United Nations Public Service Awards Case Studies

Human trafficking is not a new problem. It is a complicated problem that varies in many forms of abuse and exploitation, either commercial sexual exploitation, forced begging, forced or exploited labour that varies from domestic labour, sweatshops, to agricultural sector, or even other forms that have not been uncovered yet, as limited by domestic laws. As a result, trafficked persons are different in problems, age, social and legal service assistance and level of needs. This is a reason why relevant professionals need to join hands together in order to maximize efficiency and effectiveness of victim protection, prosecute traffickers as well as avoid duplication of services and minimize harm that may come from re-interviewing or investigation.
Besides, the policy on Public Sector Reform in 2002, that the government structure is needed to be gradually downsizing, and changing from implementers to be supporters for civil society and community to participate in solving social problems. In this regard, Multidisciplinary teams, composed of groups of professionals from diverse disciplines who come together to provide comprehensive assessment and consultation to each trafficking case can fulfill a variety of additional functions, while their primary purpose is typically to help team members resolve difficult cases. It can promote coordination between agencies; provide a "checks and balances" mechanism to ensure that the interests and rights of all concerned parties are addressed; and identify service gaps and breakdowns with coordination or communication between agencies or individuals. It also enhances the professional skills and knowledge of individual team members by providing a forum for learning more about the strategies, resources, and approaches used by various disciplines.
Kredtrakarn Protection and Occupational Development Centre (KPODC) has learnt its way in dealing with human trafficking problem and proving its best for service provision. Learning through direct experiences in rendering the services and co-operate with partner policemen, public prosecutors, labour officers, non-governmental organizations and international organizations for protecting the victim, the Center manage to build up their knowledge and compile it into a learning centre for all practitioners both nationally and internationally. It then functions not only as a platform for sharing experiences and information for those who are actively working on victim protection, but also as a catalyst to those who are interested in human trafficking issues as gaining more attention by top leaders of many countries and human rights communities. The Center is an example of how government and non-government can work together for protection of the victims and prosecute of traffickers. The information, knowledge and lessons learned benefit to practitioners, concerned agencies in Thailand and worldwide communities.

What is the initiative about? (the solution)
In 1999, KPODC has been challenged to employ a new approach in delivering social services for wider target groups as there were changes in national policy and laws related to combating human trafficking which have resulted in structure and service delivery reform of the Center. The number of human trafficking victims has been increasing rapidly and demanding for comprehensive service provision for safe and appropriate sheltering. Additional tasks such as rescue, protection, repatriation and reintegration of foreign trafficked victims widen the scope of regular service provision responsibilities. The concepts of inside-out and outside-in in learning approaches were applied in order to improve service provision. In 2002, KPODC was adopted the concept of learning center and lifelong learning process. The Center, therefore, became a source and a center to share and exchange knowledge and information for individual and groups to study protection and services for victims of human trafficking. Moreover, KPODC could function as a catalyst to sensitize governments of origin and destination countries to be aware of the problems and lead to greater cooperation from them. A major factor behind this success is a new value of work that is a multidisciplinary team approach, which allowed the Center to mobilize resources from external agencies and draw more cooperation from civil society. Concerned governments, NGOs and international organizations have participated in every step of welfare protection for woman and child victims of trafficking. Through mutual cooperation, KPODC and concerned agencies have initiated training for staff to sensitize them with concepts of providing protection with non-discrimination, humanitarian and human rights based approach for victims of human trafficking in 1999. The case management form was developed and computerized; an orientation process was initiated to ensure informed choice and services available to the victims. New ideas such as intake system, victim identification, bio-psycho-social recovery, repatriation and reintegration were introduced and implemented. The challenge is not only how to deal with work environment via cross section but also how to work with cross-border agencies in neighboring countries to ensure that social services will be up to the same human rights standard for trafficked persons. Places and personnel are provided to cope with more demands on service provision. After being designated as a learning center, the Center arranged for demonstration room, mobile exhibition, materials and e-learning via internet website to enable learning communities to access the information. The idea of a learning center will be in line with a new paradigm of transferable services. Therefore, there must be a learning center to providing protection of victims of human trafficking. The model hopefully will be replicated in another area, both domestically and internationally. The Center cannot stop itself from learning and will grow through these lessons learnt, whereas the situation of human trafficking does not get better and traffickers do not stop themselves from finding new ways to exploit vulnerable people.

Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
1.Promote value of work with human rights based approach for victims of human trafficking in 1999 2.Improving knowledge management from 1999 – present 3.Database development on trafficked victims 2005 4.Capacity-building and personnel development 1999 - present 5.Exhibition and Demonstration Unit 2006 6.E-learning and materials development 2006

Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
a. What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
KPODC was established on 2nd July 1960, in conformity with the former Prostitution Suppression Act B.E. 2503 (1990). At that time, prostitution was an illegal activity. The Center was considered as a place to keep voluntary and involuntary prostitutes who were arrested and referred by policemen. To keep order, the Center implemented strict measures to prevent girls from running away from the Center. In 1996, the law was changed and updated to be a new name as the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act of 1996. The Center then had clearer target groups; women under 18 years and involved in commercial sexual service activities would be referred to receive social services for more than 2 years according to the law and for any victim who is above 18 years, they would only be in residential care with their informed consent. The period of stay later has been changed and in response to victims’ needs and with consultation of the victims. In 1997, the Center also provided protection for women and children who are victims of trafficking in conformity to the Trafficking Act of 1997. All agencies as GOs and NGOs have jointly signed in the MOU in 1999. The Center helps prosecution in cases of abuse or exploitation. The Center informs each victim to be aware of their own rights and that their rights were violated. The Center also provides life skills education, non-formal education and vocational training. In addition, the Center provides recreational and social activities on a regular basis. Social outing activities with other shelters are organized occasionally. The most challenging part is provision of repatriation and reintegration assistance, where the Center has to extend its network to cross border to neighboring countries.

b. What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
1.To develop a better quality and sufficient social services for victims of trafficking 2.To strengthen capacity of practitioners at all levels either individual or agency from inside and outside of the organization 3.To develop a knowledge based organization on protection and intervention of human trafficking The priorities are given to these following areas: 1.Promotion and sensitization on human-rights based approach a.Shifting staff attitude toward residents from prostitutes who violate the laws to be victims who are entitled for assistance and service access b.Non-discrimination and gender sensitivity principles c.Clients-center approach where all services are provided on a basis of the benefit of victims d.Multi-disciplinary team approach 2.Capacity building and improvement on personnel a.Sent its staff to get trained as an educator or trainer in their specific field. b.Promote positive value of providing services by training on child rights awareness, human rights based approach as well as gender sensitivity. c.Open the floor for volunteers and NGOs to work at the Center to give knowledge and experiences to staff. 3.Initiate new activities and quality services a.Video tape to introduce information, services and process of work in relation to admittance of a case in their native language b. Psycho-social Recovery Unit c. Legal assistance d. Family tracing and family assessment procedure e. Join recreational and occupational activities outside the Center. 4.Establishment of standard operating procedure In order to achieve a decent level of providing services to meet up with international standard, the Center has established a standard operating procedure. Key professional NGO and international organizations who have expertise on child protection has supported and participated in developing these operational manual that provide guideline on bio-psycho-social recovery, prosecution and legal assistance and pre-return preparation for victims. 5.Knowledge management and transferable approach The Center initiated consultation meetings with other shelters and NGOs to exchange their information and knowledge and then compile it into hard copy and plan to computerize it and build up knowledge on website base to disseminate lessons learned from the Center. The database management was developed to keep record of each victim and to refer to the destination facility. For transferable approach, the Center published pamphlets and brochures to disseminate service providers in 5 native languages, information of prevention and intervention to human trafficking as well as information kit contained of useful knowledge in a user friendly. 6.Place improvement The Center was made more user friendly atmosphere. For an example, the barbed wire was taken off, more flowers and trees furnished at the Center and other to rebuild a family like atmosphere as much as possible. In compensation for security reason, security guards were employed to prevent unexpected intruder.

c. What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
•Multi-disciplinary team approach Overall the Center has improved its service delivery by drawing participation and cooperation from partner like NGOs and international organization. Therefore working in a multi-disciplinary team environment is the key factor that leads the Center to succeed in missions. In shifting from work on its own to work with partner from outside might result in some disagreements or conflict, but the critics have been solved by a determined leader, director and supported by consistency policies from executive members of the ministry. •Knowledge Management from inside-out and outside-in approach Each staff is open to walk in to consult with the Director or otherwise contact via phone 24 hours a day. Mostly the staff was encouraged to make his/her own decision that allowed him/her to learn quickly and at the same time the leader is on standby to support and provide advice in any decision made. With on the job training, case conferences and meetings, gradually the staff managed to learn from external resource persons as well as grow from learning by themselves.

