23 September 2014 - Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Jesus I. Yabes expressed the Department of Foreign Affairs' (DFA's) support for the Blue Heart Campaign, an international awareness-raising initiative to fight human trafficking and its impact on society, during his meeting with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Representative for Mexico Antonio Mazzitelli yesterday, September 22.

Undersecretary Yabes and Mr. Mazzitelli met on the sidelines of the DFA Regional Workshop on Anti-Trafficking in Persons for Philippine Foreign Service Posts in the Americas, in partnership with the UNODC, which is being held in Mexico City until September 26.

Launched by the UNODC in March 2009, the Blue Heart Campaign seeks to encourage involvement and inspire action to help put a stop to trafficking in persons. The Blue Heart simultaneously represents the sadness of trafficking survivors and the cold-heartedness of those who buy, sell and traffic fellow human beings.

"The Philippines recognizes the need for concerted regional and international efforts in order to put an end to human trafficking. Our support for the Blue Heart Campaign is only one of the ways by which we demonstrate our steadfast commitment to upholding human dignity and human rights," Undersecretary Yabes said. 

The DFA joins several countries and organizations involved in the Blue Heart Campaign. More information on the Blue Heart Campaign is available at http://www.unodc.org/blueheart/. END