Project profile — Capacity building of institutional actors involved in the fight against human trafficking

• Colombia (100.00%)

• Government And Civil Society, General: Human rights (15160) (100.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

This project seeks to strengthen the rights of human trafficking victims in Colombia, mainly women, children, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) individuals, to better protect them. Project activities include: (1) delivering training workshops on effective, gender-based care for direct and indirect victims of human trafficking to government employees responsible for assisting them in Colombia; (2) providing technical support to Defensoría del Pueblo, an advocacy organization, to build its capacity to develop recommendations for improving care for human trafficking victims. It does so by tailoring care to local needs in line with applicable international standards in Colombia; and (3) delivering training workshops on strategic litigation for important human trafficking cases to government employees and lawyers representing trafficking victims in Colombia. This project benefits Colombian judicial and state actors involved in defending the victims of human trafficking, as well as the victims themselves.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) enhanced capability of Defensoría del Pueblo and other institutions combating human trafficking to effectively take care of current and potential human trafficking victims, particularly women, girls and LGTBQ people, by international standards; and (2) adopted and implemented new practices in line with international standards and a gender-based approach to combating human trafficking in Colombia by Defensoría del Pueblo.

Results achieved as of March 2023 include: (1) 85% of officials and representatives of OSC noted a positive change in the protection of victims’ rights, an increase from the target of 75%. 67 interrogated participants out of 74 (86% of participants; 41 out of 49 women) noted that the project contributed to an improved gender-sensitive institutional response to and handling of human trafficking cases, an increase from the target of 75%; (2) the Defensoría adopted 4 new gender- and human rights-based practices to identify and handle cases. 145 participants out of 221 (66%) acquired new knowledge on protection and assistance measures for victims, surpassing the goal of 40 people; and (3) 75 participants out of 87 (86%) felt more prepared to carry out advocacy work, especially regarding children, women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex persons. This is an increase from the target of 40 personnel.

• Proactive disclosure