FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 52 ILO’s major projects carried out by the International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) to reduce labour exploitation and combating trafficking in children at regional level, include: ii) • South Asia (Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka). • South East Asia (Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia). • West and Central Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Togo). • Central America (El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic). • South America (Brazil and Paraguay). IOM The International Organization for Migration’s105 activities on trafficking includes information campaigns, research programmes, capacity building for Government and other institutions, and the provision of assistance and protection, including return and reintegration of victims of trafficking. IOM is also implementing a Global Assistance Program that creates a mechanism for rapid, case-by-case assistance to women and children victims of trafficking outside their countries of origin who require immediate protection and support. IOM sees trafficking in persons especially women and children as a part of a larger irregular migration picture. Therefore, in order to search for longer-term solutions to this phenomenon, the root causes poverty, lack of opportunities, scarce resources, low status of women in society and political and economic instability need to be addressed. IOM has traditionally focused on addressing two stages in the trafficking process: 105 • Firstly through prevention before victimization occurs by providing potential victims of trafficking with information about trafficking, so that they will be in a better position to make an informed decision. • Secondly through direct assistance and support to victims of trafficking. See http://www.iom.int