During a two-day visit to Ismailia, H.E. Ambassador Dina El Sehy, Executive Director of the Fund for Assisting Victims of Trafficking in Persons, held a series of meetings with several authorities and institutions across the governorate to explore areas of cooperation, strengthen awareness-raising efforts, prevent trafficking in persons, support victims, and facilitate their reintegration into society.
The visit included several religious, executive, and social institutions, reflecting the Fund’s efforts to expand partnerships with relevant stakeholders to strengthen community protection mechanisms and ensure an effective response to crimes of trafficking in persons. The meetings also focused on raising awareness of the risks of trafficking in persons, prevention measures, and reporting mechanisms through the Fund’s hotline (17616).
At the beginning of the visit, H.E. Ambassador Dina El Sehy met with Ms. Samia Abdel Salam, Director of the Ismailia Directorate of Labour, to discuss cooperation in raising awareness of the risks of exploitation and trafficking in persons, strengthening worker protection mechanisms, and highlighting the Fund’s role and the services it provides to victims in cooperation with relevant authorities.
H.E. Ambassador Dina El Sehy also visited the Ismailia Catholic Coptic Diocese, where H.E. Ambassador Dina El Sehy met with His Eminence Bishop Bola, Bishop of Ismailia, to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in raising community awareness of trafficking in persons and its various forms and manifestations. The meeting also emphasized the importance of collaboration between religious and community institutions in combating trafficking in persons and protecting vulnerable groups.
H.E. Ambassador Dina El Sehy also met with Mr. Magdy Naguib Fahim, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Solidarity in Ismailia. Their discussions focused on coordination between the Fund and the Directorate in combating trafficking in persons, strengthening social protection mechanisms, providing victims with the necessary support and assistance, and exploring cooperation in rehabilitation and community reintegration.
The visit also included a tour of a social care institution in the governorate to learn about the services provided to its beneficiaries and explore opportunities for cooperation in protection, assistance, and awareness-raising on the risks of exploitation, in line with national efforts to provide a safe environment for groups most in need of protection.
On the second day of the visit, H.E. Ambassador Dina El Sehy met with representatives of the Ismailia branch of the National Council for Women. Discussions focused on cooperation in organizing awareness programmes and campaigns targeting women to highlight the risks of trafficking in persons and its various forms and manifestations. They also explored ways to support the economic and social empowerment of vulnerable groups and victims, strengthening their ability to protect themselves against exploitation.
Also, H.E. Ambassador Dina El Sehy visited the Ismailia Directorate of Endowments-Awqaf, where H.E. Ambassador Dina El Sehy met with Honorable Sheikh Abdel Khaleq Mohamed Atifi, Director of the Directorate. The meeting explored cooperation in delivering awareness messages through religious sermons, lessons, and outreach activities to enhance public understanding of trafficking in persons, its various forms and manifestations, and prevention measures. The discussions also emphasized the important role of religious institutions in combating trafficking in persons.
The visit included a meeting with protection committees in the governorate to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation and coordination in identifying cases of potential exploitation or trafficking in persons. Discussions also addressed raising awareness of the nature of trafficking in persons to facilitate a timely response and referral of cases to the competent authorities for appropriate legal action.
H.E. Ambassador Dina El Sehy concluded the visit with a meeting at the Governorate Office with Major General Nabil El Sayed Hasaballah, Governor of Ismailia. The meeting focused on areas of cooperation between the Governorate and the Fund for Assisting Victims of Trafficking in Persons, strengthening coordination in preventing trafficking in persons and protecting victims, and supporting the implementation of awareness-raising and training programmes targeting different segments of society.
