World renowned Puerto Rican pop singer Ricky Martin and Costa Rican
President Oscar Arias Sánchez are today joining IOM, the
Inter American Development Bank and UNICEF in San José for
the launch of the counter trafficking information campaign "Llama y
Vive" (Call and Live) and a telephone hotline.

The regional campaign and the telephone hotline, which will
operate in all Central American countries, were designed to alert
potential victims of trafficking, protect children and youth and
provide information to the general public.

A message from Ricky Martin is at the centre of the
campaign.  Television and radio public service announcements
and posters and will bring his message during the next six months
to all Central Americans.

IOM and its partners expect that the new hotline and the massive
media attention will translate into increased awareness on the
perils of human trafficking.  The hotline is operated by
trained personnel 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Costa Rica is a country of origin, transit and destination for
human trafficking.  The majority of the victims are forced
into sexual servitude.  But media reports also confirm the
existence of human trafficking for forced labour, as well as
trafficking within the country's borders.  The country's youth
are the most vulnerable to human trafficking.

Today's launch is part of the Global Agreement signed in May
2006 between IOM and the Ricky Martin Foundation.

In Costa Rica IOM will also work with el Patronato Nacional de
la Infancia (PANI), la Línea 911 and the Fundación
Ser y Crecer.

IOM has received the funding for this campaign from the US
Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration
(PRM).

For more information contact:

Agueda Marin

IOM San José

Tel: +506.221.5348 Ext 119

E-mail "mailto:amarin@iom.int">amarin@iom.int