Conference on approach to people trafficking
The Ministry of Justice and Security is holding a conference these days on human trafficking and smuggling on Bonaire. The three-day conference started on September 18th and is intended for experts from various services/agencies from the Caribbean Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Aruba and the Netherlands.
Construction and maintenance of good information provision is crucial for tackling human trafficking and human smuggling. That is why a Theme Register has been created, which has also been made available to the other countries. Relevant data is collected and analyzed in the register with the aim of effectively tackling, combating and preventing trafficking in human beings and human smuggling. Day 1 is is focussed on the transfer of knowledge for the construction and maintenance of a Theme Register Human Trafficking and Human smuggling for which a covenant has been signed in the Caribbean Netherlands in June 2017. The register is now ready and can be put into use. Reports and signs of human trafficking and smuggling of human beings can be included in the register. The Police, Koninklijke Marechaussee, the public prosecutor, immigration service, labor inspection, public entities, Coast Guard and RST are participants in this training.
Day 2 is aimed at exchanging experiences about the prevention and tackling of human trafficking and human smuggling in and between the countries of the Kingdom. In 2015, the countries concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for this. On day 3, the last day, experts from the United States (USA) are coming. They will discuss the detection of human trafficking and human smuggling. Special attention will be paid to financial investigations and the approach of victims in the investigation process. The agreements for cooperation between the Kingdom and the US are in a MoU from 2016.
The aim of the conference is to further promote better cooperation to firmly tackle the prevention and combating human trafficking and human smuggling.
Trafficking and smuggling in human beings are serious crimes and must be dealt with firmly. Human trafficking is the exploitation of people under duress and is also referred to internationally as a modern form of slavery. The main sectors where exploitation takes place is the catering industry, construction, prostitution and domestic help. Trafficking in human beings is the illegal transfer of people to another country.