Technical Cooperation to Strengthen Governmental Capacity to Combat Trafficking in Persons

This project will contribute to strengthening institutional capacity of the Specialized Trafficking in Persons and Child Sexual Exploitation Unit of the Public Ministry of Paraguay, through the development of operational procedures in line with the Integrated Trafficking in Persons Law (4788). This legislation assigns new responsibilities to the unit in the areas of investigation of possible trafficking situations as well as victim identification. The project includes three components: 1) strengthening of operational procedures within the Public Ministry’s specialized unit; 2) analysis of the current situations of trafficking in Paraguay, in particular of women and girls; 3) training of governmental representatives in trafficking in persons. The component to strengthen operational procedures will include the development of a manual for the specialized unit, from a rights-based and gender perspective. In addition, this component will include the design of a system to certify victims of trafficking, as required by the new legislation. The component to analyze the current situation of trafficking in persons in Paraguay will include a study focused on trafficking, specifically of women and girls, to analyze factors contributing to vulnerability to trafficking, as well as the current response in terms of investigation of possible cases, assistance and reintegration by the governmental actors in Paraguay. The third component will focus on building capacity of governmental representatives through training, particularly those within the specialized unit and other actors involved in counter-trafficking.