By Ayoola Olaitan
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), has launched new online training to support the implementation of the ICAO-OHCHR Guidelines for Training Cabin Crew on identifying and responding to human trafficking on flights.
ICAO in its efforts to prevent human trafficking took an important step forward by introducing free e-learning courses that explore the unique opportunities for cabin crew to observe passengers over the duration of their flights.
The Secretary General, ICAO, Dr. Fang Liu made this known through a news release yesterday at the organization’s headquarters in Montréal.
Liu posited that the fight against human trafficking is on and the global aviation has a key role to play in the fight across the world.
According to him, “The entire global aviation community has a key role to play in preventing trafficking in persons”
Lui further stressed that the development of the new training, based on the ICAO-OHCHR guidelines provides an important foundation from which critical capacity building and ultimately help put an end to the abuse of international air transport by traffickers.
Also, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet has described human trafficking as appalling violation of human rights and charged the international air transport to do more in combatting the such act.
According to Bachelet, “Human trafficking is an appalling crime and an appalling violation of victims’ rights. This is why the efforts of the international air transport sector in combatting it are so important”
“This expansion of training for cabin crew and the wider travel industry is a crucial element in protecting the human rights of some of the most vulnerable people”. she noted.
Meanwhile, ICAO with the Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said the free e-learning course explores the unique opportunities cabin crew have to observe passengers over the duration of their flights and potentially identify and assist human trafficking victims. Additional course elements will also be of value to airport and other aviation industry professionals.
The International Labour Office reports that 1-in-200 people worldwide are still being forced into work and living conditions resulting from trafficking in persons, a practice considered akin to modern slavery.
Reflecting the fact that many of these victims were moved from country to country via commercial aircraft, the ICAO-OHCHR training launched yesterday also includes video interviews with trafficking survivors and airlines who already train their cabin crew on this subject.
ICAO further stressed that the new ICAO-OHCHR training to combat trafficking in persons for cabin crew must be supplemented by further airline training on specific internal procedures and practices. It is accessible to cabin crew members and other aviation professionals through ICAO’s e-learning portal.
