VZCZCXYZ0029
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHCV #0445/01 0472059
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 162059Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3245
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 6002
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 5181
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 1011
RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN PRIORITY 0129
RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA PRIORITY 0860
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ FEB 1662
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 9867
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA PRIORITY 1033
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 1734
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL PRIORITY 0295
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY

UNCLAS CARACAS 000445 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR INL/G/TIP ETERNO, WHA/PPC MPUCCETTI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM SMIG KCRM KWMN ELAB EAID VE
SUBJECT: PROJECT PROPOSALS: NGOS TAKE ON TIPS 
 
REF: 05 STATE 221178 
 
------ 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (U) Per reftel instructions, Embassy is submitting a 
proposal by the NGO Association for the Well-being and 
Reciprocal Assistance for Women (AMBAR) for funding 
consideration.  A description of a backup proposal submitted 
by UNICEF is included in paragraph 5 should Washington decide 
not to fund AMBAR's proposal.  The AMBAR proposal includes a 
public awareness campaign, training modules and conferences 
to enhance the ability of non-governmental organizations in 
the Venezuelan States of Miranda, Anzoategui, Vargas and 
Nueva Esparta to create, implement and evaluate collaborative 
projects for combating sexual exploitation and trafficking of 
children and adolescents in Venezuela.  AMBAR has worked with 
sexually exploited women and children for the past 11 years 
and recently agreed to support BRV efforts to investigate the 
extent of trafficking in Venezuela.  End Summary. 
 
---------- 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶2.  (U) In June 2005, Venezuela was designated Tier 3 country 
in the area of trafficking in persons (TIP) for the second 
consecutive year under criteria established in the 
Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003. 
Although Venezuela is a source, transit, and destination 
country for women, children and adolescents trafficked for 
the purpose of sexual exploitation and forced labor, the BRV 
did not acknowledge trafficking as a significant problem 
during 2004 nor make substantial efforts to comply with the 
minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.  While 
the Ministry of Interior and Justice's (MIJ) Crime Prevention 
Unit, Interpol, and local and international NGOs have 
received some complaints about trafficking, no comprehensive 
statistics on trafficking exist in Venezuela.  The MIJ's 
Crime Prevention Unit is responsible for coordinating all 
government efforts to combat TIPs. 
 
¶3.  (U) During 2005 and early 2006, the government made some 
progress in combating human trafficking.  In December 2005, 
the Crime Prevention Unit launched the BRV's national 
anti-trafficking public awareess campaign.  Four different 
anti-TIP messages ir daily on television channels 2,4,8 and 
10, an on Venezuela's government-owned radio stations. 
nti-trafficking posters were placed in airport terinals at 
Simon Bolivar International Airport andin metro stations 
throughout the city.  Despite  series of delays, the BRV is 
scheduled to host he Organization of American States' (OAS) 
Trafficing meeting in Margarita Island on March 14-17. 
MBAR has been working with sexually exploited wome and 
child for 11 years and recently agreed to spport BRV efforts 
to investigate the extent of tafficking in Venezuela . 
 
-------- 
PROPOSAL 
------- 
 
¶4.  (U) TITLE: Program to Prevent Child ex Tourism in 
Venezuela 
 
ORGANIZATION: Associaion for the Well-being and Reciprocal 
Assistanceof Women (AMBAR) 
 
DURATION: 12 months 
 
DESCRIPTION:  AMBAR,s project will be implemented in Miranda 
(Caracas), Vargas, Anzoategui and Nueva Esparta States where 
children and adolescents are believed to be particularly at 
risk for sexual exploitation through the child sex tourism 
industry.  The project consists of four phases: a six to 
eight-month training module for participating NGO managers to 
strengthen the ability of non-governmental organizations to 
create, implement and evaluate projects designed to prevent 
the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents; three 
overlapping, five-month training modules for facilitators, 
members and invited guests of participating NGOs; the 
creation of an NGO Protection Network designed to facilitate 
collaboration on projects to combat child sex tourism; the 
implementation of forums, conferences and symposiums to 
facilitate informative exchanges between NGOs in the four 
target states.  Eighty managers from 60 NGOs in the four 
target states will be selected by an eight-member project 
coordination and evaluation team comprised of one 
representative from each target state,s Child Protection 
Council, and one representative from a well-established state 
NGO working to protect the rights of children and 
adolescents.  AMBAR,s project proposal culminates with the 
creation of a Network website and an informational campaign 
designed to raise government officials, and the public,s 
awareness of child sex tourism and its link to the 
trafficking of children and adolescents in Venezuela.  Unlike 
most NGO projects, this program provides funding for three 
social workers and legal, sociological and psychological 
attention for victims. 
 
