GUATEMALA'S TIP PROPOSALS FOR G/TIP FY08 FUNDS

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000149 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR G/TIP BFLECK, KBRESNAHAN DEPT ALSO FOR WHA/CEN AND WHA/PPC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC ELAB KCRM PHUM PREL SMIG KJUS GT SUBJECT: GUATEMALA'S TIP PROPOSALS FOR G/TIP FY08 FUNDS REF: STATE 161287 Post is pleased to submit the following summary information for three TIP project proposals for funding from G/TIP-managed FY 2008 INCLE and ESF appropriations. The summaries are keyed to reftel format request. Per reftel, post will forward the complete project proposals via email to G/TIP. Project 1 (a) Applicant: Asociacion Casa Alianza (ACA) (b) Requested funding amount: USD 497,748 (c) Project title: Direct Action for the Social Reintegration of Children and Adolescents Who Have Been, or Are at Risk of Being, Victims of Trafficking in Persons (d) Project duration: three years (e) Project abstract: Trafficking in persons is a problem unfortunately all too common in Guatemala and throughout Central America. Children and adolescents are the primary victims of trafficking. The organization Asociacion Casa Alianza (ACA) is a recognized leader in civil society with expertise in responding to numerous challenges, among them trafficking in persons. Through its residential programs, more than a hundred children and adolescents receive constant care from its professional, competent team. Implementation of this project, with USG assistance, will help many more children and adolescents reintegrate into society. The project aims to improve social reintegration of victims and those at risk of human trafficking by first restoring the human rights of children and adolescents through 24-hour-a-day care in ACA programs, and secondly developing lobbying activities to reform national laws regarding this vulnerable population. Anticipated activities include: 24-hour-a-day care for children and adolescents in ACA communities; the development, implementation, observation, and evaluation of lifestyle plans for social reintegration of children and adolescents resident in ACA programs; the development and implementation of a lobbying plan by ACA's National Office and its legal team; and the development and presentation of a proposal for reform of legislation relating to trafficking in persons. Project 2 (a) Applicant: End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography, and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT)/Guatemala (b) Requested funding amount: USD 423,320 (c) Project title: Regional Project to Eliminate Trafficking of Persons (d) Project duration: two years (e) Project abstract: Human trafficking is a significant and growing problem in the Central American region. Guatemalans, as well as women and children trafficked through Guatemala from El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, are subject to trafficking for sexual and labor exploitation in Mexico, Belize, and the United States. A significant number of women, girls, and boys are trafficked internally for sexual exploitation, often lured from poor rural regions to urban, border, and tourist areas. The Central American countries have implemented measures to prevent trafficking in persons, provide care to victims, and prosecute and sanction abusers. Despite these efforts, women and children are not yet adequately protected from trafficking because legislation does not adequately criminalize and penalize exploiters, and in very few cases laws are reinforced and criminals arrested. Access to justice and to the judiciary system is generally very limited and victim and witness protection and assistance are inadequate. In general, there is a lack of mechanisms and institutional procedures in the national police for effective prosecution of exploiters and offenders, as well as a lack of extraterritorial legislation and agreements among countries Qextraterritorial legislation and agreements among countries to combat trafficking in persons. In addition, victim assistance is very limited because there are few adequate rehabilitation and reintegration programs, and safe repatriation is not provided. These problems require innovative, integrated, and coordinated responses at the national and regional levels to: -- Enforce laws, policies, and programs against trafficking and strengthen communication between law enforcement and other authorities; -- Negotiate bilateral agreements to facilitate prosecution of traffickers; -- Support shelters and facilitate access to comprehensive care, legal protection, the justice system, repatriation, information and prevention activities; -- Implement trafficking prevention strategies in vulnerable populations; -- Ensure speedy delivery of justice; -- Make court procedures victim/child-friendly; -- Coordinate response from the various law enforcement agencies; -- Focus on victim protection; -- Provide social welfare facilities to help child victims rather than placing them in detention; -- Provide restorative justice for child victims; -- Protect witnesses; -- Train and build capacity of law enforcement to help children; -- Enhance cross-border and in-country cooperation among government officials, private sector leaders, and members of civil society. Project 3 (a) Applicant: The Emergence Group (TEG) (b) Requested funding amount: USD 395,988 (c) Project title: TIP Victim Protection Through Detection and Law Enforcement Project (d) Project duration: three years (e) Project abstract: While the Government of Guatemala has been making significant efforts in combating TIP, Guatemala dropped to the Tier 2 Watch List for its "failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, particularly in terms of convicting and sentencing human traffickers for their crimes." (2007 TIP Report) Whereas Guatemala has made progress in many areas, such as legal statutes and awareness campaigns, its primary failing is in the area of enforcement. TEG proposes the "TIP Victim Protection Through Detection and Law Enforcement Project" to address this challenge. TEG is uniquely qualified to improve victim protection through enhanced law enforcement in Guatemala. Its law enforcement programs go beyond traditional police functions. TEG specializes in engaging police in community policing-inspired programs that bring police and other law enforcement officials together with other societal groups. This mutual identification of problems results in the creation of successful police/community partnerships that have proven to be successful in addressing these problems. TEG has experienced success, including INL projects in places such as Ukraine and Egypt. TEG has expertise in combating human trafficking, and enjoys strong relations with the highest levels of Guatemalan law enforcement bodies. The project incorporates two strategic components: -- The Trafficking Victim Identification and Rescue Training Program will reduce harm to trafficking victims by identifying and rescuing them as soon as possible during the trafficking cycle, and once rescued, ensure that victims receive medical and psychological assistance to help reduce their suffering. This will be accomplished by engaging with the police, NGOs, medical practitioners, and others. It will also ensure sustainability by implementing a train-the-trainer curriculum that can be carried forward by the Guatemalans once the project is complete. -- The Trafficking in Persons Unit Assistance Program will increase the effectiveness of the National Civil Police's Anti-Trafficking Unit. TEG principals have substantial experience in establishing and improving elite police units around the world, with particular expertise in TIP. Derham