The Bolivian Government presented a plan against human trafficking and smuggling with the slogan “joining efforts” that will be implemented until 2025, on the occasion of the World Day Against Trafficking.
In an act at the Vice Presidency, the Ministry of Justice presented a document that was made in consensus that presents a dozen actions that must be implemented to prevent the population from falling into trafficking networks.
The event was attended by the Bolivian Foreign Minister, Rogelio Mayta; the Deputy Minister of Justice and Fundamental Rights, César Siles; the Minister of Labor, Verónica Navia; the Vice Minister of Communication, Gabriela Alcón; the interim ombudsman, Nadia Cruz, among others.
Siles explained that the plan was approved by the Plurinational Council against Human Trafficking and Smuggling and that it seeks to establish the “fundamental bases” so that local and municipal authorities can implement it and execute plans that collaborate in the fight against this situation.
PREVENT
The plan aims to reduce the number of victims, prevent, address and guarantee the attention of these cases in the Justice through 12 actions such as the training of public servants, implementing campaigns in the media about this situation, equipping pertinent to the units that investigate this crime.
In addition to creating shelters for people who have been captured by trafficking networks, as well as making bilateral agreements with countries such as Brazil, Spain or others to improve cooperation.
The plan also includes modifying laws related to the issue to improve care and for Justice to be more effective in these cases, Siles commented.
YOUNG WOMEN, THE BIGGEST VICTIMS
The deputy minister indicated that between 2015 and 2021 there were 2,631 reported cases related to human trafficking and smuggling nationwide.
For her part, the defender Cruz highlighted the plan and argued that this probably will not solve the problem, but that it is an advance to protect the most vulnerable population to fall into these networks, which continue to be young women and adolescents.
According to information from the Bolivian Observatory for Citizen Security and the Fight Against Drugs (Obdscd), 67% of trafficking victims are women and the highest percentage are between 11 and 20 years old.
Cruz reported that the Public Ministry from January to December 2021 reported 1,560 complaints against this crime, 55% of the cases were closed without any clarification of the fact and that only 4% have a sentence.
He also reported that the Ombudsman received 72 complaints between 2021 and the first half of this year related to trafficking and smuggling, which should “call for reflection.”
For his part, the Chancellor advocated that education can also prevent and warn about the ways they use to capture victims and thus prevent children and youth from falling into this situation.
Every July 30 marks the World Day Against Human Trafficking and Trafficking.
