Exploratory Assessment of Trafficking in Persons in the Caribbean Region
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EXPLORATORY ASSESSMENTEXPLORATORY OF TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS IN THE CARIBBEAN REGION EXPLORATORY ASSESSMENT OF TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS IN THE CARIBBEAN REGION: The Bahamas The Netherlands Antilles Barbados St. Lucia Guyana Suriname Jamaica frange Domestic Servitude Forced Labour Sexual Slavery International Organization for Migration (IOM) 17 route des Morillons 1 1752 N Street NW, Suite 700 1211 Geneva 19 Washington, DC 20036 Switzerland United States of America T +41 22 717 91 11 T +1 202 862 1826 F +41 22 798 61 50 F +1 202 862 1879 E [email protected] E [email protected] www.iom.int International Organization for Migration IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefi ts migrants and society. As an intergovernmental body, IOM acts with its partners in the international community to: assist in meeting the operational challenges of migration; advance understanding of migration issues; encourage social and economic development through migration; and uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants. Publisher: International Organization for Migration (IOM) 17 route des Morillons 1 1752 N Street NW, Suite 700 1211 Geneva 19 Washington, DC 20036 Switzerland United States of America T +41 22 717 91 11 T +1 202 862 1826 F +41 22 798 61 50 F +1 202 862 1879 E [email protected] E [email protected] www.iom.int ISBN 978 92 9068 249 3 ©2005 International Organization for Migration (IOM) Design: Free Range / Washington DC www.freerangegraphics.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. Exploratory Assessment of Trafficking in Persons in the Caribbean Region June 2005 Organization of American States Inter-American Commission of Women Exploratory Assessment of Trafficking in Persons in the Caribbean Region Table of Contents Acronyms and Abbreviations iii Acknowledgements v Executive Summary 1 Introduction 3 What is Trafficking in Persons? 4 Caribbean Regional Overview 9 Migration Trends and Mobility in the Caribbean 9 Methodology 15 Individual Country Reports 19 The Bahamas 21 Main Findings: Literature and Statistical Reviews and the National Survey 21 Main Findings: Key Informant Interviews 25 Media Review 30 Current Government Response 31 Current Non-Governmental Response 32 Conclusion 32 Barbados 35 Main Findings: Literature and Statistical Reviews and National Survey 35 Main Findings: Key Informant Interviews 37 Media Review 51 Current Government Response 54 Current Non-Governmental Response 56 Conclusion 57 Guyana 61 Main Findings: Literature and Statistical Reviews and National Survey 61 Main Findings: Key Informant Interviews 65 Media Review 72 Current Government Response 74 Current Non-Governmental Response 78 Challenges Ahead 79 Jamaica 83 Main Findings: Literature and Statistical Reviews and National Survey 83 Main Findings: Key Informant Interviews 86 Media Review 92 Current Government Response 94 Current Non-Governmental Response 96 Challenges Ahead 96 The Netherlands Antilles 99 Main Findings: Literature and Statistical Reviews and National Surveys 99 Main Findings: Key Informant Interviews 103 Media Review 111 Current Government Response 112 Conclusion 114 i Exploratory Assessment of Trafficking in Persons in the Caribbean Region St. Lucia 117 Main Findings: Literature and Statistical Reviews and the National Survey 117 Main Findings: Key Informant Interviews 119 Media Review 124 Current Government Response 125 Current Non-Governmental Response 126 Conclusion 127 Suriname 129 Main Findings: Literature and Statistical Reviews and the National Survey 129 Main Findings: Key Informant Interviews 132 Media Review 141 Current Government Response 141 Current Non-Governmental Response 143 Cross-Country Analysis: Regional Trends 145 Introduction 145 Migration 145 Recruitment 148 Movement / Transportation 149 Exploitation 150 Trafficking in Children 154 Other Contributing Factors 156 Actions 157 Conclusion 160 Regional Recommendations 163 References 167 Appendix A: National Survey Results 185 Appendix B: Semi-structured Interview Questionnaire 226 Appendix C: National Research Objectives 239 Appendix D: Country-Specific Data Collection 241 ii Exploratory Assessment of Trafficking in Persons in the Caribbean Region Acronyms and Abbreviations ACCP Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome APA Amerindian People’s Association BBC British Broadcasting Corporation BET Black Entertainment Television BPW Business and Professional Women’s Club BWA The Bureau of Women’s Affairs BWU Barbados Workers’ Union CAFRA Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action CARICOM Caribbean Community CASH Coalition