OAS - Organization of American States

Published purpose

The project aims to address gaps in the capacity of Colombia, Peru, Jamaica, Kenya, and South Africa to prevent women drug couriers from transporting illicit drugs to Canada and other countries. It strengthens border control, law enforcement, and justice sectors to detect, intercept, and prosecute couriers using gender-responsive, human rights–based approaches. It also improves coordinated social integration programs to prevent recruitment. Project activities include: (1) establishing a gender- and human rights–focused steering group with the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) stakeholders; (2) training border officials, law enforcement, and justice actors on trafficking trends, risk factors and gender dimensions, while promoting alternatives to incarceration and prevention of recruitment; (3) developing awareness campaigns, strategies, and tools to highlight risks of drug courier activity and support destigmatization and reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals; and (4) organizing a mentorship program to engage former couriers in outreach and support the reintegration of recently deported individuals to reduce recidivism.