Barbados gets training to combat human trafficking

Last Saturday, the Criminal Justice Reform project funded by the Governments of the United States of America and the United Kingdom, handed over 50 e-learning programmes on Human Trafficking to the Office of the Attorney General of Barbados.

The e-learning modules to combat human trafficking were developed as training aids for frontline responders who may encounter trafficked individuals as part of their daily duties. The e-learning programme will be distributed to Immigration, Customs and the Royal Barbados Police Force.

The e-learning modules cover awareness issues around human trafficking, insight into what human trafficking entails, general indicators for human trafficking and resource available to support professionals and victims.

This initiative was developed and funded as a partnership between UK Immigration Enforcement International (IEI) in Jamaica and the UK Immigration Enforcement International project within the Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC) in Barbados.

This e-learning is being distributed throughout the Caribbean and was first created to assist the Jamaican Constabulary Force and Jamaican Office of National Rapporteur for Trafficking in persons (ONTRP).

The Criminal Justice Advisor to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Sirah Abraham, explained the importance of the e-learning program at this critical time. She stated: “The e-learning will assist with building the capacity of frontline responders and improve the responses to trafficking in Barbados which is even more important during a crisis such as COVID-19.

The authorities must be sufficiently prepared to help identify the profiles of traffickers, implement actions and strengthen relations with communities to help prevent trafficking and protect victims.”

Attorney General Dale Marshall on receiving the programmes stated: “The Government of Barbados is grateful for the e-learning programmes on Human Trafficking. This gift is timely, in that it not only supports the capacity building of key stakeholders in the fight against Human Trafficking, but it also serves as a valuable resource for the virtual library that is being established for the benefit of the Task Force on Human Trafficking and their partners.

The virtual library is part of the capacity building component of our National Action Plan. We wish to thank the governments of the United States of America and the United Kingdom for this generous gift which will make a significant contribution to enhancing the country’s overall capacity to deal with this most vicious of crimes.” (PR)