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AFRICAN UNIONUNION AFRICAINEUNI?O AFRICANAAddis Ababa, ETHIOPIAP. O. Box 3243 Tel: 5517 700 Fax: 5517844CONCEPT NOTEOPERATIONALIZING THE OUAGADOUGOU ACTION PLAN TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN LAUNCHING OF THE AU COMMISSION INITIATIVE AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (AU.COMMIT) CAMPAIGN WITH THE REGIONAL ECONOMIC COMMUNITIESAbuja, Nigeria24-26 March 2010 Jointly organized byDEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AFFAIRSAFRICAN UNION COMMISSIONECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS)INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION SPECIAL LIAISON MISSION (IOM/SLM)ADDIS ABABA andUNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME (UNODC)BACKGROUNDIn recent years, the fight against trafficking in persons has gained much prominence in international and regional forums, which resulted in the adoption of international instruments and the launching of several programmes to address the scourge. Among those arethe UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (2000); the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) programme (2004) and in the context of Africa, the Ouagadougou Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, Especially Women and Children (2006). In January 2007 the African Union adopted the Executive Council Decision EX.CL/Dec.324 (X) which endorsed the Ouagadougou Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, Especially Women and Children. The decision called upon the Chairperson of the AU Commission in collaboration with IOM and other partners to advocate for the implementation of the Action Plan. Furthermore, the Commission in collaboration with IOM was requested to assist Member States with the development and implementation of sound migration policies aimed at addressing trafficking in human beings, especially women and children. The Chairperson of the African Union Commission is to report period