The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), an agency of the Ministry of Youth & Culture and the Ministry of Justice through its National Taskforce Against Trafficking in Persons has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to incorporate the issue of “Trafficking in Persons” in the 2015 JCDC Arts Development Programmes.
The initiative comes at a time when trafficking in persons also known as human trafficking has been receiving local and international attention. Its introduction in the JCDC Arts Development Programme will provide a platform for participants to creatively and artistically express the issue while spreading the message to children and adults.
The theme will be introduced in the Jamaica Creative Writing Competition, The Big Stage Competition and the Festival of the Performing Arts – Music, Speech, Drama and Dance Competitions. Persons will be invited to submit entries that reflect the theme “Trafficking in Persons”.
Special cash awards and other incentives will be offered to the top entrant in each Competition. For additional information and access to entry forms, persons are encouraged to visit the JCDC website, www.jcdc.gov.jm, its Head Office at 3-5 Phoenix Avenue in Kingston or Parish Offices across the island.
Human Trafficking involves three elements including recruitment – by force or deception; transportation – across borders, legally or illegally, or within a country; and exploitation – through the use or sale of the victim to financially benefit the traffickers.
The National Taskforce against Trafficking in Persons was established as a multi- agency approach to enhance national capacity, develop and implement Jamaica’s legislative, institutional and operational framework to eliminate Trafficking in Persons.