Cuban Justice Minister Exchanges with UN Special Rapporteur

Havana, Cuba, Apr 11 (acn) Cuba's Justice Minister Maria Esther Reus and the UN Special Rapporteur Maria Grazia Gianmarinaro exchanged on Tuesday in Havana on the country's National Action Plan for the Prevention and Combating of
Trafficking in Persons and Protection of Victims for the period 2017-2020.

In statements to the press, Reus commented that the Special Rapporteur recognized the adequate conception of the program and the Cuban State's political will to permanently combat human trade and other associated crimes.

The Cuban Justice Minister said that they talked and exchanged ideas on what Gianmarinaro saw in Cuba up to now.

She highlighted that the action plan has three main pillars: prevention, confrontation and attention to the victims.

Cuba presents a multi factorial and sectorial structure to face these crimes and the main coordinator of this task is the Justice Minister.

A commission has been created aimed at working on a follow-up of the program, laying the foundations in the participation from the structures of the State to the family to confront the phenomenon that currently affects the world.

This demands major training for those that work with children, women and family and in professionals like doctors and jurists. This must be accompanied by an adequate promotion of the Plan, said Reus.

The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights of victims of Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children is currently on the island carrying out a broad agenda, which included a meeting on Monday with the President of the Cuban National Assembly, Esteban Lazo.

Maria Grazia Gianmarinaro later spoke with a representation of the Commission in the Attention of Youth, Children and the Rights of Women of the National Assembly of the People's Power (Parliament). The UN official ends her visit to Cuba on Friday.