Caring for Trafficked Persons: Guidance for Health Providers

A manual combining research, field experience and good practices for providing health services to victims of human trafficking has been introduced by the Ministry of Health and the International Organization for Migration.  The Caring for Trafficked Persons handbook combines collective experience from an array of experts from various international organizations, universities and civil society in addressing the consequences of human trafficking.  The guide was developed with the support of the U.N. Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking and was led by the International organization for Migration.  It provides practical, non-clinical advice to help health providers understand the occurrence of human trafficking, identify associated health problems and consider safe and appropriate steps that can be taken to provide healthcare for trafficked persons.

Julio Sabido

Dr. Julio Sabido, Ministry of Health

“Over the years, trafficking and smuggling of human beings, especially women and children has been a serious challenge faced by the international community.  Organized trafficking of persons is trans-boundary in nature and has affected every region of the world and is recognized internationally as a major law enforcement, human security and human rights issue.  Virtually every country in the world is affected by the crimes of trafficking, smuggling of migrants whether as an origin, transit or destination country. This training will help the healthcare providers who are medical practitioners, nurses, social workers, councilors and primary care assistants to be able to identify a traffic or someone who is a victim of trafficking and also the care that we need to provide for these people.  As I said earlier in the opening remarks, there’s a distinction between the definition of a trafficked person and someone who is smuggled.  But nevertheless, we still have to provide the care without any type of discrimination for these people.  It should be care as you would provide for any Belizean national or any person that seeks healthcare at a clinic.  We shouldn’t have to ask what your migratory status is.”

The healthcare training concludes on Thursday.