which it continues to back and strengthen identification and support for victims. During 2017, IOM identified 8 victims of trafficking in persons in Tapachula and Tenosique.

IOM is a member of the Committee and actively participates in the planning of activities as well as capacity-building. A recent example of this support was offering training on the attention of trafficking in persons in the context of emergencies, in September 2017, just days after an earthquake affected this region.

The Mesoamerica Program is financed by the Department of State of the United States of America and has as an objective to strengthen the capacities of governments in the region to implement strategies for migration to take place in regular, humane, safe and orderly conditions.