The Counter-Trafficking in Persons (C-TIP) Unit of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security on Wednesday launched a suite of new tools aimed at enhancing victim protection, increasing public awareness, and encouraging greater community involvement in the fight against human trafficking.The newly launched resources include a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for trafficking in persons protection, a child-friendly TIP storybook designed for readers aged 7 to 16, four QR codes to allow the public to report trafficking concerns quickly and easily and a simplified, reader-friendly version of the C-TIP Act of 2023, titled “A Victim’s Guide.”These initiatives mark a significant step forward in the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to prevention, protection, and empowerment.Delivering the feature address in the boardroom of the Palms Geriatric Home, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, underscored the importance of not only raising awareness about human trafficking but also strengthening the implementation of programmes and policies at the community level.“𝐖𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐈𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭,” Minister Persaud noted.She emphasised that the newly introduced tools, especially the QR codes and educational materials, will make information faster, convenient, and accessible to the public, including children.“𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐈𝐏 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐬, 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞,” the Minister said.She also highlighted the importance of aligning Standard Operating Procedures with the existing TIP legislation to ensure a progressive and effective response to trafficking.The C-TIP Unit’s efforts have already yielded tangible results. Over the past five years, the unit has identified and assisted more than 2,000 victims, thanks to the training of 5,000 frontline workers in identification, rescue, and care protocols.Significantly, the unit now operates with its own dedicated budget for the first time, an increase from $40 million to over $60 million, reflecting greater investment in anti-trafficking initiatives.Through consistent collaboration between the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the Ministry of Home Affairs, Guyana has successfully maintained its Tier One ranking in the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report for eight consecutive years, a reflection of the country’s unwavering commitment to combating human trafficking at all levels.This means that the Government of Guyana fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, and it continues to work to implement new initiatives.Commending these strides, Russell Zaliznaik, Political and Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy, praised Guyana as a global leader in the fight against human trafficking.“𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭, 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐆𝐮𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢s𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭, 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞,” the political and economic counselor stated.Guyana’s ongoing commitment not only protects vulnerable populations but also sets a regional example of what is possible through leadership, vigilance, and meaningful international cooperation. [Ministry of Human Services and Social Security press release]The post Guyana launches new anti-trafficking tools to boost protection and public awareness appeared first on News Room Guyana.