For Immediate Release
Date: September 27th, 2023
Majuro – Starting at the bridge, participants in last week’s “Solidarity Walk” aimed at bringing greater attention to the issue of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) were off to an early rainy start. The walk culminated at Delap Park on March 23. Organized by The Asia Foundation, the walk is part of a greater effort being implemented by the Pacific RISE-CTIP Project, a 5-year project to combat trafficking in persons in the Pacific funded by USAID. Participants included: Miss Marshall Islands 2023, Miss Wotho, Miss Arno, RMI Judiciary, the Ministry of WIU, representatives of the RMI National Taskforce on Human Trafficking, members of the U.S. Embassy team, , WAM, WUTMI CMI, and several members of the community at large.
Pacific RISE-CTIP Project’s Program Officer Jasmine Henry said, “It was an opportunity to meet them and to put faces to the people who work behind the scenes to protect the community, prevent further trafficking in persons, and prosecute any perpetrators found to be involved in any aspect of trafficking in persons”.
The U.S. Embassy’s Chargé d’affaires Jeremiah Knight added, “Public awareness of human trafficking is crucial to combat Human trafficking. This walk is only the first of several efforts to engage the people of Marshall Islands to understand human trafficking and join in the effort to end it”.
The United States has directly supported RMI in its efforts to combat the trafficking of persons by providing $100,000 for safe houses and counseling services, technical assistance from the FBI to the RMI law enforcement, and the Office of Majuro Local Police Marine Division. An attorney advisor position within the Attorney General was also funded to assist RMI National Task Force on Trafficking in person.
