ADDITIONAL COSTA RICA PROPOSAL: G/TIP FY 2008 ESF

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000429 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN AND G/TIP MFORSTROM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC ELAB PHUM PREL KCRM SMIG CS SUBJECT: ADDITIONAL COSTA RICA PROPOSAL: G/TIP FY 2008 ESF AND INCLE FUNDS REF: A. 07 STATE 161287 ¶B. SAN JOSE 125 ¶1. Per Ref A, Post submits a second Costa Rican proposal for funding from G/TIP-managed FY 2008 ESF and INCLE funds on behalf of Rahab Foundation. We understand that the review committee has not yet convened, and we appreciate the opportunity for this additional submission. This proposal is in addition to the IOM proposal that Post submitted in February (Ref B). ¶2. Background: This project would extend for two additional years a Rahab Foundation project that was funded by the U.S. and operated from 2006-2008 in Jaco, Costa Rica. The beach town of Jaco is a major epicenter of the Costa Rican sex tourism industry and trafficking in persons. The first phase of the Jaco project focused on preventing trafficking through awareness and training among vulnerable populations, officials and police, government institutions, NGOs and area businesses. It also involved a victim's protection and assistance component, complete with legal, psychological, medical, dental and reintegration services. The Jaco project is the only one in Costa Rica to date providing a range of services specifically to victims of trafficking. The GOCR in fact relies on Rahab Foundation to assist victims, as there are no other service providers adequately prepared to do so. The experience developed through the first phase demonstrated an urgent need for more active participation of other community-based organizations concerned about trafficking-related issues. ¶3. Backdrop: One of Costa Rica's biggest challenges continues to be the trafficking of persons for the purposes of labor and/or sexual exploitation. Costa Rica is a source, transit and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for those purposes. Given the GOCR's resources and many other challenges, Costa Rica's effort to combat trafficking in persons needs assistance. The country's borders are porous and the government resources continue to be stretched. There is ample evidence that Costa Rica serves as a transit and destination point for many women heading north as well as the destination of many women trafficked from other Central and South American countries, the Caribbean (Dominican Republic) and Eastern Europe (mainly Russia and Romania). ¶4. The responses below are keyed to Ref A. We emailed the full proposal to G/TIP's Mark Forstrom. ¶5. Program Description: ¶A. Name of Organization: Rahab Foundation. Contact person: Mariliana Morales, Executive Director. Mailing address: P.O. Box 2161-1002, Paseo de los Estudiantes, San Jose, Costa Rica. Phone number 011-506-2221-4908. E-mail is rahabcr@ice.co.cr. ¶B. Requested Funding Amount is USD 149,394. ¶C. Project Title: "Strengthening and Improving Community Service Networks to Fight Human Trafficking in the Central Pacific Region of Costa Rica: Phase 2". ¶D. Project Duration: Two years. ¶E. Proposal Abstract: Since June 2006, the Rahab Foundation, in coordination with IOM, has carried out the project, "Prevention, Protection and Services to Human Trafficking Victims and Potential Victims" in the Central Pacific Region of Costa Rica. The experience developed through this first phase has demonstrated the urgent need to complement the training and political advocacy activities carried out with local government counterparts to promote a more active participation of community-based organizations. These grass-roots organizations, coming together to deal with religious, women's, and environmental issues, among others, could act as a frontline of defense of victims of trafficking from the moment of identification and throughout the medium and long-term assistance. Therefore, the end objective of this project is to improve their capacity as local agents for the identification of human trafficking victims and the criminal rings as well as provide with practical attention towards victim protection. As such, the project will promote community awareness and support the design and implementation of coordination and referral mechanisms of a service network that addresses human trafficking at the local level, promoting ownership and sustainability after the end of the project. The joint partnership for the first phase has proven to have good synergy since Rahab Foundation's know-how focuses on restoration of human rights of women and teens involved in sexual exploitation, while IOM has cumulative experience on human trafficking issues and is well-positioned for political advocacy both nationally and internationally. The main goal is to strengthen community and institutional service networks, with the participation of government institutions, non-government organizations and civil society, in order to carry out activities for the prevention, protection and assistance services to human trafficking victims and potential victims in a coordinated and effective manner. ¶6. Post recommends this initiative as truly worthwhile and one that fills a void in Costa Rica's efforts to combat trafficking in persons. Without additional funding, the Jaco project will remain closed. BRENNAN