‘Open your eyes’ to trafficking in persons |03 December 2014

Seychelles has embarked on a two-month campaign to raise awareness on trafficking in persons (Tips) in Seychelles under the theme ‘Open your eyes’.

It was Designated Minister Vincent Meriton, who is also the Minister for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports, who officially launched the National Strategic Framework and Action Plan and the Media Campaign to combat Tips.

The ceremony took place at the Eden Bleu Hotel’s conference room in the presence of the President of the Court of Appeal Francis Macgregor, acting Chief of Justice Durai Karunakaran, members of the National Assembly, principal secretaries, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and International Organisation on Migration (IOM).

Human trafficking is the trade in humans, most commonly for the purpose of sexual slavery, forced labour or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others; or for the extraction of organs or tissues, including surrogacy and ova removal; or for providing a spouse in the context of forced marriage.
Human trafficking, which can occur within a country or trans-nationally, is a crime against the person because of the violation of the victim's rights of movement through coercion and because of their commercial exploitation.

Human trafficking is the trade in people, and does not necessarily involve the movement of the person from one place to another.

The National Strategic Framework and Action Plan and the Media Campaign to combat Tips have been funded by the IOM.

The aim of the Action Plan and the strategic Framework is to introduce new aggressive initiatives, and support existing programmes. This will help prevent Tips, identify victims, protect the most vulnerable, and prosecute perpetrators.

Tips, also known as modern slavery is affecting the whole world. Despite the size and location it remains unclear to what extent the problem has filtered through Seychelles.

The campaign ‘Open your eyes’ (translated into Creole as ‘Ouver ou lizye’) will go on for two months consecutively and it will appear on television, radio and print media. There will also be posters that will be put up around town. The Action Plan and Strategic Framework will go hand in hand with this campaign that has been developed by Switch Limited.

“We hear allegations and stories, and we have identified potentially vulnerable groups, such as women, girls and boys and migrant workers. We need the necessary framework in place to identify, investigate and prosecute cases of Tips,” said Minister Meriton in his address.

He added that “today’s event will allow us to build on the legal foundation that has been established. I am proud to note that the Prohibition on Tips Act was enacted in April of this year”.

Acknowledging the government’s partners, Minister Meriton said: “I am pleased to see the diverse stakeholders present at today’s event. Tackling and combatting human trafficking is very much a joint effort; no single department or agency can deal with it alone. I am happy to note the presence of our international partners, UNODC, IOM and SADC as well as representatives from diplomatic missions given the cross-border nature of the crime at hand. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to these organisation for providing funding and technical assistance.”

To end his address Minister Meriton left the guests with these words as food for thought: “Ending modern slavery will not come with one speech or one document alone. It will come when all of us – citizens, civil society, governments, and corporations – make it the priority it must be. It is our duty to ensure that each one of us is afforded the human dignity we deserve, no matter where we were born or what circumstances we find ourselves in. Tips is a phenomenon that happens in the shadows, we do not see it and we may hardly notice it and so I ask you to open your eyes to Tips and most importantly do not remain silent, let us do something about it.”

During the launch ceremony PS Joseph François from the Ministry of Land use and Housing presented Minister Meriton with a copy of the National Strategic Framework and Action Plan.

Messages of support to the government of Seychelles were read by Timon Van Lidth, head of office IOM Mauritius; Jacinta Hofnie, programme officer Human Trafficking SADC; and Shanaka Jayasekera, senior country officer UNODC.

Social Affairs PS Linda William-Melanie gave a presentation on the background to the Tips in Seychelles, and development of the National Strategic Framework and Action Plan and Media Campaign on Tips.

During a press conference after the ceremony she said it is important that people know the definition under Tips’ protocol for us to be able to do any investigation that people report.

“There are other laws that cover certain illegal activities that have a fine line between prostitution and forced prostitution. This is why the training will be important for our front line officers such as the police, immigration officers and others so that they will be equipped to be able to identify Tips,” she said.

To enhance the National Strategic Framework and the Action and the campaign a two-day workshop is being held at the Constance Ephilia Resort on Tips and people who want more information can visit www.tip.sc,  a new website launched by Minister Meriton during the ceremony.