Assistance to Victims of Trafficking in Portugal

In Portugal, IOM, together with its partners, works mainly on direct assistance to victims by providing information and counselling for support on voluntary return to their country of origin and reintegration assistance. In the framework of the National Referral System, IOM works closely with relevant stakeholders to provide direct assistance both to Third Country Nationals, in the framework of ARVoRe VII Program and to EU Nationals, under the Emergency Fund managed by APF and CIG. In addition to travel support, a risk analysis is also carried out in conjunction with IOM offices to, as far as possible, promote a safe return.

Strong partnerships are crucial to address Trafficking in Human Beings, throughout the years IOM have been partnering with several stakeholders in Portugal. The Organization is an active member both of the National Network for Support and Protection of Victims of Trafficking and the Lisbon Region Network for Support and Protection of Victims of Trafficking. IOM is also one of the Data Providers, working closely with the Observatory on Trafficking in Human Beings (OTSH) to share data on direct assistance to victims.

Finally, IOM is regularly invited to participate in workshops and seminars related to Trafficking in Human Beings. With the conviction that this visibility is important to increase knowledge about this thematic area, IOM addresses frequently issues related to direct assistance of migrants.

By addressing Trafficking in Human Beings IOM contributes to targets 5.2., 8.7. and 16.2. of SDG’s  that in general address issues related to end violence and modern slavery. In the framework of GCM, IOM approach contributes to Objective 10, which stands for prevent and combat trafficking in persons in the context of international migration.