NATIONAL ANTI HUMAN TRAFFICKING TASK FORCE (NAHTTF) STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE – 2022

In view of bringing ideas together under one shelter to make a difference in our citizens’ lives, the National Anti Human Trafficking Task Force (NAHTTF) took one further step to conduct a detailed and comprehensive dialogue on 12th and 13th December 2022 at Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo 03. This program was fully sponsored by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Sri Lanka.

This program was inaugurated by Major General J R Kulatunga, Chief of National Intelligence and Mr. Sarat Dash, Chief of Mission, IOM Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The program consisted of 6 sessions and each session was moderated by a Focal Point while opening the sessions for participants’ comments and suggestions at the end of each session.

The dialogue was enlightened by the stakeholders including the Focal Points of the Task Force, Government Officials (District Secretaries/Provincial Secretaries) and other local and foreign resource persons representing Government Institutions. In addition, diplomatic officers from the Middle Eastern countries representing Sri Lanka highlighted the importance of building up a strong and strategic mechanism to ensure safe migration while foreign high officials related to Anti Human Trafficking efforts shared their knowledge, experiences as well as challenges encountered in the journey of combating the threat of Human Trafficking and reaching Tier 1 in the grading by the US State Department.

Apart from the Focal Points who shared their knowledge among participants, Mr. Robert Michael N. Razon, Senior Assistant Regional Prosecutor from Philippines, Ms. Lazuli Nambiyar, Senior Assistant Director of Labour from Malaysia and Mr. Ibrahim Ashraf, Deputy Controller of Maldives Immigration and Ms. Layaal Khaleel, Consultant for Policy Outreach & Anti Trafficking in persons were among those foreign resource persons and Mr. Dileepa Peeris, Senior Deputy Solicitor General from the Attorney General’s Department made his valuable representation as a local resource person.

At the end of day 2 of the program, the Chief of National Intelligence conveyed his gratitude to all Focal Points, representatives of the Focal Point institutions, Government officials, local and foreign resource persons who had participated in person and via Zoom technology and the contribution and support extended by the IOM especially by Mr. Sarat Dash, Chief of Mission, IOM Sri Lanka and the Maldives and Ms. Minoli P. Don, Head of Protection Unit, IOM Sri Lanka and other staff members was highly and deeply appreciated.