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Advocacy

Working in the United States and throughout the world to eradicate trafficking in persons, especially women and children, has and continues to be at the forefront of The Protection Project’s human rights activities.

The Protection Project implements a comprehensive approach to working against this most egregious violation, and has, throughout the years, carried out numerous initiatives aimed at raising awareness on the issue of trafficking and assisting governments and civil society actors in developing, enacting, and implementing effective responses.

 

Testifying before the U.S. Congress, U.S. State Legislatures, and Foreign Parliaments. 

Assisting Countries in Drafting and Implementing Anti-Trafficking Legislation. 

Working with the United Nations to Combat Trafficking in Persons around the World. 

Training Service Providers in the United States in Assisting Victims of Trafficking in Persons.

Raising Awareness on the Issue of Trafficking in Persons throughout the United States. 

Reaching out to the Diplomatic Community and Receiving International Visitors. 

Carrying out Fact-Finding Missions.

Advancing Academic Scholarship of Trafficking in Persons.

Carrying Out Training and Capacity-Building Programs for Civil Society and Government Officials Working to Combat Trafficking in Persons.

 

 

Testifying before the U.S. Congress, U.S. State Legislatures, and Foreign Parliaments

The Protection Project has  assisted U.S. and foreign lawmakers in monitoring responses to combat trafficking in persons by testifying in front of US and foreign committees overseeing responses to the issue of trafficking and elaborating recommendations for more effective legislation and policy.  

 

Before the U.S. Congress:

  • In April 2008, The Protection Project gave a Congressional Briefing, as part of the Capitol Hill Distinguished Speakers Series: Stopping Women Trafficking in the Muslim World, in cooperation with American-Islamic Congress.
  • On September 27, 2006, The Protection Project testified at “Protecting Children: The Battle Against Child Pornography and Other forms of Sexual Exploitation,” a Hearing before the Helsinki Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe, United States Congress.
  • On July 13, 2004, The Protection Project testified on the topic of “Mail-order Brides: Exploited Dreams,” before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
  • On July 7, 2004, The Protection Project testified on “Examining U.S. Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking and Slavery: An Assessment of the United States’ Recent Legal Responses to the Problem of Trafficking in Persons on the Federal, State and International Levels,” before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights.
  • On June 25, 2003, The Protection Project testified on “A Comparative Analysis of the Anti-trafficking Legislation in Foreign Countries: Towards a Comprehensive and Effective Legal Response to Combating Trafficking in Persons,” before the House Committee on International Relations Subcommittee on International Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Human Rights.
  • On October 29, 2003, The Protection Project testified on the “Role of the Government in Combating Trafficking in Persons – A Global Human Rights Approach,” before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness.
  • On June 28, 1999, prior to the passage of the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) in 2000, The Protection Project testified on “The Sex Trade: Trafficking of Women and Children in Europe and the United States,” before the United States Congress Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe.

 

Before U.S. State Legislatures:

  • On March 21, 2005, The Protection Project testified on the topic of “Towards a More Adequate and Effective Legal Response to Trafficking in Persons: The New Maryland Trafficking of Persons and Involuntary Servitude Law,” before the Maryland House of Delegates, in the state of Maryland.

 

Before Foreign Parliaments:

  • On October 17, 2005, The Protection Project delivered “Remarks on the Anti-Trafficking law of Mexico,” in front of the Senate of Mexico, in Mexico City, Mexico.
  • On November 29, 2004, The Protection Project testified on “A Call for the Passage of the Russian Draft Law on Encountering Trafficking in Persons: Is there a Need for a Comprehensive Law or Is the Amendment to the Criminal Code (Article 127) Sufficient?,” before the State Duma of the Russian Federation, in Moscow, Russia.

