Cambodia National Inter-Faith Forum on Combating Human Trafficking and Ending Modern Slavery was organized for the third time on 14th August 2019 and was presided over by the Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia, Minister of Interior and the Chairman of National Committee for Counter Trafficking (NCCT).
This forum was initiated by Caritas Cambodia and religious leader from four main faith groups of Buddhism, Catholic, Protestant and Muslim in 2017.
Considering the strategic aspect of this forum and learning from the success of national campaign in Thailand in 2018, Caritas Asia too decided to take the 3rd National Interfaith Forum against human trafficking as a regional event by inviting 25-member organizations and wider network in Asia, including JCAP, Global Shepherd and Fountain of Life Cambodia.
The main objectives of the forum and the visits were to enhance the capacities of 25 Caritas Member Organizations in Asia in the field of Safe Migration and Anti Human Trafficking and to provide opportunities for cross-learning and mutual exchange of experiences and knowledge among the participants.
At this event, Sri Lanka was represented by Mr. Sajith Silva, Programme Manager, Integral Human Development, Caritas Sri Lanka – SEDEC. This forum was conjoined with an exposure visit to a shelter where they house victims of human trafficking. On the last day of the event, the representative from each member organizations had the opportunity to learn and share their country specific experiences with the other colleagues mainly from the Asia region.
The event continued from 14th to 16th August 2019 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
It was expected clear commitment of collaboration and action plan to improve the regional capacity in safe migration and anti-human trafficking through cross-border collaboration among MOs and other church organizations in Asia.