The project was designed to assess the prevalence of sex trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean, to survey existing programs and policies responsive to the problem, and to identify local and regional needs to formulate effective strategies to combat the problem.
It seeks to break the cycle of inaction, especially in light of
the availability of new strategies to combat trafficking developed by the
international community in partnership with human rights organizations
in other areas of the world. It is an explorative work, with conclusions
based on documentary research and extensive interviews with
government authorities, international organizations, non governmental
organizations, independent experts, and individuals involved in the
trafficking sphere.
Methodology
The Trafficking Project included four key elements: (1)
collaboration with counterpart organizations in each participating
country; (2) initiation of public debate on the issue of trafficking
through a national consultation in each participating country; (3)
general assessment of the trafficking of women and children for
purposes of sexual exploitation; and (4) use of the study's findings and
conclusions to recommend concrete measures at regional and national
levels to respond to trafficking. In actual project implementation,
South America and the expanded Central American region were
separated. This portion of the report presents an overview of the results
of the study that concentrated on Central America and the Dominican
Republic.
Between March and May 2001, National Consultations were
held in each participating country to introduce the project,
conceptualize and discuss terms, identify possible sources of
information, and raise public awareness on the issue of trafficking.
These meetings included the participation of national NGOs, state
agencies, international organizations, academics and the media.
Following national consultations, organizational partners in
each country except Belize initiated a nine month period of
investigation on the trafficking of women and children for sexual
exploitation in each of their countries.
Counterparts collected all
available written materials on trafficking and its related issues,
including relevant legislation and media coverage. Investigators sought
information from representatives of government institutions, NGOs,
academics, and others who might have pertinent information, using a
common questionnaire developed by IHRLI.
A second period of investigation was conducted between
February 4-13, 2002, and April 7-June 14, 2002, through country visits
by researchers from IHRLI and the Inter-American Commission of
Women of the Organization of American States. Researchers spent
between four and ten days in each country meeting with government
actors (police and immigration officials, judges, prosecutors, offices of
the ombudsman, institutions of child welfare and women's issues,
ministries of labor and health, legislatures, and foreign consulates); and
staff members at NGOs working in the field and international
organizations such as UNICEF, the International Labor Organization
(ILO), International Organization for Migration (IOM), INTERPOL,
and Save the Children. Where possible, researchers visited areas most
affected by trafficking, such as border points and locations of
recruitment and exploitation.