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News & Updates

USAID Releases New Policy to Combat Trafficking in Persons

March 20, 2012

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, at a White House event, Dr Rajiv Shah, Administrator for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), launched the Agency's new 2012 Counter-Trafficking in Persons (C-TIP) Policy to reinvigorate and focus USAID's efforts to combat human trafficking around the world.

In the policy's preface, Administrator Shah writes, “In line with President Obama's Presidential Policy Directive on Global Development and under the leadership of Secretary Clinton, USAID has crafted a new Agency-wide policy to combat trafficking in persons. Drawing on best practices from the last decade, the new policy provides guidance on pursuing more effective, efficient and evidence-based approaches in counter-trafficking.”

The launch event included Samantha Power, Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs, White House National Security Council; Ambassador Donald Steinberg, Deputy Administrator for USAID; and Ambassador Luis CdeBaca from the State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.

Trafficking victimizes millions of people worldwide and is a lucrative crime, grossing an estimated $32 billion a year through forced labor, commercial sexual exploitation and debt bondage, among other forms. Although precise numbers are unknown, the scale of human trafficking is vast, and recent estimates of the number of people enslaved in sex or labor exploitation range from 12 to 27 million. USAID is among the largest donors combating trafficking—in any given year, the Agency is investing in counter trafficking activities and programs in over two dozen countries.

The C-TIP Policy will enable the Agency to be a catalytic partner in the counter-trafficking community by outlining concrete, measurable principles and objectives. These include integrating counter-trafficking activities across the development sectors, improving program design to capture lessons learned and best practices in counter-trafficking activities, and enhancing institutional accountability within USAID to address trafficking through training of staff and coordination with partners.

The policy outlines seven guiding principles: employing USAID's comparative advantage, measuring impact and bringing to scale, applying selectivity and focus; developing regional approaches; promoting partnerships; investing in innovation and technology; and promoting high ethical standards.

USAID's Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) will lead the implementation of the Agency's C-TIP Policy, in partnership with the Bureau for Policy, Planning, and Learning (PPL). These Bureaus will work in collaboration with USAID Missions and operating units in Washington that currently have or plan to program funds to combat trafficking to translate the policy into meaningful action for millions of men, women, and children worldwide.

Visit USAID’s Trafficking in Persons site for more information.

Adapted from “USAID Releases New Policy To Combat Trafficking In Persons,” USAID Press Releases, 23 February 2012.