July 30 marks World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Twenty-one years after the signing of the Palermo Protocol, which helped to establish an internationally accepted definition and put the issue of trafficking on the international agenda, progress in the fight against this human trafficking is globally evident. Today, many countries have enacted strict laws against this crime, which have led to increased efforts to investigate, arrest and prosecute offenders, and give the right of victims to assistance and care based on their human rights and vulnerabilities. There is also an international approach to responding to trafficking, which often crosses national borders. Unfortunately, despite the efforts to curb its spread, human trafficking remains a very lucrative crime and, in some cases, difficult to investigate, with high rates of impunity and a large number of undetected cases. Because of these barriers, it is attractive to perpetrators and a significant challenge for states and societies. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that in 2018, around a third of the total number of trafficking victims in the world were minors, with Central America and the Caribbean being two of the three regions with the highest number of detected cases of trafficking for sexual exploitation of children and adolescents. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused systemic inequalities and the vulnerability of children and adolescents to increase. Poverty, loss of employment, and school closures, among other factors, have exacerbated the risks of exploitation and abuse. At the same time, there have been changes in the criminal methods used by offenders, with the use of new technologies becoming increasingly common. Through social media, encrypted instant messaging platforms, the deep web, the use of cryptocurrencies, and the development of computer systems to facilitate the commission of the crime, perpetrators remain anonymous while carrying out their misdeeds. They can engage in real-time but encrypted communications, reach a wider audience of victims and perpetrators, and monitor victims remotely. Technology has permeated all phases of child sexual exploitation, from the recruitment and exploitation of the victim to blackmailing with information, photos, and videos. While virtual spaces offer criminals a shield behind which they feel safe to operate with near impunity, technology also presents an opportunity for authorities to combat child trafficking. It can provide evidence for investigations and prosecutions, generate information on identities, roles, structures; locations and activities of suspects, as well as track electronic financial transactions carried out by criminals. Continuous training of authorities in advancing areas of technology, investment in technological equipment and human resources, and the updating of regulatory frameworks to allow the use of digital evidence as a means of proof to facilitate law enforcement are imperative. Moreover, technology service providers need to improve their capacity to collaborate with authorities by providing information on potential cases and criminals operating on their platforms. Since the perpetrators of the different actions that make up the crime are often spread across international borders, it is also urgent to cooperate to assist and protect victims of human trafficking and develop international and multilateral investigations. This creates additional challenges in terms of victim protection, assistance, and the application of the principle of non-criminalization of victims. We face significant challenges in the fight against human trafficking, especially in children and adolescents. All parts of society are called upon to play a leading role in protecting and guaranteeing children's rights, particularly vulnerable amid a global pandemic.   By Michel Klein Solomon, Regional Director for Central, North America, and the Caribbean International Organization for Migration (IOM)

The United Nations in T&T  launches a 'Get Vaxxed' song contest. The competition is NOW open to children ages 17 and under and closes on August 13th, 2021. The lyrics can touch on these themes: why people should take the Covid-19 vaccine for themselves, why people should take the Covid-19 vaccine for their family, how taking the vaccine helps T&T, and why it's important to seek out accurate scientific information on the vaccines - not myths. Both prizes are sponsored by Massy Group. Here are the guidelines to follow: $3,000 first prize for the most creative original song $2,000 special prize for the most dynamic backup singer or backup dancer in your family (parents, grandparents, siblings, or anyone who lives in your household.) Participants must film themselves using a cellphone camera as they sing or sing and dance to an original song that they or someone in their family has composed.  Videos must not be more than 2 minutes long. The song should include at least one verse and one chorus. Your original song must contain the following words or phrases: COVID-19, vaccine, pandemic, good health. Videos of your performance must be sent via Whatsapp to 493-1816 and must include a message containing the participant's name, the participant's age, the title of their song, the genre of their song, and names of the person or persons in their family who composed the song, and the name, email address and phone number of the parent or guardian who is making the submission via Whatsapp for them. Participants or their parents must also like the UN in TT on Facebook, Twitter, and/or IG. Videos must be received by 5 pm on Friday, August 13th. Disclaimer: Some videos will be published on the UN in TT digital platforms and may be disseminated to news media for promotion and publication.   

