2016-2017 Horizontal Evaluation of the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking (NAP-HT)

Table of contents
  • Executive Summary
  • What We Examined
  • Why Is This Important
  • Purpose, Scope, and Methodology of the Evaluation
  • Limitations                                                                                                                             
  • Evaluation Findings: Relevance                                                                                            
  • Evaluation Findings: Performance - Governance and Data Sources                    
  • Evaluation Findings: Performance - Four Pillars                                                                 
    • Prevention                                                                                                           
    • Protection                                                                                                                
    • Prosecution                                                                                                                
    • Partnership                                                                                                               
  • Evaluation Findings: Performance – Costing                                                                     
  • Conclusions                                                                                                                       
  • Recommendations                                                                                                             
  • Management Response and Action Plan (MRAP)                                                           
  • Annexes                                                                                                                                 

Executive Summary

The NAP-HT was a horizontal initiative involving nine federal organizations with the goal of providing a comprehensive federal response to address human trafficking with focus on four pillars: prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership.                       

What We Examined

Why is this important?

Purpose, Scope, and Methodology of the Evaluation

Limitations

Evaluation Findings: Relevance

Key Findings: Relevance – Need

Findings: There is a continued need to have a national strategy to combat human trafficking. There are opportunities for the NAP-HT to evolve.

Key Findings: Relevance Priorities

Findings: The NAP-HT is aligned with federal government priorities.

Key Findings: Relevance – International Comparison and Best Practices

Findings: When compared to other like-minded countries, Canada’s approach to combat human trafficking is similar. However, the evaluation identified some best practices that could complement Canada’s efforts to combat human trafficking.

Evaluation Findings: Performance - Government and Data Sources

Key Findings: Performance Governance

Findings: The only governance committee that was put in place to oversee the implementation of the action plan was at the working level. Although the committee functioned well, evidence suggests a need to establish a higher-level engagement structure in the future to provide strategic guidance and direction. 

Key Findings: Performance Data Sources

Findings: There are limited reliable and accurate data sources to map out the scope and nature of human trafficking in Canada, making it difficult for policy makers to implement effective federal responses to human trafficking.

Evaluation Findings: Performance - Four Pillars
(Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, Partnership)

Key Findings: Performance – Prevention

Findings: The NAP-HT contributed to increasing the awareness and understanding of human trafficking situations among federal government institutions. However, it was less clear to what extent the NAP-HT contributed to increase awareness among civil society and at-risk populations.

Key Findings: Performance – Protection

Findings: The NAP-HT, to some extent, contributed to identify, protect, and support victims in their recovery.

Key Findings: Performance – Prosecution

Findings: Through the NAP-HT, some work was undertaken to strengthen the capability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute human trafficking crimes. However, there is very limited evidence to indicate that the NAP-HT contributed to enhance intelligence collection, coordination, and collaboration and to disrupt crime groups.

Key Findings: Performance – Partnership

Findings: There is room for the NAP-HT to strengthen the partnership between the federal government and the provinces and with non-governmental organizations. Partnership efforts through the NAP-HT did not translate into facilitating policy development and capacity building abroad.

Evaluation Findings: Performance - Costing

Findings: The majority of federal organizations were unable to track the NAP-HT specific expenditures. They attributed this to the absence of dedicated funding. Given this, the evaluation was unable to fully assess the actual cost of the NAP-HT implementation.

Conclusions

Recommendations

In collaboration with the participating organizations, the ADM of the Community Safety and Countering Crime Branch of Public Safety Canada should consider to:

  1. Developing and implementing a coordinated approach to address the continued  need to combat human trafficking taking into account the evaluation findings;
  2. Enhancing Canada’s response to combat human trafficking by forging closer partnerships with other levels of government, Indigenous communities, civil society, the private sector as well as bilateral and multilateral partners;
  3. Implementing a mechanism to connect victims with access to dedicated services and facilitate reporting of human trafficking;
  4. Improving capacity to collect national data on human trafficking; and
  5. Putting in place a mechanism to collect relevant and reliable performance information, including information on program expenditures to support program management and accountability.

Management Response and Action Plan

The Programs Directorate has reviewed the report and the recommendations and is in agreement with the findings. The evaluation recommendations will inform the development of a renewed national strategy to combat human trafficking and a performance measurement strategy. Programs will take the opportunity to engage Other Government Departments (OGDs), the Provinces and Territories (P/Ts) and other non-government stakeholders to enhance collaboration at the national level and explore options to improve data collection. 