JUSTIFICATION: AMBAR's proposal is a comprehensive approach 
to addressing the lack of coordination among NGOs advocating 
for the rights of children and adolescents, the lack of 
public awareness about the child sex tourism industry in 
Venezuelan and the serious dearth of training for civil 
society groups seeking to combat sexual exploitation of 
children and adolescents.  Unlike most NGOs, the program also 
provides for victim assistance by incorporating licensed 
social workers, lawyers, sociologist and psychologists into 
the program's design.  The creation of an NGO network in 
Miranda, Vargas, Anzoategui and Nueva Esparta States would be 
an effective strategy for disseminating information and 
preventative strategies on child sex tourism throughout 
Venezuela at both the government and non-governmental 
organization levels.  AMBAR has experience working with both 
NGO and government officials and has a buy-in from the BRV as 
evidenced by the Crime Prevention Unit's request for 
assistance to investigate the extent of Venezuela's 
trafficking problem. 
 
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS: Greater awareness of the child sex 
tourism industry among government and non-governmental 
organizations; greater coordination among NGOs in target 
states where child sex tourism is believed to be a grave 
problem; increased interaction between governmental and 
non-governmental organization to protect the rights of 
children and adolescents; implementation of the Network's 
radio and television public awareness campaign at the 
national and state level; and the creation of an official NGO 
network and website. 
 
EVALUATION PLAN: AMBAR along with the project's eight-person 
evaluation team will evaluate the project each trimester, 
meeting with state project coordinators to determine the 
effectiveness of training modules and progress on performance 
indicators. 
 
BUDGET BREAKOUT: In USD 
 
Technical/ 
   Administrative Staff                               69,220 
 
Travel                                                12,000 
Office Furniture/Equipment                             8,600 
Public Awareness Campaign/Website Design        22,530 
Logistics/Publicity for forums, 
   symposiums and conferences                         11,150 
Teachers for training modules/ 
   participant materials and supplies                 26,500 
 
 
TOTAL                                                 150,000 
 
(Note: The original budget for this project was USD 205,090. 
AMBAR has secured, however, USD 55,090 from outside sources 
to support the project.) 
 
PROPOSED FUNDING MECHANISM: Grant 
 
EMBASSY POINT OF CONTACT: LaTranda Martin, Political Section. 
 Phone: (0212)908-8531.  Fax: (0212)907-8033.  Email: 
martinLS@state.gov 
 
¶5.  (U) One additional project was submitted and selected as 
a back-up should Washington decide not to fund AMBAR's 
proposal.  Local NGO CEM and the International Office of 
Migration (IOM) submitted a proposal for consideration in 
2005 but did not submit proposals for the current year. 
 
--A Childhood and Adolescence Free from Smuggling, 
Trafficking and Exploitation.  Submitted by: UNICEF.  Budget 
$135,000. 
 
DESCRIPTION: The goal of UNICEF,s project is to strengthen 
administrative, social and judicial mechanisms to combat 
child trafficking, influence public opinion so the 
elimination of child trafficking becomes a priority, and 
create a network with authorities along the Colombian and 
Brazilian borders to facilitate information exchange and 
cooperative action.  The project,s objectives would be 
implemented through meetings, working groups, and training 
sessions with officials from national/state Ministries, Child 
Protection Councils, law enforcement officials, judges, 
teachers, civic leaders and local media.  UNICEF would 
produce and distribute advertising and educational materials 
for schools and media outlets in selected states.  The 
project would also entail working with appropriate government 
officials from the Venezuelan, Colombian and Brazilian 
governments to create an action plan for joint cooperation on 
the topic.  The project would primarily benefit school-aged 
children and their parents in the Capital District, 
Anzoategui, Bolivar and Tachira State. 
BROWNFIELD