PRESS RELEASE

United States Funds New Project to Combat Human Trafficking

October 6, 2009

HANOI, October 6, 2009 -- The United States Government has provided $500,000 for a new two-year project to combat human trafficking in the Mekong Delta provinces of Vietnam.

The Countering Human Trafficking in Vietnam project is funded by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and will be carried out by The Asia Foundation, which has many years of experience working in anti-trafficking. Under the project, USAID and the Foundation will work closely with the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences of the Ministry of Education and Training and Community Learning Center system to implement safe migration education activities in An Giang and Can Tho provinces.

This program will provide students and other young people with information and skills that will help them steer clear of trafficking schemes in their search for jobs or when considering marriage proposals far from home. Vietnam is a source country, and to a lesser degree, a destination country for victims of trafficking. The highest percentage of trafficking victims is among women and men with low education, between the ages 18-40, who are actively seeking work and income opportunities.

By the end of the project, approximately 40,000 students and young people will be trained and about 200 government officials and teachers will increase skills to advise students and other youth on safe migration issues. The project will also help strengthen shelter services for returned victims of trafficking. The Asian Foundation will work with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to provide policy guidance for shelter management and shelter staff to provide essential services and support to victims of trafficking.

The U.S. Government has supported programs to help Vietnam reduce human trafficking since 2005.

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