The United States would allocate 4.5 million U.S. dollars over the next three years to support the counter-human trafficking programs in Cambodia, said a press release issued by the U.S. Embassy here on Wednesday.

"This project is a landmark approach in Cambodia. Government, civil society and international organizations are collaborating to identify trafficking trends so we can stop trafficking before it happens and fight trafficking where it takes place," U.S. Ambassador Joseph A. Mussomeli was quoted as saying.

This allocation was for the second phase of USAID's (the U.S. Agency for International Development) anti-trafficking projects which was started here on Tuesday in conjunction with Cambodia's Ministry of Interior and the Asia Foundation.

The project aimed to increase awareness about the demand for trafficked persons and promote safe migration alternatives, document the effectiveness of counter-trafficking programs and share practices, said the release.

It also aimed to establish a minimum standard of care at shelters and ensure continuity of care through the referral process, promote access to justice for victims, and support income- generating activities to protect vulnerable populations from exploitation.

It was expected to broaden the scope of anti-trafficking work in Cambodia to address trafficking of adults and young children for sex, labor, begging and other forms of exploitation, it said.

The U.S. government has spent some five million U.S. dollars for first phase of the project since 2003.

Source: Xinhua