When Cecille Alves opened a bank account, she expected to get the same benefit as everyone else: an ATM card. But when the customer service representative realised Cecille was visually impaired, she hesitated to issue the card. “I said, ‘Listen, I am a customer of this bank,’” Cecille, a resident of Arouca, Trinidad, recalls. “They didn’t want to give me the bank card so they could prevent fraud because they said family or friends could take the card without me knowing and use it. I said, ‘Look, I understand what you are trying to do, but I would like to have an ATM card,’ and I eventually got my ATM card. We in the visually impaired community have to be outspoken and demand what it is we want to have.”   Thousands more like Cecille experience similar challenges in Trinidad and Tobago. The 2011 census identified 4% of the population - nearly 52,000 people - as having a disability. Estimates forecast that by the year 2050, 30% of people age 60+ will have a disability – a feature of the country’s ageing population. To address inequalities facing the community of persons with disabilities, the UN in T&T team is rolling out a new project with the support of grant funding from the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF).  In March 2021, the MPTF awarded a grant of US $100,000 to the UN in T&T team, led by PAHO/WHO and UNFPA. T&T was the only Caribbean country, and one of only 26 around the world, to be awarded the grant. A total of 126 countries applied to the MPTF for funding. The UN will partner with Cecille and other persons with disabilities, government and civil society to identify gaps in programmes and services for people with disabilities and propose solutions. This roadmap will support T&T as it continues to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and pursue Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.   “An important part of this project is to make sure that as the UN, we are not developing this programme by ourselves,” explains PAHO/WHO Advisor on Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, Dr. Taraleen Malcolm. “That’s the important role that the community of persons with disabilities is playing in this, so they are the ones advising us on the challenges that exist and how can they be addressed. This partnership follows the principle of, ‘Nothing For Us, Without Us,’ a commitment to including the community of persons with disabilities in any plans we propose for them.” The first phase of the project kicked off in May, with a nine-day in-depth virtual induction workshop that brought together more than 150 participants from the community of persons with disabilities, the UN team, government partners, civil society and universities.  During one of the sessions, the group discussed a persistent problem that persons with physical disabilities encounter: buildings without disability access. It’s a challenge Wren Gray faces as he moves around his community in Tobago. “I have to learn to use the steps, get up, go up the steps, come down the steps, all of that,” he says. “And some of them, the design of the material they use on the steps, like the tiles, they don't understand how someone like me with a physical disability who uses crutches, a drop of water on one of those steps could put me in serious, serious trouble in terms of skidding.” Sitting in the virtual meeting room and taking notes on the concerns expressed by participants with disabilities was Terrez Herrera, the Acting Director of the Disability Unit at the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services. The discussions renewed her commitment for the ministry to launch a public education campaign. “It has given me a couple ideas for increased awareness,” she says. “Persons in Trinidad and Tobago are not aware of disability issues. We really need a very strong public awareness campaign on persons with disabilities and the topic of inclusion.”   The UN team will use feedback from the workshop, follow-up interviews and focus group discussions to propose ways to improve access to mainstream education, employment, healthcare, assistive technology and public services for persons with disabilities. The proposal will be presented to all the stakeholders collaborating on this project. Once approved, the UN will send the proposal to the MPTF for additional funding so it can be put into action. For Cecille, the prospect of more meaningful inclusion brings years of emotion to the surface. “What I hope for as a young lady under 35 is that it’s not a talk shop, that action will be taken. A lot of us face too much discrimination. A lot of us have degrees and master degrees and own our own small businesses. A lot of us face too much discrimination in the bank to get a loan, to get a job. We want to work, we want to pay taxes just like everybody else.”  Persons with disabilities have the same rights as everyone else and they deserve a fair chance to be included in every part of national life.  The UN team is committed to leaving no one behind as we support T&T to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.   For more information on this project, please contact unprdproject@gmail.com    

The Covid-19 pandemic is poised to become one of the most defining events of the 21st century. Before it began, global citizens revelled in the ease of access to foreign destinations due to increasing and more affordable travel options and fewer visa requirements. Many could not fathom an interruption to this new level of global interchange. However, by March 2020, the coronavirus was declared a pandemic by the WHO Director-General, and from there began a challenging transition to a formidable and uncertain future. Globally, 176 million cases of Covid-19 have been recorded, with over three million deaths and 200 million job losses. Research conducted by the International Labour Organisation shows that women are disproportionately affected by unemployment. Here in Trinidad and Tobago, the impact of Covid-19 on society’s most vulnerable is evident. Persons in lower socioeconomic groups, including women, children, refugees, and migrants, have emerged the most adversely affected by the necessary lockdown measures. Business, school and border closures, and restricted opening hours for essential services exacerbate already precarious socioeconomic and domestic situations. Many children are still unable to join virtual classes due to a lack of electronic devices and/or internet connectivity and have therefore been placed at a severe disadvantage. Added to this, the Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago has indicated an increase in child abuse reports since the onset of the pandemic and accompanying stay-at-home measures. Similarly, incidents of domestic abuse are on the rise. The Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) report published annually by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) shows a parallel between local and refugee/migrant communities. An alarming 25 per cent of migrants interviewed indicated that they witnessed physical and sexual violence during their time in Trinidad and Tobago. Twelve per cent of respondents were aware of physical and sexual abuse cases against children within the migrant community. These communities also face food shortages and evictions, as lost or furloughed jobs mean they can no longer afford to provide basic necessities for their families. What can be done to support the vulnerable effectively and sustainably until the situation improves? If nothing, then what has the pandemic taught us? The restaurant industry quickly pivoted to a more streamlined delivery service using online apps; educators have learned how to adjust their curriculum to online mediums, and companies throughout the country have adapted to work-from-home scenarios that did not exist just over a year ago. These changes have not been without their growing pains. Still, they demonstrate how crises can create opportunities—a chance to reinvent old systems that no longer fit the context and redefine new structures to better serve us all. The response to this crisis cannot be borne by one entity only. The Government, civil society actors and corporate bodies are all affected by limited resources. However, there is certainly room for all these actors to collaborate and strategically address the needs of vulnerable communities throughout Trinidad and Tobago. Working in silos is not effective as it limits the organisation’s reach and can result in duplication of efforts. Instead, solidarity and creativity are needed to ease the burden of those at higher risk of prolonged hardship brought by the pandemic. Listening to the voices of vulnerable people is critical at this time, and open and constructive dialogue is the only option. We must include these voices and consult with those most deeply affected. Vulnerable populations should rightfully have a say in the solutions meant to address their concerns and make meaningful contributions to how their needs should be met. In this vein, refugees and migrants should also be included in national recovery efforts, not only as recipients of assistance but also as individuals who make valuable contributions and possess incredibly rich resources just waiting to be harnessed. Globally, migrants contribute positively to building the socioeconomic and cultural fabric of their destination countries. Let us ensure that our resilient nation emerges from this pandemic stronger and more unified. This can only be achieved if we work together selflessly and include all the voices of our cosmopolitan nation.   This op-ed was first published in the Trinidad Express on June 23, 2021 https://trinidadexpress.com/opinion/columnists/protecting-the-vulnerable-in-a-crisis/article_d83a81ca-d3bc-11eb-be0f-dfd5c653069a.html