Cablegate: Trafficking in Persons: Kenya Establishes National Steering

VZCZCXRO6788
PP RUEHGI RUEHRN
DE RUEHNR #3118/01 2121109
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311109Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1447
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 4226

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 003118

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR AF/E, DRL, AND AF/EPS
DEPT FOR G-TIP
DEPT ALSO PASS TO DOL FOR ILAB

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB KCRM ECON KE
SUBJECT: TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS: KENYA ESTABLISHES NATIONAL STEERING
COMMITTEE

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED

1. (SBU) Summary: The Government of Kenya (GOK) is increasing its
efforts to combat trafficking in persons (TIP) following a pivotal
June 25 meeting of the National Steering Committee to Combat Human
Trafficking. The Committee selected a task force of GOK agencies,
NGOs and UN agencies to draft a National Plan of Action (NPA), and a
smaller group to serve as the Secretariat for the task force. The
initiative is partly the result of an International Organization for
Migration (IOM) project, and IOM will take the lead in training and
supporting the Committee and Task Force in preparing both the NPA
and a National Strategy to fight TIP. The meeting was a welcome
first step in what will likely be a long, slow process towards
addressing TIP more effectively in Kenya. End Summary.

TIP Problem Demands National Plan of Action
-------------------------------------------

2. (SBU) On July 25, Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) Permanent
Secretary (PS) Nancy Kirui chaired the second meeting of the GOK's

SIPDIS
National Steering Committee to Combat Human Trafficking attended by
13 GOK agencies, four UN agencies, 10 NGOs, and U.S. Embassy reps.
(The much smaller May 22 meeting appears to have been a prelude that
planned for the July 25 meeting.) The PS stated that TIP was a
serious problem in Kenya, especially impacting children, who are
used as domestics and commercial sex workers. The Attorney
General's office, she said, is working on a bill to criminalize TIP.
Without mentioning the State Department's TIP report, the PS noted
that Kenya was a source, transit and destination country, with a
tier two international ranking. She acknowledged the need to build
awareness, and praised a recent TV program that documented the
regional child trafficking problem. She called on her Ministry's
Children's Services Department and the assembled agencies and
organizations to prepare a National Plan of Action (NPA) to address
this "hidden crime." She also called for [donor] support for the
initiative.

3. (SBU) Embassy reps provided copies of the 2007 TIP report and
offered to work within both the Committee and the Donors Working
Group on TIP to support the initiative.

Task Force Appointed to Draft Action Plan
-----------------------------------------

4. (SBU) The Committee agreed to meet every two months, and to
appoint a smaller Task Force to draft the NPA, composed of the
following agencies:

-- GOK: Office of the Vice-President, MoHA Children's Services,
Immigration, Police, Attorney General's Office, and Ministry of
Labour.
-- UN: IOM, UNICEF.
-- NGOs: FIDA, CRADLE, SOLWODI, LSK, and ANPPCAN regional.

5. (SBU) The Task Force agreed to an IOM-sponsored training session
on TIP and NPAs, to draft the terms of reference for the Task Force,
and to hold a series of drafting meetings to prepare a plan for
submission to the Committee. They also agreed that IOM, Children's
Services, and the CRADLE would serve as a Secretariat to arrange
logistics for the meetings and develop curriculum for the training.

Increased GOK Commitment
------------------------

6. (U) The GOK's increased commitment to fighting TIP was also
demonstrated by the recent high-profile activities of Vice President
Awori, who heads the Ministry of Home Affairs. Besides leading the
multi-city tour of the caravan for increased child protection, he
officiated at the African Day of the Child ceremonies, whose theme
was "Combating Child Trafficking."

IOM is Lead Donor
-----------------

7. (SBU) Working with other donors, the IOM has taken the lead in
convincing the GOK to begin the process of addressing TIP, and in
providing resources. The establishment of the Committee and the
proposed NPA are part of an IOM project to help Kenya address its
TIP problem. The IOM officer was pleased with the results of the
meeting, and believes the GOK is becoming more committed to
addressing the issue.

Comment
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NAIROBI 00003118 002 OF 002

8. (SBU) The presence of the PS, her deputy and senior staff and all
the relevant GOK agencies, the acknowledgment and detailed
discussion of the extent and seriousness of TIP in Kenya, and the
agreement to proceed with drafting the NPA are all welcome evidence
the GOK has really started the process of developing a national
anti-TIP strategy. However, the process is likely to be long and
slow. The inclusion of only one embassy on the Committee is
acknowledgment of the U.S. Embassy's lead role on TIP within the
donor community.

Committee Members
-----------------

9. (U) The following organizations are on the Steering Committee.

GOK:
- Ministry of Provincial Administration and Internal Security
- Office of the Cabinet
- Kenya Police
- National Security Intelligence
- PS Ministry Home Affairs
- Ministry Home Affairs Children's Department
- Attorney General's Office
- Education Ministry
- Immigration Ministry
- Information and Communications Ministry
- Labor and Human Resources Ministry
- Tourism Ministry
- Health Ministry

Civil Society and NGOs:
- Law Society of Kenya
- FIDA (Federation of Women Lawyers)
- CRADLE Children's Foundation
- Children's Legal Network (CLAN)
- Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK)
- SOLWODI (Solidarity with Women in Distress)
- Miji Kenda Girl Child Organization
- National Council of Christian Churches (NCCK)
- Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM)
- Hindu Council of Kenya
- African Network for the Prevention and Protection of Child Abuse
and Neglect (ANPPCAN)

International Partners
- IOM
- UNICEF
- UN Organization for Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
- International Labor organization (ILO)
- Embassy of the United States of America

RANNEBERGER

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