UWI and Consular Corps Sign MOU to Heighten Stakeholder Human Trafficking Awareness

The University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Consular Corps of Jamaica, on Thursday (December 14), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will aid in training and building various stakeholder groups’ awareness on human trafficking.

The MOU was signed during a ceremony at the UWI Regional Headquarters in St. Andrew.

In her remarks, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, said Jamaica takes its obligation as a party to the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, as well as the protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons very seriously.

She noted that the Parliament recently updated Section 4 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Suppressions and Punishment) Act, and Article 9 of the Sexual Offences Act.

“They cover all forms of trafficking indicated in the trafficking protocol, and we are committed to ensuring that all agreements relating to migration, labour, trade, border security measures and investment are in alignment with domestic and international law on human trafficking,” Senator Johnson Smith said.

“It is critical that we have partners and stakeholders to deal with the enforcement and the sensitisation that is needed. So, this MOU solidifies the strong interest which Jamaica has in ensuring that we have the partnerships necessary to deal with issues and scourges such as these,” she added.

The Minister noted that stakeholders have a critical role to play in this endeavour, adding that the potential for this partnership between the premier regional tertiary education institution and the Consular Corps is significant, as it augurs well for promoting prevention and increasing vigilance at all levels.

“We’re pleased that the support to be harnessed under the MOU will raise awareness about trafficking in persons through various outreach programmes that will be conducted at UWI campuses across the region. Because we have the potential to, therefore, not only utilise the expertise that UWI possesses, but to reach a target audience that we know is at risk, essentially our young people,” Senator Johnson Smith said.

“So, against this background, I want to welcome the fact that the MOU will complement efforts undertaken by the Government of Jamaica, including the National Task Force Against Trafficking In Persons (NATFATIP),” she added.

For his part, UWI Vice Chancellor, Sir Hilary Beckles, said there has been a long relationship between the University and the Consular Corps that has represented many nations in the Caribbean.

“We have many areas of mutual interest. Our university is committed to scientific research, robust but informed discourse on that research; and we are committed, by way of our responsibility, to participate in advocacy. We have an interest in helping to shape policy on many of the areas that are informing our economic and social development,” Sir Hilary said.

“This MOU clearly is within this context and, against this background, we are honoured and excited to do this,” he added.

For his part, Dean of the Consular Corps of Jamaica, Robert Scott, said his organisation wants to play a role in the development of the youth.

“We want to develop the youth generally. But specifically, there is another scourge, and this is modern-day slavery, human trafficking. Information tells us that it is a US$150-billion business, and, by 2030, it is expected that human trafficking would generate more revenue than drug running or gunrunning,” Mr. Scott said.

He noted that human trafficking was not only present internationally, but also locally.

“We see this as an issue that academia and civil society can work together [on] because, what we know [is], the police can’t do everything but they need us who are in the communities to have the conversations and make the differences,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Hon. Marsha Smith, said the renewed MOU between the UWI and the Consular Corps sets the stage for an expanded and dynamic impactful relationship.

“I am excited about the collaborative opportunities that are detailed in this MOU. [It] shows that there is great prospect for jointly designing, developing, and delivering training programmes, coupled with exchange of information and materials, and this opens up expansive possibilities for mutual growth and enrichment,” she added.

The State Minister further noted that these initiatives not only signify a commitment to an immediate collaboration, but also set the stage for broader impacts, encompassing societal empowerment, organisational excellence, and global cooperation.

“This is investing in capacity-building as being a strategic endeavour, because what we want for our region is a more resilient area where persons are more knowledgeable about their rights, because we are all intricately interconnected,” Ms. Smith said.

She further noted that it was heartening to see both institutions partnering to address the pressing issue of human trafficking.

“In Jamaica, we are all too aware of its devastating impact on families and communities. It is a crime that robs individuals of their freedom, dignity and potential. It is a crime that, as a society, we must stand against,” Ms. Smith underscored.

Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert Flynn, said human trafficking is a serious transnational crime that is also referred to as modern slavery and is currently one of the world’s most heinous and lucrative crimes.

She stated that it involves recruitment by deception or force, transportation across borders legally or illegally, or within a country for the purposes of exploitation.

Global estimates suggest that approximately 45.8 million persons are enslaved worldwide.

Women and girls account for 71 per cent of the vast majority of all trafficking victims, while 28 per cent of those detected globally are children.

“I am proud to say that the Government of Jamaica welcomes this partnership between the UWI and the Consular Corps, as it is in alignment with the Global Plan of Action to combat Trafficking in Persons. I am confident that this awareness-building initiative will further enhance the Government’s thrust to combat human trafficking, as it is not only a Jamaica issue but represents a global threat,” Mrs. Cuthbert Flynn stated.

She added that, as a result, there is greater need to increase awareness and engagement within ministries, departments and agencies and among external stakeholders.

In 2019, The UWI Open Campus and the Consular Corps of Jamaica signed an MOU to develop capacity-building in international trade and investment and other cooperative agreements.