 

 

Assisting Countries in Drafting and Implementing Anti-Trafficking Legislation

Enacting and implementing effective anti-trafficking legislation, which criminalizes the trafficker, recognizes the trafficked person as a victim, and provides for prevention mechanisms and protective services, is the first step to any comprehensive response to the crime of trafficking in persons. As such, The Protection Project regularly works with law and policy-makers, as well as civil society groups throughout the world, to assist countries in drafting comprehensive and effective anti-trafficking legislation. The Protection Project has assisted many countries in drafting and implementing anti-trafficking legislation, for example:

 

  • In Bahrain, The Protection Project worked in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to train members of the Royal Police Academy on the Anti-Trafficking Law of Bahrain (July 2008).
  • In Haiti, The Protection Project worked in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to provide commentary toward the improvement of Haiti’s Draft Anti-Trafficking Law (2008).
  • In Indonesia, The Protection Project provided extensive commentary on the Indonesian Anti-Trafficking Bill (May 2005).
  • In Iraq, The Protection Project has been working directly with legislative drafters to enhance and advocate for the passage of the Draft Anti-Trafficking Legislation of Iraq, in cooperation with the Iraqi Council of Ministers and the University of Baghdad (February 2009-present).
  • In Kuwait, The Protection Project participated in a discussion of the Draft Anti-Trafficking Law of Kuwait with the Institute for Judicial and Legal Training (2007).
  • In Malaysia, The Protection Project held meetings with governmental officials on the enforcement of the Anti-Trafficking Law of Malaysia (2008).
  • In Oman, The Protection Project participated in a workshop discussing the new Omani Law to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2007).
  • In Qatar, The Protection Project has cooperated closely with the Qatar Foundation to Combat Human Trafficking toward the passage of a comprehensive ant-trafficking law in Qatar.
  • In Saudi Arabia, The Protection Project has conducted a range of activities, ranging from fact-finding missions to assess the scope of the problem (March 2007), to trainings of prosecutorial techniques in the judicial legal system, specifically directed at trafficking cases (January 2009). These and other measures have resulted in the Draft Anti-Trafficking Law of Saudi Arabia, on which The Protection Project conducted trainings at the Naif Arab University of Security Sciences (July 2008).
  • In Syria, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), The Protection Project participated in a workshop on drafting an anti-trafficking law (2007). The following year (January 2008), The Protection Project took part in another workshop on a discussion of the new Syrian draft law on combating trafficking in persons in light of international legal standards and comparative models.
  • In the United Arab Emirates, The Protection Project conducted a regional conference on trafficking in persons in the six Persian Gulf States, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (December 2007).
  • In Yemen, in cooperation with UNICEF, The Protection Project advised the government in the implementation of the “National Capacity Building Programme to Counter Child trafficking in Yemen” (August 2006 and October 2006).

 

 

Working with the United Nations to Combat Trafficking in Persons around the World

The United Nations is a crucial forum for working with countries to advance anti-trafficking efforts. The Protection Project therefore works closely with various agencies of the United Nations, especially the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) toward countries’ implementation of the United Nations Protocol to Prevent Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, by participating in Expert Group meetings, speaking before the United Nations General Assembly, and carrying out side events for civil society groups in conjunction with United Nations treaty committee meetings.

 

The Protection Project has taken part in Expert Group Meetings convened by various agencies of the United Nations:

  • The Protection Project participated in the Expert Group Meeting on a “Framework for an Effective Implementation of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking In persons, Especially Women and Children,” convened by the UNODC (April 2009).
  • The Protection Project participated in the Expert Group Meeting on “Drafting a Model Law to Combat Trafficking in Persons” (2007).
  • The Protection Project served as a member of an Expert Group tasked with drafting an advanced manual for judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers on trafficking in persons (February 2007).
  • The Protection Project participated in an Expert Group Meeting on “Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in the MENA Region – Regional Plan of Action and Technical Cooperation,” convened by the UNODC (July 2006).

