International Visitors Explore Trafficking in the United States

09.06.2007

On August 3, 2007, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative hosted eight participants in the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. The participants from Georgia and Turkey visited the United States as part of the sub-regional project “Combating Trafficking in Persons.” During their three weeks in the U.S., they visited several cities including Washington, D.C., New York, Miami, San Diego, and Seattle. The purpose of their trip was to learn about the patterns and types of trafficking found in the U.S., as well as the services offered to victims of human trafficking and the role of the U.S. government and non-governmental organizations in combating human trafficking domestically and abroad.

Senior Criminal Law Advisor Mary Greer, along with Program Manager Jennifer Denton and Legal Analysts Brie Allen and Irina Lortkipanidze, met with the participants to discuss the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s anti-trafficking work. ABA ROLI staff shared information on the Human Trafficking Assessment Tool and on other anti-trafficking projects and activities in host countries around the world. Also discussed at the meeting were legislative drafting and support activities implemented by the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s program in Georgia.

The participants from Turkey were especially interested in learning about the ways ABA ROLI supports local non-governmental organizations’ efforts to combat human trafficking in their respective countries. The Georgian participants expressed their gratitude for the Initiative’s assistance in drafting and implementing Georgia’s human trafficking legislation and action plan, as well as the assistance in training Georgian judges and prosecutors and informing the public about human trafficking.