PROTECTION ADVISORY

Protection Advisory 2 of 22 January 2013

Women and children affected by Typhoon Pablo are at high risk of being trafficked
Findings
Women and children, in areas devastated by Typhoon Pablo in Mindanao are at high risk of being trafficked. An estimated 80% of the affected communities are women adults and children. Many of them were already at risk due to forced displacement caused by the ongoing conflict prior to the typhoon. Up to 40% of the affected communities in Regions XI and Caraga lived below the poverty line and around 7% of children in were engaged in hazardous labour such as, deep-sea fishing, mining and quarrying.

A woman in Monkayo municipality whose farm was completely destroyed by Typhoon Pablo (face blurred
for security reasons). 2012/UNHCR

As a consequence of the typhoon, many families have lost their main source of income (agricultural lands), education is difficult to access (schools are destroyed) and infrastructure is damaged or destroyed (lighting, housing etc). In many situations, women and children are living separately from their families as they, or their spouses/parents find work elsewhere. This increases their vulnerability to gender-based violence including human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual exploitation and abuse. Urban areas such as Davao City, Cebu City and Metro Manila typically serve as destinations for trafficking in persons, while international flights via Davao, Cebu, Manila and boats via Zamboanga and Tawi Tawi may be used as transnational routes.

Recommendations
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is leading initiatives to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. Please contact DSWD or the Philippines National Police (PNP) Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) (hotline numbers provided below) for support if you suspect that an act of trafficking is occurring/has occurred. Bureau of Immigration teams at key border points are requested to be alert. Aid agencies must ensure active involvement of and consultation with women, men, girls and boys in all relevant activities and ensure that their specific needs are always identified and addressed in humanitarian response. Aid agencies are requested to ensure that the specific needs of women, men, girls and boys, especially those who are most vulnerable such as female- and adolescent-headed households, pregnant and lactating women, and women with disabilities, are addressed as a priority, including in remote hard-to-reach areas. The Philippine National Police (PNP) and other relevant agencies should ensure that both female and male staff are accessible at all times to women and children in the communities, and that female staff in particular participate in community discussions and other activities, and that policewomen participate in patrols (especially in the night). The Bureau of Immigration is requested to be particular alert for people from Pablo affected areas who may be trafficked. Definition of Trafficking in Persons

The recruitment, transportation, transfer or harbouring, or receipt of persons with or without the victim's consent or knowledge, within or across national borders by means of threat or use of force, or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or of position, taking advantage of the vulnerability of the person, or, the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purpose of exploitation which includes at a minimum, the exploitation or the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery, servitude or the removal or sale of organs. The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation shall also be considered as "trafficking in persons" even if it does not involve any of the means set forth in the preceding paragraph. -Republic Act 9208 Anti- Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003

Contacts
Department of Social Welfare and Development DSWD Region XI Suazo St., cor Magsaysay Ave., Davao City 0909-537-3243, fo11@dswd.gov.ph Commission on Human Rights Inter-Agency Council against trafficking-Integrated Action (IACAT) Region 11 Network PNP Region 11 Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD)/Task Force Against Trafficking

CHR Region XI Trinity II Bldg, Quimpo Boulevard, Davao City Davao City Davao City (082) 298-3479, chrdavao@yahoo.com 0917-718-5588 0999-9915534 CHR Region Caraga DSWD Region Caraga CAP Bldg J.C. Aquino cor J. Rosales Ave, Pili Drive Extension, Butuan City Butuan City 0919-639-7170, focrg@dswd.gov.ph (085) 815-2247, chr_caraga@yahoo.com For general protection concerns, kindly contact Raquel E. Nuez, Focal Point for DSWD, Protection Cluster, 0916 439 9500, ren_0910W@yahoo.com.