 

The Protection Project has presented before the United Nations General Assembly and other United Nations bodies:

  • The Protection Project took part in the launching of the UNODC’s “Framework for an Effective Implementation of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in persons, Especially Women and Children,” before the UN General Assembly in New York, NY (October 2009).
  • The Protection Project participated in a panel discussion addressing “Violence against Women through Legal Reform,” a joint dialogue of the Commissions on the Status of Women and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, NY (March 2009).
  • The Protection Project took part in the United Nations “Informal Thematic Debate of the General Assembly on Human Trafficking” in New York, NY (June 2008).
  • The Protection Project spoke on “An analysis of the Handbook for Parliamentarians on the Appropriate Legal Responses to Combat Trafficking in Persons,” before a Parliamentary Forum convened by the UNODC in conjunction with the United Nations Global Initiative to Combat Trafficking In Persons (UN.GIFT) Forum, in Vienna, Austria (February 2008).

 

The Protection Project has conducted side events for civil society groups in conjunction with United Nations treaty committee meetings:

  • The Protection Project organized a Side Event to the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on “National and International Reporting and Monitoring Mechanisms on Trafficking in Persons,” assessing state reports submitted to the United Nations on the status of trafficking in persons and national models of reporting and monitoring mechanisms on government progress to combat trafficking in persons, in Vienna, Austria (April 2009).

 

 

Training Service Providers in the United States in Assisting Victims of Trafficking in Persons.

To ensure that the benefits of the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) passed in 2000 and reauthorized in 2003, 2005, and 2008, The Protection Project assisted numerous service providers throughout the United States in understanding the law and its implementation through capacity-building programs for law enforcement officials, medical and psychological care providers, legal assistance services providers, social workers, local and state government officials, as well as NGOs providing direct services to victims of trafficking.

Some of the states where The Protection Project conducted such training programs included California, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, and many others, as well as the District of Columbia. As part of these training programs, The Protection Project also facilitated city- and state-wide referral network development, so as to facilitate victims’ access to services and assistance they are entitled to.

 

 

Raising Awareness on the Issue of Trafficking in Persons throughout the United States

To prevent trafficking in persons throughout the United States, The Protection Project has worked through the years to bring attention to the issue and raise levels of awareness and understanding among the general public.

In doing so, The Protection Project has spoken out at numerous events throughout the country, covering over 20 states in doing so. Topics addressed by The Protection Project have included: “Human Trafficking for the Purpose of Prostitution: The Bush Doctrine and Beyond,” (at the Fifth Annual Conference entitled “Prostitution, Sex Work, and Human Trafficking,” at the University of Toledo, Ohio, September 2009); “Sex Trafficking as a Form of Sexual Violence Against Women: East Meets West: Cross-Cultural Perspectives towards Addressing and Preventing Sexual Assault,” (at the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Maryland, March 2008); “A Three-E Approach in Reviewing the US Laws against Trafficking in Persons,” (at the United States Department of Justice National Conference on Human Trafficking in Louisiana, October 2006). “PROTECT Act: A Legislative Review of Child Sex Tourism Laws in the United States,” (at the United Front for Children Conference at the University of Minnesota, April 2006); “Overview of Transnational Trafficking: A Global Perspective,” (at the University Program on Trafficking in Persons at Nonwestern University in Illinois, April 2006); “Sexual Coercion and Trafficking: A Legal Perspective,” (at the Gruter Institute for Law and Behavioral Research, California, June 2003); “The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000: An International and Comparative Perspective,” (at the Trafficking in Persons: Conference on Modern Day Slavery, Global, National and Local Perspectives in Texas, 2003); “International Conventional Law: The United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, “ (at the Globalization, Justice, and the Trafficking of Women and Children Conference at the University of Washington, October 2002), and many others.

 

 

Reaching out to the Diplomatic Community and Receiving International Visitors.