on Sexual Harassment CBO Community Based Organization CEDAW Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women CERD Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination CID Criminal Investigation Department CIM Inter-American Commission of Women CIOG Central Islamic Organization of Guyana CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child CSME Caribbean Single Market and Economy CSW Commercial Sex Worker CTO Caribbean Tourism Organization DR Dominican Republic EFA-FTI Education for All – Fast Track Initiative ERP Economic Recovery Programme ESSJ Economic & Social Survey of Jamaica GDP Gross Domestic Product GGMC Guyana Geology and Mines Commission GHRA Guyana Human Rights Association GOJ Government of Jamaica HDI Human Development Index HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus HPI Human Poverty Index IDA International Development Association IDB Inter-American Development Bank ILO International Labour Organization IMF International Monetary Fund IMP International Migration Policy Programme IOM International Organization for Migration JSLC Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions KN Kaieteur News MDGR Millennium Development Goal Report MLHSSS Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security NAP National Action Plan NAVAS Netherlands Antilles Aliens Registration System iii Exploratory Assessment of Trafficking in Persons in the Caribbean Region NGO Non-Governmental Organization NIS National Insurance Scheme NWD North West District OAS Organization of American States OECS Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States PACT People’s Action for Community Transformation PAHO Pan American Health Organization PANCAP Pan Caribbean Partnership Against AIDS PRM Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration RBDF Royal Bahamas Defence Force SAP Structural Adjustment Programme SMLA Stichting Maxi Linder Associate SN Stabroek News STD Sexually Transmitted Disease STI Sexually Transmitted Infection TIP Trafficking in Persons UK The United Kingdom UN United Nations UNCATOC United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNGA United Nations General Assembly UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund US The United States of America USAID United States Agency for International Development USD United States Dollar WIDER World Institute for Development Economics Research YMCA Young Men’s Christian Association iv Exploratory Assessment of Trafficking in Persons in the Caribbean Region Acknowledgements This study was made possible through the support of the Bureau of Populations, Refugees and Migration of the US Department of State and the Ministry of Justice of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This report was prepared on behalf of IOM and CIM/OAS by research consultants Carla Bakboord, Diane Cummins, Jennifer Holder Dolly, Jacqueline Martis, Audrey Ingram Roberts, Sybil Douglas Ricketts, and Karen de Souza; technical consultants Micah Bump and Laurence Hunzinger; and by Amy Mahoney and Ashley Garrett. Heikke Mattila, Jobst Koehler and Liz Collett of IOM Research Services provided essential technical inputs. Special thanks to Nidia Casati and Rosilyne Borland for providing critical feedback and editing assistance. Thanks to the entire IOM counter- trafficking team for support throughout the course of the project. v Exploratory Assessment of Trafficking in Persons in the Caribbean Region Executive Summary This Exploratory Assessment of Trafficking in Persons in the Caribbean is part of a larger regional initiative launched by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in partnership with the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) of the Organization of American States to strengthen the capacity of governments and civil societies of the participating countries which include The Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, the Netherlands Antilles, St. Lucia, and Suriname. Trafficking in persons is a modern-day form of slavery, involving victims who are typically forced, defrauded, or coerced into various forms of exploitation. Men, women, and children are treated as inexpensive, expendable, and profitable commodities used for the purpose of financial gain. Human trafficking has become one of the fastest growing and most lucrative criminal activities, occurring both worldwide and in individual countries, including those in the Caribbean region. The exploratory research methodology included a literature review, desk legal review, and an exploratory field assessment by national researchers within each country. Media reviews, national surveys, and key informant interviews were used in developing country reports on the current context of human trafficking in the Caribbean. Anecdotal information