Moses Binoga participating in Vital Voices most recent Institute on the Investigation and Prosecution of Human Trafficking in Uganda.
Secretary of State John Kerry hosted the release of this year’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report at the State Department this morning. Each year, the Department of State releases the TIP report to assess the efforts of governments around the world to fight human trafficking of all types. The official press announcement from the Department of State can be found here.
Along with the release of the report, each year the Department of State honors women and men who are at the forefront of the fight against trafficking in their home countries. This year, eight individuals were nominated as TIP heroes, and Vital Voices was pleased to join in honoring our partner Moses Binoga as one of the recipients of the award.
A seasoned police officer, Moses has acted as the assistant commissioner of police and coordinator of the Uganda National Anti-Trafficking Task Force since the beginning of 2013. In that capacity, he has set up anti-trafficking desks at police stations throughout the country. He has brought together government ministries, immigration and border control, police, and civil society organizations to create a coordinated response to crimes of trafficking, ensuring that survivors receive the support and services they deserve.
With support from the Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Vital Voices and AEquitas: The Prosecutors’ Resource for Violence Against Women have been designing and implementing the Institute on the Investigation and Prosecution of Human Trafficking in Uganda since October 2013. We have had the pleasure of working with Moses in order to develop and implement this program. The Institute brings together police officers, government representatives, judges, public prosecutors, and non-governmental service providers to encourage a community coordinated and victim-centered approach to combatting human trafficking. Vital Voices will wrap up our fourth and final Institute in Uganda on World Day Against Trafficking In Persons, on July 30, 2015.