Featured photo: University of Belize’s President, Vincent Palacio, and RET Belize Country Director, Cherese Ferguson after the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU).

Article by Marco Lopez, Communications Officer for RET Belize

The groundbreaking collaboration between RET and the University of Belize promises to create a powerful force against human trafficking in Belize, the president of the university, Dr. Vincent Palacio said at the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Tuesday, February 20, 2024.

RET Belize has collaborated with the national university to launch a pioneering self-paced course entitled, “Empowerment Through Education: Strengthening the Frontline Against Human Trafficking.  Participants of this course will be provided with a comprehensive and intricate understanding of the issues surrounding human trafficking.

Participants of the online course will delve into the complexities of human trafficking, explore root causes, and impacts, identify indicators, and learn effective prevention and intervention strategies.

The course, which was tailor-made for participants within the transport and health sectors, will zoom into the local context of human trafficking. Participants will learn the historical context, modern manifestations, and the roles of various stakeholders in addressing the scourge of human trafficking as well.

Photo by RET.

“Our partnership with the government of Belize, particularly the ATIPS council under the Ministry of Human Development, Families and Indigenous People’s Affairs, yielded badges of success when we were awarded the US Embassy CARSI Grant in 2022 and in 2023 to implement projects focusing on increasing awareness about human trafficking, and its intersection to the transportation industry and the health sector,” Country Director of RET Belize said at today’s launch.

Ferguson added, “Combating trafficking in persons requires collaboration among government, private sector, non-government partners, and academia, creating awareness about this topic requires broad and/or targeted education campaigns. To this end, RET and the University of Belize have partnered for the creation of a self-paced online course on human trafficking, which will aid in increasing the reach to the transport industry, and the health sector countrywide.”

Present at the official signing were heads of departments, faculty, and staff of the University and staff of RET. Photo by RET.

Participants of the online course will delve into the complexities of human trafficking, explore root causes, and impacts, identify indicators, and learn effective prevention and intervention strategies. The self-paced format of the course will allow participants to engage with the material at their convenience.

Expert insight from esteemed professionals and RET staff will contribute to the course content, which will be gaged with case studies, quizzes, and discussion forums.

Dr. Palacio, in his remarks, said, “In aligning with the mission and vision of the University of Belize and RET International, we firmly believe that education empowers a nation. By educating individuals on the complexities of human trafficking, we are not only raising awareness, but we are also arming them with the tools needed to make a meaningful impact on their communities. Together, we can strengthen the frontline against human trafficking, break the chains of exploitation, and build a future where every individual is free from the shackles of modern-day slavery.”

The course will be hosted on the Online Education Platform of the University of Belize.

To help us continue this critical work in Belize, consider making a recurring donation to RET today.