Belizean Judges Receive Specialized Training to Strengthen Human Trafficking Cases

Belize’s efforts to strengthen its response to human trafficking and improve the protection of vulnerable children took another step forward today with the start of a two-day judicial training in Belize City. The initiative, held under the theme “Promoting Child-Centered Justice: A Judicial Training on Trafficking in Persons, Restorative Justice, and Diversion,” brings together the Ministry of Human Development, Family Support and Gender Affairs, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Council, the Child Justice Committee and the Judicial Education Institute of the Senior Courts of Belize. Judges of the High Court, magistrates and registrars from across the country are participating in sessions aimed at strengthening their understanding of trafficking in persons, Belize’s legal framework and the use of restorative justice and diversion measures. Organizers say the ultimate goal is to ensure judicial officers are better equipped to protect victims, particularly children, while delivering fair and informed decisions in trafficking-related matters. While human trafficking remains one of the most underreported crimes across the region, experts say strengthening the justice system is essential to improving victim protection and increasing successful prosecutions. Caribbean researcher and consultant Cherisse Francis says the training is not only examining the realities and challenges surrounding trafficking in persons but is also encouraging judicial officers to adopt more child-sensitive approaches when dealing with these complex cases.

Cherisse Francis, Consultant on Trafficking in the Caribbean: “I think today’s program is really important because it brings together people in the judicial system who oftentimes don’t get to talk, don’t get to reflect, but they’re responsible for making decisions that change people’s lives. Especially when it relates to children, today’s all about child justice and human trafficking. There’s a lot of issues, a lot of conflicts and tensions with young people in Belize and across the Caribbean. And it’s important for judicial officers to have the knowledge to be able to understand that it’s not just about applying the law strictly but understand how it impacts people, especially young people, what are the ramifications of that and the impacts that this could have on long lasting lives for children, communities and families. In times, judicial officers, they have a limited remit. Their remit is to apply the law as it is set out within the legislation. Oftentimes that does not allow a lot of space for judicial officers to bring their more human side or their compassionate side to the courtroom. So whereas a judicial officer might understand or see as my presentation would have highlighted that something is unfair, that does not mean that it is against the law.”

Today’s discussions also focused on the practical steps needed to strengthen Belize’s national response. National Coordinator for the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Council, Jauna Murillo Palacio, says addressing trafficking requires more than legislation. She explains that continued collaboration among government agencies, the judiciary and other stakeholders is key to improving prevention efforts, protecting survivors and ensuring traffickers are brought to justice.

Jaunna Murillo Palacio, National Coordinator for Anti Trafficking: “The judicial officers are an important element in the process of justice and achieving justice. When you think of the preliminaries of social services, providing protection, the police doing the investigation, the office of the Director of Public Prosecution prosecuting these cases we have to think of the final stage which is adjudicating these cases. And so informing the judiciary or let’s say strengthening their capacity to understand these cases would help us to seek out justice for all persons, especially children who are victimized by traffickers. Since I think early 20s, 2010s, we’ve been doing a significant amount of trainings with different stakeholders. This includes police officers. We have done training with social workers. We’ve done training with public officers at wide. Even persons that perhaps you might not think about, utility workers, we’ve done trainings with taxi drivers and when I say we I’m referring to the government as well as our partners, the NGOs and UN agencies that we’ve partnered with over the years. We’ve had several partners that have supported doing a lot of trainings because what we realize there’s public awareness and there’s need for increased public awareness but the training is significantly important so that we can increase capacity for everyone to be able to identify signs of trafficking in persons and how to investigate and how to prosecute. I think especially if we’re not speaking to police officers reporting these cases, one of the things that we suspect is happening is that cases are under reported in Belize especially cases involving boys. We’ve investigated cases with girls, women and men. We’ve not investigated any significant amount of cases involving boys, but boys are potential victims of labor trafficking and sex trafficking. And so one of the things I implore these organizations to do after training that they ensure to report any suspicious activities because you might not know, you might think something is suspicious, but the authorities are there to ensure that we can corroborate whether or not what you’ve seen and what you suspect is trafficking in person.”

The training continues tomorrow at the Grand Resort and Residences in Belize City. In support of the initiative, Chief Justice Louise Esther Blenman declared today and tomorrow Dies Non for the High Court, Magistrates’ Court and Family Court nationwide, allowing judicial officers from across Belize to fully participate. Organizers say the workshop reflects our country’s continued commitment to strengthening the administration of justice through specialized training while ensuring the rights, welfare and best interests of children remain at the forefront of the judicial process.