The United States and Romania have signed a Child Protection Compact (CPC) Partnership aimed at preventing child sex trafficking and forced child labor in Romania. The agreement, which is non-binding and spans five years, was formalized by U.S. Ambassador to Romania Kathleen Kavalec and Head of the Office of the Prime Minister Mihai Alexandru Ghigiu.
This partnership results from several months of discussions between representatives of the Romanian government, the U.S. Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office), and the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest. The Government of Romania has shown commitment to combating child trafficking through various measures, including establishing two national centers focused on digital child safety and online sexual exploitation prevention.
Under this partnership, the TIP Office will provide up to $10 million in U.S. foreign assistance to be awarded to International Justice Mission and World Vision. These organizations will work with local subgrantees and relevant Romanian government agencies such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Family, Youth, and Equality of Opportunities.
The CPC Partnership aims to reduce risk factors contributing to child trafficking, offer accessible protection services for victims using a trauma-informed approach, ensure effective investigation and prosecution of traffickers, and enhance coordination among agencies, civil society groups, and local communities.
For further information or inquiries about this initiative:
- Contact: TIPOutreach@state.gov
- More details can be found by reading about CPC Partnerships or visiting the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons' social media pages on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
- Additional resources are available under "Understanding Human Trafficking."
