VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGT #0149/01 0432327
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 122327Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4751

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000149 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR G/TIP BFLECK, KBRESNAHAN 
DEPT ALSO FOR WHA/CEN AND WHA/PPC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC ELAB KCRM PHUM PREL SMIG KJUS GT
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA'S TIP PROPOSALS FOR G/TIP FY08 FUNDS 
 
REF: STATE 161287 
 
Post is pleased to submit the following summary information 
for three TIP project proposals for funding from 
G/TIP-managed FY 2008 INCLE and ESF appropriations.  The 
summaries are keyed to reftel format request.  Per reftel, 
post will forward the complete project proposals via email to 
G/TIP. 
 
Project 1 
 
(a) Applicant:  Asociacion Casa Alianza (ACA) 
(b) Requested funding amount:  USD 497,748 
(c) Project title:  Direct Action for the Social 
Reintegration of Children and Adolescents Who Have Been, or 
Are at Risk of Being, Victims of Trafficking in Persons 
(d) Project duration:  three years 
(e) Project abstract:  Trafficking in persons is a problem 
unfortunately all too common in Guatemala and throughout 
Central America.  Children and adolescents are the primary 
victims of trafficking.  The organization Asociacion Casa 
Alianza (ACA) is a recognized leader in civil society with 
expertise in responding to numerous challenges, among them 
trafficking in persons.  Through its residential programs, 
more than a hundred children and adolescents receive constant 
care from its professional, competent team.  Implementation 
of this project, with USG assistance, will help many more 
children and adolescents reintegrate into society. 
 
The project aims to improve social reintegration of victims 
and those at risk of human trafficking by first restoring the 
human rights of children and adolescents through 
24-hour-a-day care in ACA programs, and secondly developing 
lobbying activities to reform national laws regarding this 
vulnerable population.  Anticipated activities include: 
24-hour-a-day care for children and adolescents in ACA 
communities; the development, implementation, observation, 
and evaluation of lifestyle plans for social reintegration of 
children and adolescents resident in ACA programs; the 
development and implementation of a lobbying plan by ACA's 
National Office and its legal team; and the development and 
presentation of a proposal for reform of legislation relating 
to trafficking in persons. 
 
Project 2 
 
(a) Applicant:  End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography, 
and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes 
(ECPAT)/Guatemala 
(b) Requested funding amount:  USD 423,320 
(c) Project title:  Regional Project to Eliminate Trafficking 
of Persons 
(d) Project duration:  two years 
(e) Project abstract:  Human trafficking is a significant and 
growing problem in the Central American region.  Guatemalans, 
as well as women and children trafficked through Guatemala 
from El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, are subject to 
trafficking for sexual and labor exploitation in Mexico, 
Belize, and the United States.  A significant number of 
women, girls, and boys are trafficked internally for sexual 
exploitation, often lured from poor rural regions to urban, 
border, and tourist areas. 
 
The Central American countries have implemented measures to 
prevent trafficking in persons, provide care to victims, and 
prosecute and sanction abusers.  Despite these efforts, women 
and children are not yet adequately protected from 
trafficking because legislation does not adequately 
criminalize and penalize exploiters, and in very few cases 
laws are reinforced and criminals arrested.  Access to 
justice and to the judiciary system is generally very limited 
and victim and witness protection and assistance are 
inadequate. 
 
In general, there is a lack of mechanisms and institutional 
procedures in the national police for effective prosecution 
of exploiters and offenders, as well as a lack of 
extraterritorial legislation and agreements among countries 
Qextraterritorial legislation and agreements among countries 
to combat trafficking in persons.  In addition, victim 
assistance is very limited because there are few adequate 
rehabilitation and reintegration programs, and safe 
repatriation is not provided.  These problems require 
innovative, integrated, and coordinated responses at the 
national and regional levels to: 
-- Enforce laws, policies, and programs against trafficking 
and strengthen communication between law enforcement and 
other authorities; 
-- Negotiate bilateral agreements to facilitate prosecution 
of traffickers; 
-- Support shelters and facilitate access to comprehensive 
care, legal protection, the justice system, repatriation, 
information and prevention activities; 
-- Implement trafficking prevention strategies in vulnerable 
populations; 
-- Ensure speedy delivery of justice; 
-- Make court procedures victim/child-friendly; 
-- Coordinate response from the various law enforcement 
agencies; 
-- Focus on victim protection; 
-- Provide social welfare facilities to help child victims 
rather than placing them in detention; 
-- Provide restorative justice for child victims; 
-- Protect witnesses; 
-- Train and build capacity of law enforcement to help 
children; 
-- Enhance cross-border and in-country cooperation among 
government officials, private sector leaders, and members of 
civil society. 
 
Project 3 
 
(a) Applicant: The Emergence Group (TEG) 
(b) Requested funding amount:  USD 395,988 
(c) Project title:  TIP Victim Protection Through Detection 
and Law Enforcement Project 
(d) Project duration:  three years 
(e) Project abstract:  While the Government of Guatemala has 
been making significant efforts in combating TIP, Guatemala 
dropped to the Tier 2 Watch List for its "failure to provide 
evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in 
persons, particularly in terms of convicting and sentencing 
human traffickers for their crimes."  (2007 TIP Report) 
Whereas Guatemala has made progress in many areas, such as 
legal statutes and awareness campaigns, its primary failing 
is in the area of enforcement. 
 
TEG proposes the "TIP Victim Protection Through Detection and 
Law Enforcement Project" to address this challenge.  TEG is 
uniquely qualified to improve victim protection through 
enhanced law enforcement in Guatemala.  Its law enforcement 
programs go beyond traditional police functions.  TEG 
specializes in engaging police in community policing-inspired 
programs that bring police and other law enforcement 
officials together with other societal groups.  This mutual 
identification of problems results in the creation of 
successful police/community partnerships that have proven to 
be successful in addressing these problems.  TEG has 
experienced success, including INL projects in places such as 
Ukraine and Egypt.  TEG has expertise in combating human 
trafficking, and enjoys strong relations with the highest 
levels of Guatemalan law enforcement bodies. 
 
The project incorporates two strategic components: 
-- The Trafficking Victim Identification and Rescue Training 
Program will reduce harm to trafficking victims by 
identifying and rescuing them as soon as possible during the 
trafficking cycle, and once rescued, ensure that victims 
receive medical and psychological assistance to help reduce 
their suffering.  This will be accomplished by engaging with 
the police, NGOs, medical practitioners, and others.  It will 
also ensure sustainability by implementing a 
train-the-trainer curriculum that can be carried forward by 
the Guatemalans once the project is complete. 
-- The Trafficking in Persons Unit Assistance Program will 
increase the effectiveness of the National Civil Police's 
Anti-Trafficking Unit.  TEG principals have substantial 
experience in establishing and improving elite police units 
around the world, with particular expertise in TIP. 
Derham