Protection

Protection

A victim-centric and human rights-based approach is paramount when assisting victims of human trafficking. The Government is committed to securing the safety and protection of individuals who have been exploited by criminals. The Government recognizes that victims must feel empowered to make viable options about their future to help in their long-term recovery. Sustainable reintegration options are required to protect the victims and to ensure that they do not fall into the cycle of re-trafficking. The protection of victims may also play an important role in supporting criminal investigations into the activities of traffickers. A victim whose rights have been respected and whose needs have been met is more likely to be in a position to assist in investigations. The 'protection' pillar mainly focuses on,

• Enhancing the services for victims of human trafficking based on a victim centric approach Capacitating stakeholders on the provision of assistance to victims,
• Economic, social, psychosocial reintegration of victims in a sustainable manner,
• Sensitizing the general public on the available victim protection services, rights and entitlements.

What we do

The State Ministry of Women and Child Development (SMoWCD) and the Department of Probation and Child Care Services (DPCCS) endorsed guidelines on SOPs with a focus on child trafficking in 2021. These guidelines were developed with technical support from the IOM and Save the Children. The guidelines follow the formal SOPs and lay down the procedure for the identification, referral, and protection of child victims of trafficking.

A speedy and collaborative mechanism has been put in place by the National Child Protection Authority to communicate with the victims and families and assist the child victims with access to justice and psychosocial support where necessary and monitor the progress of the case initiated by the Law Enforcement authorities.

NCPA regularly engages in monitoring voluntary childcare institutions and state-run institutions providing shelter for children and the findings are shared with the respective Provincial Probation Department and relevant childcare institutions to effectively address shortcomings.

An MOU was signed between the State Ministry of Women and Child Development and the State Ministry of Skills Development, Vocational Education, Research and Innovation on 1st October 2021 to vulnerable children who could be possible victims of Human Trafficking as well as institutionalized children to empower them through the provision of vocational training and the award of the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) certificate.

Department of Probation and Child Care Services (DPCCS) with the support of Save the Children and IOM developed comprehensive internal guidelines for Probation Officers at the Department of Probation and Child Care Services in reintegrating child victims of trafficking into their communities of origin. Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) arranged shelters and provided dry rations and medical facilities for migrants who were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in Kuwait, Cyprus, and Oman and provided quarantine facilities for migrants’ returnees impacted due to COVID-19 during the year 2021.

In 2021, the Foreign Ministry and the overseas Missions provided repatriation support for a large number of migrants. In addition to the repatriation process carried out by the Government of Sri Lanka, the SLBFE, Sri Lankan Embassy in Kuwait and IOM Sri Lanka collaborated to support the repatriation of migrants in Kuwait.

During COVID-19 pandemic, children in the institutions/shelter faced some difficulties to receive their online education due to insufficient facilities in the Child Care Institutions. Therefore, the Department of Probation and Child Care Services (DPCCS) and the SMoWCD provided 700 Computers with Wi-Fi facilities to the said institutions with support from the business community in Sri Lanka, and NCPA’s 1929 call Centre was upgraded to handle child abuse and trafficking complaints remotely via online.

Supportive institutions contact details

• Ministry of Health -0112-694033
• SMOWCD (State Ministry of Woman and Child Development) - 0112-186055
• MEFPMD, DIE ( Department of Immigration and Emigration ) - 1962
• DPCCS ( Department of Probation and Child Care Services ) - 0112-186 062
• NCPA ( National Authority for Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses ) - 0112-879 539
• NAPVCW (National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses) - 0112-866 451
• SLBFE ( Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment ) - 0112-864101
• DSS BPACW ( Bureau for the Prevention of Abuse of Children & Women ) - 0112-779196