Call for gender-specific accommodation for human trafficking victims in direct provision

Picture: Larry Cummins

Gender-specific accommodation is needed for victims of human trafficking housed in the direct provision system, an expert body has warned.

It comes as the National Anti-Trafficking Report of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) is published today.

IHREC made its recommendation for gender-specific facilities as it described the direct provision system as one “marred with serious human rights and equality concerns".

The Department of Justice has previously said female victims accounted for 71% of all victims of trafficking since 2009. In its report, IHREC says considering the reality that human trafficking is highly gendered, all anti-trafficking measures must be taken from a gendered perspective as well.

The recommendation comes at a time when women and children are deemed to be at a heightened risk of exploitation by traffickers due to the recent mass displacement of people caused by the war against Ukraine.

IHREC, Ireland's National Rapporteur on the Trafficking of Human Beings, also calls for the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), a system that identifies human trafficking, to be progressed as a matter of utmost urgency.

It adds that the NRM must adopt a child-specific identification procedure, with specifications relating to a child’s situation.

IHREC stresses the need to remove any and all conditions requiring victims to cooperate with investigations in order to receive the full range of assistance. It also says there is a need to delegate the central referring role to an assistance-oriented body as opposed to the Gardaí.

Responding to the report, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice confirmed there are due to be a number of changes to how victims of human trafficking are treated.

In new plans, the Government will revise the NRM, so that it is easier for victims to come forward. The spokesperson said there are plans to make state bodies, outside of the Gardaí, and NGOs, have a role in identifying victims of human trafficking and referring them to the NRM. The development of a new National Action Plan on human trafficking is also taking place, a spokesperson confirmed.

They said “a new model based on a non-for-profit approach” is to take over the role of Direct Provision, in terms of accommodation.

“A specific focus of the new model will be to provide tailored accommodation, health and social care supports for the most vulnerable including victims of trafficking,” the spokesperson added.