d. What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
In achieving the objectives of being a learning center on protection of victims of human trafficking, there were changes that resulted in followings; a. Personnel Attitude toward target groups and ways of work Staff attitude towards residents, approaches of work and ability to self improvement were changed gradually. They treat to resident in less control and strict ways after learning from the concept that residents are victims who deserve assistance, not people who violate the law. All residents previously were asked to wear uniform in different colors that implied what type of laws or their enroll status were. Later, this rule was taken out as the staffs realized the principle of non-discrimination and that resulted in less labeling the residents and reduced stigmatization toward the victims. The focus should be on how to make residents feel secure by improving services and sharing information and making any decision with residents in choosing the services. The Center hired professional security guards instead to screen visitors and guard the Center. b. Improved services The Center has initiated many activities as psycho-social rehabilitation unit, legal advisory team, multi-disciplinary team, peer to peer education, child voice program and networking with agencies in neighboring countries to establish systematic and orderly repatriation and reintegration system. There is a natural mechanism to verify if there is something wrong in service delivery. The problems will be brought back to the multi-disciplinary team and identify solutions together. As recognized by its partners, after providing emergency assistance, other shelters run by NGOs will refer their cases to the Center to receive more comprehensive service provision for victims of trafficking. Then the Center will plan together for the next step for long term integration of each victim. In this way, the Center and NGOs work in a complementary way to each other. c. Place The Center had renovated its building to be responsive to the increasing demands of its residents. An occupational room, child center, dormitories, operational room, exhibition room, library corner, e-learning center and show room for products gym and multi purposed building were built. The scenario was improved by filling up more plants and flowers to create child friendly environment atmosphere that could heal traumatization of the victims.

Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
-Kredtrakarn Protection and Occupational Development Center is a government base organization that is fully supported by government’s fiscal budget, therefore, it has adequate funds and resources to improve services to meet the standard and to be a learning center that will transfer knowledge and experience to learning communities. -In following the policy of public sector reform that needs to distribute its functions to alliance or network, the Kredtrakarn shelter has already transferred its functions in a part that the receiving service provide can maintain continuing services to agencies at local level in Thailand and at international level in the countries of origin. - As a learning center, the Center has a lot of potential to transfer its knowledge and experience to those visitors both internally and externally, governmental or non governmental organization, professionals from social services and law enforcement officers. Through the upcoming web site, the Center will be able to share knowledge universally and at the same time receive more knowledge to improve quality of its services. Currently, the Center is sharing its knowledge with other 6 similar function shelters based nationwide, as the central units designated those shelters to be as learning centers in the same way as the Kredtrakarn shelter.

What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
- To be a learning center and especially an open shelter, a multi-disciplinary approach concept is needed to introduce to the staff to employ the concept in every process of work. Staff needs to learn how to work in partnership and be able to build trust among each other. In solving a problem of each victim case, sometimes, a social worker can not say it is right or wrong answer for the case. The best way is to engage in close consultation with other professionals in a multi-disciplinary team approach and get consent in any decision made by the clients themselves. -After working in a team with partners from governmental and non-governmental agencies, it is found that it is worth networking for social service delivery. The Center has agreed in work division and follows a guideline on treatment that set a minimum standard with partner in country and abroad. In this way, the Center can provide services that cover the target group and avoid duplicate roles and maximize available resources. -Assigning the Center as a learning center is somehow a stimulating tool that inspired staff of the Center to realize that they do have not only ordinary role of service providers, but also as educators. This resulted in putting driving force to staff shelter to be more active as realizing that they are role models for others in their expertise of each area of service provision. -Information and data are keys to improving policy and services provision. Applying computer technology for data collection of case records allows more time for social worker to have more time for case counseling. The data is easily to be referred to receiving facilities, in Thailand and abroad, faster and better via internet. The Center has learnt to use statistics and information obtain for planning and improving its service.


Institution Name:		Kredtrakarn Protection and Occupational Development Centre
Institution Type:		Government Agency
Contact Person:		Ladda Benchatachah
Title:		Director
Telephone/ Fax:		66-2-5845115
Institution's / Project's Website:		66-2-5845116
E-mail:		kredtrakarn@hotmail.com
Address:		34/1 Moo 2 Koh Kred Sub-district
Postal Code:		11120
City:		Pakkred Sub-district,
State/Province:		Nonthaburi province
Country:		Thailand

The Problem

Solution and Key Benefits

Actors and Stakeholders

(a) Strategies

(b) Implementation

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

(d) Use of Resources

Sustainability and Transferability

Lessons Learned

Contact Information