New UN guide on dealing with human trafficking

       A guide is now available for relevant agencies to consult in upholding human rights and ethics during counter-trafficking operations.
       Published by the United Nations Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking (UNIAP), the guide will serve as a tool for policy makers, practitioners and researchers.
       Among the key principles are that all officials involved must prioritise personal safety and security, and that they must get informed consent with no coercion.
       "Do no harm. Be compassionate and neutral," the guide adds.
       It insists that relevant officials must ensure anonymity and confidentiality to the greatest extent possible.
       It also calls for the adequate selection and preparation of interpreters.
       This special guide is entitled, "Guide to Ethics and Human Rights in Counter Trafficking".
       In collaboration with Thailand's Department of Special Investigation, UNIAP has already translated the guide into Thai.
       There are now 8,000 copies of the Thai version.
       These copies are to be distributed to law-enforcement agencies and relevant officials across the country.
       "Rather than improving the lives of victims of trafficking, you can actually put them in greater danger if you don't apply some very basic rules on ethics", Ratchada Jayagupta said yesterday in her capacity as Thailand National Project Coordinator for UNIAP.
       She was speaking at a workshop in Bangkok.
       The workshop aimed at providing a strong and well-coordinated response to human trafficking among all partners and organisations engaged in counter-trafficking work in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS).
       The GMS countries are China, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand and Vietnam.
       "Counter-trafficking practitioners, especially law enforcement officials, must have a good understanding of the essence of human rights and the right to basic liberties of their fellow human beings, in order to be able to bring justice to everyone involved in a professional and ethical manner", Pol Colonel Tawee Sodsong said at the workshop.
       He is the Director General of Thailand's Department of Special Investigations.