Cairo, 5 October 2016 - IOM facilitated a five-day study visit in September for nine representatives of the Egyptian Judiciary to the United Kingdom on countering human trafficking. The visit was organized with the support of the US Agency for International Development - USAID.

The delegation was comprised of representatives selected by the National Coordinating Committee for Combating and Preventing Human Trafficking (NCCTIP) and the Office of the Prosecutor General.

The study visit aimed at familiarizing the participants with the United Kingdom national legislative and strategic framework in the areas of countering human trafficking and modern slavery.

A series of meetings and visits took place with different UK stakeholders including the Home Office, Metropolitan Police and National Crime Agency, the National Commissioner on Modern Slavery, Crown Prosecution Service and Courts, as well as a shelter for VoTs.

The study visit contributed to strengthening the cooperation on migration issues between IOM, NCCTIP and the Office of the Prosecutor General, which is foreseen to contribute positively in enhancing the counter-human trafficking mechanisms in Egypt.

Furthermore, the participants of the study visit will be involved in capacity building and other activities aimed at enhancing the counter human trafficking system in Egypt. These activities include the review and update the national ‘Guidelines on Collecting Evidences, Investigating and Prosecuting Crimes of Human Trafficking and Victim Protection within the Context of the Law’. A series of capacity building activities for the pertaining national actors will follow once the Guidelines are updated.

“Notwithstanding the efforts invested by all involved actors in the past years, the issue of human trafficking is still well present in Egypt and in need to be tackled more effectively. The study visit has exposed the representatives of the Egyptian judiciary to a series of excellent examples of practices in countering human trafficking. Those learnt examples can represent the basis for advancing the national legislative and policy frameworks as well as the system for prosecuting human trafficking cases and protecting VoTs,” said Mr. Andrea Dabizzi, Head of Migrant Assistance Division in IOM Egypt.

IOM has maintained years of cooperation with the Office of Prosecutor General and NCCTIP.  A series of awareness raising and capacity building activities were conducted jointly with the Office of Prosecutor General upon the adoption of the Anti-trafficking Law no. 64/2010.

The NCCTIP is the Egyptian government focal point and coordination body for policies and efforts in the field of preventing and combating human trafficking. The Committee is comprised of 22 different ministries and national entities (the Office of Prosecutor General is one of them), which deal with human trafficking under the 4-P paradigm (Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Partnership).

For further information, please contact Andrea Dabizzi, IOM Egypt., Tel: +202-27365140, Email: iomegypt@iom.int.