Human Trafficking Experts Discuss Urgent Need to Address the Global Problem of Human Trafficking
(Top Photo) Screenshot of the participants to the GAD Webinar on Human Trafficking” held on 23 May 2021.( Bottom Photo from left): Charge d’affaires Leilani S. Feliciano delivering the opening remarks; Atty Darlene Pajarito; and Ambassador Rosario G. Manalo (Photos from Brasilia PE)
BRASILIA, 31 May 2021 – In line with DFA’s third pillar of Philippine foreign policy to promote the protection of the rights and welfare of Filipino nationals abroad and its adherence to the Magna Carta for Women, the Philippine Embassy in Brasilia, in cooperation with ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking (ASEAN ACT), conducted a webinar entitled “GAD Webinar on Human Trafficking” on 23 May 2021. The webinar featured presentations from human trafficking experts and resource speakers from ASEAN ACT, namely, Deputy Team Leader Aaron Rosada, who discussed the mandate, strategies and challenges of ASEAN-ACT, and Justice Systems Director Atty. Darlene Pajarito who delved on legal frameworks on human trafficking, elements of Trafficking-in-Persons (TIP), and the synergistic cooperation between the IACAT and ASEAN ACT, among others.
ASEAN-ACT is a 10 year Australian Government development program with direct programming in 7 ASEAN Member States and engagement with all 10.
Among those who attended the webinar were Ambassador Rosario G. Manalo, PH CEDAW Expert and champion of women's rights; Ambassador Pedro Chan, former PH Ambassador to Turkey; Ambassador Crescente Relacion, former PH Ambassador to Qatar; Ambassador Frank Cimafranca, PH Ambassador to Hungary; Ambassador Eduardo de Vega, PH Ambassador to Belgium; and OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac.
In her keynote speech, Charge d’ affaires, ad interim, Leilani S. Feliciano recognized the urgency of addressing the global problem of human trafficking and emphasized the Philippine Government’s and Filipinos’ patriotic duty by work in concerted, organized and synergistic efforts with the UN and other international organizations, PH agencies, and civil society, to eradicate and dismantle the human trafficking infrastructure.
Atty. Pajarito also noted that in the 2020 the Trafficking in Person’s Report issued by the US State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, the Philippines is ranked as Tier 1, which means that the Philippine government is making serious efforts to address the issue, and meets the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s minimum standards.
The webinar, conducted through Zoom was livestreamed on the Embassy’s Facebook page (https://bit.ly/3vDlxC7).. END
For more information, visit http://philembassybrasilia.org/ .