UNICEF handed over IT equipment worth around USD 12,636 (approximately 144,758,00 LAK) to the Department of Anti-Human Trafficking of the Ministry of Public Security to support their work in addressing human trafficking and promoting justice for children in Lao PDR during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

The equipment was handed over by Ms. Beate Dastel, UNICEF Deputy Representative to the Lao PDR to Police Colonel Anousinh Sakpraseuth, Deputy Director General of the Department of Anti-Human Trafficking, Ministry of Public Security on Feb 15.

Procured with the support from UNICEF, the equipment handed over include video conference sets, desktop computers, professional camera recorders, LCD projector, mobile phones, and desk telephones. The equipment will be used by the hotline staff, media division, and the national steering committee in the work to address human trafficking in the country. It will also be used to coordinate and build capacity among the national and sub-national steering committees working on addressing human trafficking and justice for children while adopting hybrid working modalities.

“Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Ministry of Public Security has provided services to many women and children to report cases and help make them feel safer during these troubling times. The equipment provided will help us further build the capacity of our staff so that they can provide mobile hotline services, produce video production, facilitate online training and coordination to the public security at the sub-national level and to provide assistance to staff in performing their duties. Our sincerest thanks to UNICEF for their contribution,” said Police Colonel Anousinh Sakpraseuth, at the handover ceremony conducted at the Ministry of Public Security in Vientiane Capital.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many aspects of children’s lives in the Lao PDR. The confinement caused by the lockdown, school closures, and limited availability of social services on the ground due to COVID-19 has contributed to increased stress levels among families and a rise in marriage migration, labour exploitation, surrogacy, online violence, and other child-related issues.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is both a serious health and social crisis for the Lao PDR and many other countries around the world, with women and girls from low-income families being particularly vulnerable to its impact. The loss of employment, lack of access to information, healthcare, and social services have heightened the risks for them to become victims of violence, exploitation, neglect, abuse, and trafficking, which are all serious issues that we as a society are currently facing. UNICEF is working closely with the Government of the Lao PDR to support law enforcement actors and social workers to continue providing their services to every child during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Ms. Beate Dastel, Deputy Representative of UNICEF in the Lao PDR.

Source: Lao News Agency