https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-23-105390.pdf
Chelsa Kenney, et al, Department of State Collaborates with Partner Governments on Child Protection Compacts but Should Strengthen Oversight, GAO-23-105390, 17 Apr 2023, reviews progress of the Child Protection Compact (CPC) program since it began in 2015. The report examines the Department of State (State) Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Office’s monitoring of CPC performance, and tracking of partner country CPC contributions and sustainability measures, among other objectives. GAO analyzed State documentation on CPC country selection, monitoring, and evaluation, and interviewed TIP Office officials. GAO also conducted site visits, virtually or in person, in three countries to interview U.S. embassy officials, partner government officials, and project implementers. GAO selected these countries based on various factors, including the opportunity t
o observe stakeholder discussions on CPC progress.
The U.S. and partner countries meet annually to discuss steps taken to address child trafficking. The U.N. estimates a third of human trafficking victims worldwide are children. The report found:
– State hasn’t set key discussion guidelines for the CPC meetings or measurable goals to assess countries’ progress
– Nor has State tracked countries’ contributions or plans to sustain ongoing efforts
– Tools to help monitor CPC progress do not include discussions of key performance indicator data or indicator targets.
GAO Recommendations
The GAO made the following recommendations to the Secretary of State ensuring that the Director of the TIP Office, in collaboration with partner country governments:
1) Identifies, in advance of each annual dialogue, key CPC performance indicators to discuss at these meetings.
2) Discusses CPC performance indicator data at each annual dialogue.
3) Creates annual targets for performance indicators in each CPC reporting template for ongoing and future CPCs.
4) References the need to establish CPC performance indicator targets in key guidance documents, such as the CPC framework.
5) Annually tracks partner government contributions to the CPCs, such as personnel, funding, or other types of contributions.
6) Discusses CPC sustainability measures of partner country governments, such as at each annual dialogue.
State agreed with the GAO recommendations.
CPCs are a key State effort to combat international child trafficking. By not identifying and discussing key indicators at the dialogues and creating targets, the TIP Office has limited its ability to monitor the performance and better understand the progress of the CPCs.
