Anti-Trafficking Technical Assistance: 17th Quarterly Progress Report, October 1, 2008-December 31, 2008

The Task Order was awarded to Chemonics International Inc. and its consortium partners on September 30, 2004, and was extended through September 29, 2009. The Task Order has three components: technical assistance to USAID field missions and USAID/Washington, technical support for the Office of Women in Development (EGAT/WID) in its role as anti-trafficking coordinator, and design and implementation of activities addressing emerging opportunities to combat trafficking. The purpose of the technical assistance provided under this Task Order is to help USAID field missions and USAID/Washington strengthen the quality of their anti-trafficking programs and to expand the Agency's knowledge of trafficking issues. During the quarter from October to December 2008, the Task Order completed two draft reports. The first report is a study of monitoring and evaluation of anti-trafficking programs, which discusses the constraints related to estimating trends in trafficking incidences worldwide and the importance of monitoring and evaluation at the individual project level. The report also discusses how good performance monitoring systems can measure the impact of programs on trafficking prevention, protection, and prosecution, and describes how these systems have been applied by USAID. The second report is a desk study of the intersection between trafficking and gender-based violence. The study notes that there is general agreement that violence can be a significant catalyst for trafficking, but the evidence is largely anecdotal. The study also highlights the need for empirical research to address questions such as how gender-based violence factors into actions that lead to a woman's being trafficked and how gender-based violence interacts with other factors influencing a decision to migrate. In addition to the completion of these reports, the Task Order also continued to provide a bi-weekly update of anti-trafficking news and events and regularly followed information sources on trafficking trends. The Task Order was also undertaking the research and analysis phase of a synthesis study of USAID's anti-trafficking efforts in Asia, having completed the review of project documents from 8 country programs implemented since 2001. The Task Order provides technical assistance to USAID field missions and USAID/Washington to strengthen the quality of their anti-trafficking programs and expand the Agency's knowledge of trafficking issues. This assistance may include the production of publications on USAID anti-trafficking initiatives and anti-trafficking topics, production of electronic presentations, and research on trafficking issues. The Task Order also provides USAID with the capability to respond quickly and to initiate small, time-limited activities that respond to emerging opportunities to combat trafficking or that arise from U.S. Government policy. The Task Order has completed several activities during the quarter, including the initial document review and analysis as part of the synthesis of USAID's anti-trafficking programs in Asia. The Asia Synthesis will provide a country-by-country analysis of anti-trafficking activities in the Asia region and summarize program accomplishments along with lessons learned and best practices. The synthesis will capture activities throughout the spectrum of trafficking prevention, protection, and prosecution and highlight the creative approaches taken by USAID in Asia.