Raising awareness about trafficking among members of the diplomatic community stationed in Washington, DC, provides an unmatched opportunity to advocate with governments of countries throughout the world for enhancing anti-trafficking responses, familiarizing them with U.S. efforts, raising their awareness on cutting edge issues in the field, and promoting information exchange. As such, The Protection Project regularly reaches out to the diplomatic community in Washington, DC, through its embassy luncheon series. The Protection Project has also cooperated with embassy officials to organize events that highlight their countries’ efforts in combating trafficking in persons. Throughout the years, such programs have included:

 

  • “Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report 2009: Findings and Recommendations,” An open dialogue with Ambassador Luis C. de Baca Director, Office to monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons US Department of State (June 30, 2009).
  • “The Council of Europe Approach to Trafficking in Human Beings” (June 5, 2008).
  • “The Status of Trafficking in Persons in the Arab World” (March 31, 2008).
  • A dialogue with the newly appointed Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons of the US Department of State, Ambassador Mark Lagon (June 20, 2007).
  • A dialogue with the Israeli National Coordinator on Trafficking in Persons, Ms. Rachel Gershuni (March 6, 2007) (in cooperation with the Embassy of Israel in Washington, DC).
  • A dialogue with the Swedish National Coordinator on Trafficking in Persons, Mr. Anders Oljelund (February 13, 2007) (in cooperation with the Embassy of Sweden in Washington, DC).
  • “Trafficking in Persons in Greece,” a dialogue with the Ambassador of Greece to the United States, His Excellency Alexandros Mallias (July 10, 2006) (in cooperation with the Embassy of Greece in Washington, DC).

 

The Protection Project publishes an annual review of the U.S. Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report, that is released in June of every year. The purpose of the review is to analyze the data contained in the Department of State’s report and to serve as a resource for members of the diplomatic community, other representatives of foreign governments, as well as the U.S. government, and civil society practitioners in the U.S. and abroad.

Likewise, The Protection Project regularly receives international visitors focusing on the issue of trafficking in persons and selected by the U.S. Department of State’s International Leadership Visitor Exchange Programs. Over the years, The Protection Project has spoken about its work, as well as the U.S. Efforts to combat trafficking to delegations representing all regions of the world, and a variety of anti-trafficking actors, including judges, law enforcement officials, legal professionals, and representatives of various government ministries charged with combating trafficking in persons.

 

 

Carrying out Fact-Finding Missions.

Documenting and reporting on the scope of the problem of trafficking in persons is crucial toward the elaboration of relevant and timely responses. As such, The Protection Project has undertaken a variety of fact-finding missions throughout the years to various regions of the world to study and document trafficking in persons, and related issues, such as child sex tourism. The Protection Project has carried out fact-finding missions focusing on the identification of victims of trafficking in Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Peru, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates (2004), on the scope of trafficking in persons in Bolivia and the Kyrgyz Republic (2001), Egypt (2007), on child sex tourism in Cambodia (2005), Costa Rica (2006), Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam (2005), and on sex trafficking in the Philippines (2006).

 

 

Advancing Academic Scholarship of Trafficking in Persons.

The Protection Project is committed to encouraging academic inquiry into the issue of trafficking in persons, and advocates for the teaching of university-level courses on the issue of trafficking. Dr. Mohamed Y. Mattar, Executive Director of The Protection Project regularly teaches “International Trafficking in Persons” to law students at American University College of Law, and at Georgetown University Law Center, as well as to international relations Master’s degree students at The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Additionally, The Protection Project has assisted the Naif Arab University for Security Studies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in developing their first course on “International Trafficking in Persons,” and has introduced such courses to the Police Academy in Bahrain and the American University in Kazakhstan.

 

 

Carrying Out Training and Capacity-Building Programs for Civil Society and Government Officials Working to Combat Trafficking in Persons.

The Protection Project works closely with international counterparts to build capacity to combat trafficking in persons and recognizes the need for long-term assistance. As such, The Protection Project has carried out comprehensive long-term programs on training and capacity-building programs on trafficking in persons for counterparts in Iraq, Southeastern Europe (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Serbia and Montenegro), and the Persian Gulf Countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). The Protection Project is currently assisting the University of Alexandria in Alexandria, Egypt, with the establishment of the first legal aid clinic which will be devoted to assisting victims of trafficking in persons, as well as violence against women, and is also working in Egypt to establish a shelter for victims of labor trafficking in the country.