National Campaign Against Human Trafficking Launched in Honduras

U.S. Ambassador Lisa Kubiske highlights the importance of anti-trafficking efforts in Honduras.
On June 10, 2014,  the Commission against the Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking (CICESCT),  the Government of Honduras, the Institutional Support Programme against Trafficking (SICTE), and Global Communities with support the U.S. State Department, launched the “National Campaign Against Trafficking in Persons.”
Human trafficking is a crime against humanity and modern-day slavery occurs when humans are captured, transported, transferred or bought and sold like objects, to be subjected to various forms of exploitation, including sexual exploitation, forced marriage, labor, or organ removal. Other forms of exploitation include forcing children to earn money by begging, illegal adoption, and the use of minors in organized crime.
The “National Campaign Against Trafficking in Persons,”  which runs from June to September, aims to raise awareness, inform and alert the population to prevent people from becoming victims. It also aims to create a culture where such crimes are not tolerated. While there have been important advances against traffikcing, such as the Law Against Trafficking in Persons passed by the Government of Honduras in 2012, training of the judiciary, and most recently the commitment by the government  to allocate funds for CICESCT to implement preventivative actions, prosecute offenders, and care for victims, there are still enormous challenges.
President  of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández inaugurated the campaign by declaring Honduras as hostile territory for human trafficking warning offenders, that under the new law, it is punishable by 22 years in prison. While U.S. Ambassador Lisa Kubiske highlighted the importance of anti-trafficking efforts by CICESCT and othet partners to date. Awareness raising efforts included video testimonials by trafficking victims.
To learn more about the plight of victims of trafficking, please view the video testimonials below of Diana and Dennis below. Two victims of trafficking who traveled from Honduras as undocumented migrants with dreams of a better future and whose dreams quickly turned to nightmares as they faced hardship, exploitation, and unimaginable conditions.