2008 G/TIP INCLE AND ESF FUNDING PROPOSALS: TAIWAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 000191 SIPDIS SIPDIS G/TIP FOR REBECCA BILLINGS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM ELAB PHUM PREL SMIG ASEC TW SUBJECT: 2008 G/TIP INCLE AND ESF FUNDING PROPOSALS: TAIWAN ¶1. Summary: Per G/TIP instructions, AIT submits five trafficking in persons project proposals for ESF and INCLE funding. One proposal is from a Taiwan university, three proposals are submitted by Taiwan non-governmental organizations (NGOs),and one proposal is submitted by the Department of Justice, Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (DOJ/OPDAT). The proposals have been ranked according to AIT funding preferences. Post will email to G/TIP the full proposals for the projects listed below. End Summary. ¶2. Proposal 1: Training for Taiwan TIP Prosecutors (A) Applicant Name: Department of Justice (DOJ),Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) (B) Funding Requested: $228,748 (C) Project Title: Intermittent Legal Advisor position in Taipei (D) Project Duration: Three-month startup, intermittent follow-up visits. (E) Proposal Abstract: Current Taiwan laws are particularly insensitive in treating trafficking victims and witnesses. There is poor cooperation between local law enforcement and NGOs. TIP victims are often unwilling to cooperate with government officials, and without their testimony, traffickers often receive light sentences. DOJ/OPDAT proposes to post an Intermittent Legal Advisor (ILA) to Taipei on a TDY basis, for up to 3 months, to implement a package of TIP programs that would include specialized support to the Taipei High Court prosecution unit and locally designated prosecutors, training for local prosecutors with emphasis on treatment of victims and witnesses in TIP cases and encouraging greater cooperation by prosecutors with NGOs, with the goal of increasing sentences rendered in TIP cases. The ILA would be a highly qualified current federal prosecutor, selected from the ranks of DOJ's most experienced anti-TIP attorneys. ¶3. Proposal 2: Increasing Access to Migrant Services for Indonesian Migrant Workers (A) Applicant Name: International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) (B) Funding Requested: $499,869 (C) Project Title: Increasing Access to Migrant Services for Indonesian Migrant Workers in Taiwan (D) Project Duration: 15 months (E) Proposal Abstract: ICMC proposes a three-part project to improve access to shelter, legal assistance, counseling, and medical services for Taiwan's large population of Indonesian foreign workers. Part One: ICMC will compile an island-wide directory of service providers for migrant workers, to be disseminated by government offices, NGOs, places of worship, and other facilities. ICMC will conduct "sensitization workshops" for Muslim religious leaders and Indonesian migrant worker associations to encourage their increased assistance to Indonesian workers, especially TIP victims. ICMC will host formal dialogues between Muslim religious leaders and existing migrant worker service providers to increase cooperation and to foster service referrals. Part Two: ICMC will enhance the capacities of three different service providers through training and small grants. ICMC will arrange for counseling, shelter management, and legal assistance experts to conduct training workshops for the designated service providers, each of which will also receive approximately $25,000, to be used to hire Indonesian-speaking Muslim women as outreach workers, and to defray TIP victims' TAIPEI 00000191 002 OF 003 legal assistance and repatriation expenses. Part Three: To encourage the Indonesian government to more effectively engage with the Taiwan government, ICMC will collaborate with the Indonesian Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Taiwan NGOs to document and report the challenges faced by Indonesians working in Taiwan. ¶4. Proposal 3: Multidisciplinary Community Response Model (A) Applicant Name: Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation (TWRF) (B) Funding Requested: $98,422 (C) Project Title: Establishment of a Multidisciplinary Community Response Model (D) Project Duration: One year (E) Proposal Abstract: To organize a one year research project aimed at building a multidisciplinary community to focus on the prevention of human trafficking, protection of trafficking victims and prosecution of traffickers. The process will begin at a local level with the establishment of a community task force. This task force should incorporate policymakers, law enforcement, and NGOs. The task force will implement awareness-raising activities and training programs for local law enforcement officials, NGOs and other potential service providers. The goal is to improve knowledge of victim identification and to build partnership to enhance coordination and cooperation among the different sectors involved. The TWRF will serve as the community-based advocate to coordinate training programs targeting law enforcement officials and potential service providers. TWRF will also conduct surveys of local law enforcement officials, NGOs, and other service providers to determine the adequacy of resources currently available to trafficking victims, obstacles to adequate care, and recommendations for improvement. ¶5. Proposal 4: Coordinated Victim Protection Program Conference (A) Applicant Name: Garden of Hope Foundation (GOH) (B) Funding Requested: $100,955.40 (C) Project Title: Combating Human Trafficking Through a Coordinated Victim Protection Program; (D) Project Duration: 8 months (E) Proposal Abstract: GOH proposes a three-day training conference to help government officials, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and NGOs develop an integrated protection system for trafficking victims, including shelter, medical care, legal aid, social welfare services and immigration services. After the conference, GOH will publish a report on the current state of protections for TIP victims in Taiwan. GOH will also publish a handbook, written by conference trainers, aimed at overcoming the difficulties associated with the establishment of an integrated protection system for TIP victims. ¶6. (U) Proposal 5: Local and International Team Building (A) Applicant Name: Department of Political Science and Graduate Institute, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) (B) Funding Requested: $100,550 (C) Project Title: International Cooperation on Combating TIP - A Team Building Perspective (D) Project Duration: One year (E) Proposal Abstract: Taiwan has difficulty fostering TAIPEI 00000191 003 OF 003 international cooperation because it lacks formal diplomatic relationships. Cooperation with labor source country governments is also limited by language, distance, and networking difficulties. NCKU proposes improving cross-border anti-TIP cooperation by building teams of TIP experts from Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and if possible, China. These teams (including police, immigration officers, prosecutors, and academics) will conduct research, and will meet in Taiwan and in the aforementioned labor source countries to discuss and formulate mechanisms to improve cross-border cooperation between government agencies, NGOs, and other entities involved in combating TIP. The expert teams will also generate training programs and materials for law enforcement officials in Taiwan and other participating countries. These meetings will culminate in an international conference to be held in Taiwan. YOUNG