With the technical assistance of IOM Sudan, the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking (NCCT) held a two day workshop on the elaboration of the 2017-2019 National Action Plan (NAP) to combat human trafficking in Sudan. Established further to the enactment of the 2014 Anti-trafficking Act, the NCCT initiated this process to design strategic and operational reference frameworks to effectively address trafficking in persons in Sudan. Funded by U.S. State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, the workshop was attended by 35 participants from 18 government institutions and sought to ensure the Government of Sudan’s ownership by drafting a context-specific document focused on key priorities and targets to combat human trafficking in the country. The workshop was facilitated jointly by IOM Sudan staff members and Mr. Phil Marshall, an international consultant experienced in institutional capacity building on strategic planning on Anti-trafficking. The sessions were guided by 3 main pillars, namely: Prevention, Protection and Prosecution to reflect the central positioning of victims of trafficking in the NAP' s strategic and operational response to tackle trafficking in persons. Consistent with the inclusive approach informing the process, the first draft of the NAP is intended to be shared with multiple stakeholders for further revision and discussion towards the adoption of a common agreed plan.

Attendance included representatives from the Ministry of Justice (Departments of legislation development, International Laws and conventions, Advisory Council for Human Rights), the Ministry of Interior (Criminal Investigation as well as Passport and Immigration Departments), the Ministry of Social Welfare (National Council For Child Welfare); as well as the Ministries of Defense, of Foreign Affairs, of Media, of Education and Pedagogy, of Higher Education and Scientific Research, of Labor; in addition to the National Intelligence and Security Services, Commission of Refugees, General Prosecution Office, Secretariat of Sudanese Working Abroad (Migration Studies Center), Assisted Regional University in Sudan and South Sudan. Also present, were donors, partners and UN agencies including UK Embassy, UNCHR, UNICEF, GIZ further contributing to the discussion.