TIP GRANT SIGNING CEREMONY WITH LOCAL NGO A SUCCESS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 000651 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM KFRD ELAB PHUM KWMN SMIG MZ SUBJECT: TIP GRANT SIGNING CEREMONY WITH LOCAL NGO A SUCCESS REF: MAPUTO 322 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On July 3, the Embassy hosted a well-attended signing ceremony to award a two-year, $300,000 G/TIP grant to Mozambican NGO Rede CAME (Network Against Child Abuse). All major media outlets, representatives from 15 Mozambican NGOs involved in the fight against trafficking in women and children, and a high-level official from the Ministry of Women and Social Action attended the event. The project will focus on disseminating the recently-passed anti-trafficking law (reftel),training of police, border guards, and judicial officials, and creating synergy among the GRM, NGOs, and multilateral organizations. The event capitalized on timing*the National Assembly passed the law in April, the President signed the law in June, and the press continues to report broadly on several recent high-profile cases of trafficking. END SUMMARY. -------------- WIDESPREAD, POSITIVE MEDIA COVERAGE -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The media covered the ceremony widely and portrayed the story in a very positive light. All three major television stations showed the event on the evening news. In addition, the event was broadcast on Mozambique's only national radio station (from which BBC Africa picked up the story),and covered by most major daily and weekly newspapers. The coverage was factual and underscored the U.S. commitment to fighting trafficking: awarding of the grant, previous USG TIP assistance to Mozambique, and updates on the law. Stories also alluded to several recent high-profile TIP cases in Mozambique, including the Diana case. Post made available several information pamphlets on TIP, including the recently arrived Portuguese translation of "Be Smart, Be Safe." -------------- USG LEADING THE FIGHT -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The Charge commended the GRM for its recent passing of the first comprehensive anti-trafficking law in SADC, but cautioned that having a law is only the first step. He thanked the NGOs present at the event for their work to expose the trafficking problem in Mozambique and urged them, and separately the media, to help disseminate and publicize the law as widely as possible. The Charge also noted the numerous USG programs in recent years to combat TIP, including a technical assistance project to draft the anti-trafficking law, funds to support several large anti-trafficking billboards on the border with South Africa and in the main bus station, financial assistance to the help open the country's first shelter for trafficking victims, and financial assistance to operate a screening center for trafficking victims on the border with South Africa. -------------- DISSEMINATION AND SYNERGY BUILDING -------------- ¶4. (U) Rede CAME representatives noted that USG assistance has been crucial to the country's anti-TIP initiatives, and that the timing of the project was ideal, particularly since the subject has become a mainstay in the press in the past year due to several high-profile cases. They also highlighted the main objectives of the project as country-wide dissemination of the law, training and capacity-building of the police, border guards, and judicial officials on the front lines of the GRM's anti-trafficking efforts, and the building of synergy between civil society and the GRM, particularly in the areas of communication and resources. -------------- COMMENT: AN EVENT WORTH REPLICATING -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The signing ceremony was a major success that warrants replication in other areas where the Embassy is providing critical assistance in underreported areas. While bringing government, civil society, and diplomatic corps representatives together in the same room as equals can be challenging, the ceremony was an opportune occasion to discuss trafficking in an open environment and to find strategies to jointly address the problem. The event also capitalized on the increased media reporting of trafficking issues over the past year and helped to keep the topic in the public realm. As the media have taken a leading role in exposing both the nature and the complexity of the trafficking issue in Mozambique, we will be looking for more MAPUTO 00000651 002 OF 002 opportunities to work with them in the future. Chapman