Management Response and Action Plan
Action planned Deliverable(s) Planned Completion Date
Engage OGDs to pursue the policy renewal process toward a new national strategy to combat human trafficking integrating the evaluation findings. Policy options presented in collaboration with HTT partners. April 2018
 a) Engage OGDs to review the existing Terms for Reference for the Human Trafficking Taskforce and with a view to:
Consider alternative governance options to enhance the effectiveness of Canada’s response to combat human trafficking.

b)Identify options to enhance collaboration within the federal government, with P/Ts, First Nations and non-government stakeholders

a) New/updated Terms of Reference.

b)Options presented in collaboration with HTT partners.      

May 2018
Examine the feasibility and effectiveness of a national hotline and referral mechanism for victims and potential victims of human trafficking. Table options and recommended approaches to enable/improve data collection and support the creation of a national referral mechanism. January 2018
Engage OGDs, P/Ts and non-governmental stakeholders to explore options to improve data collection. Options presented to improve data collection. January 2018

Develop a Program Information Profile to reflect the priorities of a renewed national strategy by:  

  • Engaging HTT partners on the development of the results and indicators; and
  • Establishing a reporting mechanism within the HTT.

Seek approval for, and implement the Program Information Profile.

Creation of HTT Program Information Profile sub-committee.

March 2018

Annexes

Annex A: Evaluation Questions

Relevance

  1. To what extent is the NAP-HT still relevant to meet evolving needs?
  2. To what extent is the NAP-HT aligned with federal government priorities? 
  3. How does Canada compare to the other countries in relation to their responses to combat human trafficking? For example, have other countries implemented national action plans and if so, how are these plans being funded?

Performance

  1. To what extent have there been effective horizontal governance and coordination among the federal participating organizations?
  2. To what extent are there reliable and accurate data sources to map out the scope and nature of human trafficking? What has been the impact on the NAP-HT outcome achievement?
  3. (Prevention) To what extent has the NAP-HT contributed to the improvement in the ability of at-risk populations to recognize their situation and seek support?
  4. (Prevention) To what extent has the NAP-HT contributed to the improved ability of institutions to detect potential victims/places of human trafficking?
  5. (Protection) To what extent has the NAP-HT contributed to victims being identified, protected and supported in their recovery?
  6. (Prosecution) To what extent has the NAP-HT contributed to organized crime groups and other persons involved in human trafficking being disrupted?
  7. (Partnership) To what extent has the NAP-HT contributed to partnerships being strengthened domestically and internationally to facilitate policy development, improvement of knowledge sharing and capacity-building abroad?
  8. What is the full estimated cost of each partner's NAP-HT activities and how have these costs differed from the initial funding commitment?

Annex B: Logic Model

Logic Model

Image description

The Logic Model works as a communication tool that summarizes the key elements of the program, explains the rationale behind program activities, and clarifies all intended outcomes.

The activities under the prevention and protection pillars include:

The activities under the prosecution and partnership pillars include

The outputs under the prevention pillar are:

The outputs under the protection pillar are:

The outputs under the prosecution pillar are:

The outputs under the partnership pillar are

The immediate outcome under the prevention pillar is:

The immediate outcome under the protection pillar is:

The immediate outcome under the prosecution pillar is:

The immediate outcome under the partnership pillar is: 

The intermediate outcomes under the prevention pillar are:

The intermediate outcome under the protection pillar is:

The intermediate outcome under the prosecution pillar is:

The intermediate outcome under the partnership pillar is:

The ultimate outcome is:

Annex C: Initial funding commitment by Government of Canada

Initial funding commitment by Government of Canada
Effort or Activity (Lead Organization) Government of Canada Investment 2012/13
Dedicated Enforcement Team (RCMP and CBSA) $2,030,000
Human Trafficking National Coordination Centre (RCMP) $1,300,000
Regional Coordination and Awareness (RCMP) $1,600,000
Border Service Officer Training/Awareness (CBSA) $445,000
Training, Legislative Implementation, and Policy Development (JUS) $140,000
Enhanced Victim Services (JUS) Up to $500,000*
Temporary Foreign Worker Program (ESDC) $140,000
Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program (GAC) $96,000
Global Peace and Security Fund (GAC) $1,200,000
Stakeholder Consultation and Coordination (PS) $200,000
Awareness and Research (PS) $155,000
  * Beginning in 2013/14
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