BELIZE CITY, Wed. July 21, 2021– During the most recent Cabinet meeting, the Briceño administration discussed the implementation of measures aimed at combating the trafficking of persons in our country and region. The discussion followed a review of the 2021 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report by government ministers.

The report, which was released in July, assessed the efforts made by 188 countries in the battle against human trafficking.

The assessment was based on the 3Ps of the Palermo protocol: the prosecution of traffickers, the protection of trafficking victims, and the prevention of trafficking in persons. The theme of this year’s TIP Report is “Human Trafficking in the Context of a Global Pandemic.”

A brief released by Cabinet following their discussion of the report stated that the Cabinet is “calling on all relevant ministries to implement the recommendations made in the report where appropriate.” The brief states that Cabinet has also decided to restore funding for initiatives related to the fight against human trafficking to ensure that these objectives are achieved.

Also, the brief announced that Cabinet has approved the completion and validation of protocols for the treatment/care of migrant children in Belize. According to the brief, the protocols cover both accompanied and unaccompanied migrant children and are guided by national, regional, and international conventions. The protocol gives priority to the child’s right to life, survival, security, and shelter.