Today, Chargé d’Affaires to Côte d’Ivoire Joann M. Lockard, First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire Dominique Ouattara, and Minister of Labor and Social Security Mr. Adama Camara signed the U.S.-Côte d Child Protection Agreement ‘Ivoire (CPC) ) Partnership, a historic multi-year non-binding project to tackle child sexual abuse and child labor in Côte d’Ivoire. The implementation of this partnership will strengthen the efforts of the Ivorian government as it works with national stakeholders and civil society in a sustainable, coordinated manner to address child sex trafficking. and forced child labour.
The signing of the CPC Partnership comes after several months of negotiations between representatives of the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, the Office of the U.S. Department of State. to Investigate and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office), which is responsible for leading the Department’s global commitment to combat. human trafficking, and the U.S. Embassy. Abidjan.
With the signing of this CPC Partnership, the TIP Office, working with Congress is committed to providing $10 million in U.S. foreign aid. will be awarded to non-governmental and / or international organizations that will cooperate with the relevant departments of the government of Ivory Coast and the TIP Office. implement the action plan that has been developed to achieve the objectives of the CPC Agreement. These objectives include ensuring that prevention efforts are better coordinated and targeted across the country; providing accessible protection services to victims of child trafficking using a trauma-informed and victim-focused approach; to ensure that law enforcement agencies use existing trafficking-specific legal mechanisms to identify victims of child trafficking, investigate cases, and prosecute and sentence perpetrators of child abuse in a fair manner , which is victim-oriented, and has expert knowledge; and promote coordination across relevant sectors, civil society, local communities, and external partners.
The TIP Office will select implementing partners through a competitive bidding process. The Financial Opportunity Notice will be posted on the TIP Office website:
https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-funding-opportunities/
https://www.facebook.com/usdos.jtip
https://www.state.gov/what-is-trafficking-in-persons/
https://www.state.gov/child-protection-compact-partnerships/
