Protect III Project

Protect III: Overview

IOM Ireland receives the Department of Justice funding to deliver the Protect III project. The project aims to assist vulnerable migrants particularly victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and victims of trafficking.  It involves activities in a number of areas: 

Counter-Trafficking: 

• IOM Ireland recently launched the short film Anyone: Deceived which forms part of our public campaign to raise awareness of the risks of human trafficking
• This builds on previous campaigns which included the development of the website www.anyonetrafficked.com  
• In May 2022, IOM Ireland, in conjunction with UNODC, provided specialised counter-trafficking training to members of An Garda Síochána, staff of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and Legal Aid Board with further training sessions are planned
• A study trip to a source country to exchange counter-trafficking knowledge and expertise
• In conjunction with IOM UK, IOM Ireland will also be conducting research into trafficking between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

Community Policing: 

• IOM Ireland has commissioned research into community policing of migrant communities
• This research will assess levels of mutual trust between these communities and An Garda Siochana   
• The aim is to increase mutual knowledge and enhance existing relationships and ultimately to improve reporting of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence by migrant victims 
• This work will complement Department of Justice police in this area under the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence 2022-2026 and feed into the work of the new State agency to be established in January 2024 

Cultural Mediation:  

• Under the previous project, Protect II, IOM Ireland established a cultural mediation service  
• Our cultural mediators come from a range of different backgrounds and nationalities 
• Their function is to bridge the gap between Irish service providers and migrant and ethnic minority service users 
• The service is free to use and available to any State or non-State agency working with vulnerable migrants

Cultural Competency Training: 

• In 2021, IOM Ireland developed, with external consultants, capacity-building training in cultural competency and understanding 
• This training is aimed at State and other frontline service providers to assist them when dealing with migrants and ethnic minorities 
• This training covers the following topics: stereotypes and culture, working with cultural mediators, interpreters, and advocates, an overview of migration and ethnic minorities, barriers to service provision and access, discrimination and racism, and addressing bias