Joint Government entities have come together for a training session aimed at reviewing the process that led to the development and official endorsement of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) on Investigating and Prosecuting cases of trafficking in persons in Uganda.
This training took place at Kabira Country Club from August 2nd to August 4th, 2023, and a total of 30 people participated. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had 7 people from Mubende, Masaka, Mpigi, Mbarara, Gulu, Luwero, and Fort Portal, 9 from the Uganda Police and Crime Intelligence Division, Crime Intelligence Office 3, Child Protection UPF 2, and Immigration Officer 5.
According to Ms. Rachel Bikhole, Director of Public Prosecutions and Deputy Head of the International Crimes Department, the primary focus of this training is to thoroughly examine the dissemination plan, which was initially envisioned on November 3, 2022, and to define the precise timing and modalities for its successful implementation and monitoring.
Dr. Aisha Kayongo, Head of Foreign Training for Uganda Police, stated that the training is aimed at empowering participants with vital knowledge and collective initiatives that will make a tangible impact on safeguarding the vulnerable and upholding justice.
“These officers will stand as a formidable force against trafficking in persons, working tirelessly to protect the rights and well-being of those vulnerable to exploitation,” she stated.
According to Dr. Kayongo, the SOPs include practical actions in victim and witness protection, financial investigations, court preparation, and support during and after court proceedings, among others.
The Ugandan government has been lauded for fighting and intensifying anti-trafficking measures. These initiatives included investigating and prosecuting more trafficking offences, convicting the most traffickers in a single year, developing strong law enforcement SOPs, and training investigators and prosecutors. More victims were identified as a result of government officials’ increased usage of the National Referral Guidelines for Management of Trafficking Victims in Uganda (NRG).
The government toughened the 2009 Preventing Trafficking in Persons Act, which criminalised sex and labour trafficking, imposing 15-year prison penalties for adult victims and life sentences for juvenile victims, which also helped the trafficking numbers go down.
The Director of Public Prosecutions and the Uganda Police Force formally endorsed the SOPs in February 2022.
Government institutions participating include the Uganda Police Force, the Office of the Public Prosecutions, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development.
