A/58/275 54. Some interesting measures proposed to combat illegal recruitment and other practices were brought to the attention of the Special Rapporteur during her visit to the Philippines. They included the creation of anti-illegal recruitment desks in every city, the implementation of a witness protection programme, the speedy resolution of illegal recruitment cases, the creation of a pool of prosecutors to deal with such cases, a tightening of departure checks at all international airports, and the designation by the Supreme Court of special courts to hear and decide illegal recruitment cases. 55. Dialogue and international cooperation are essential in order to combat trafficking. Initiatives such as the National Seminar on the Human Rights of Ecuadorian Migrants, held in Cuenca in February 2001 and attended by representatives of civil society organizations, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and IOM, are extremely helpful. During her visit to the Philippines the Special Rapporteur learned with appreciation that bilateral and multilateral agreements were being sought so that victims of human trafficking would not be treated as offenders. As part of the Puebla Process, a network of the immigration officials of all Central American countries was created to strengthen cooperation in the fight against trafficking. In Bangkok, an international law enforcement agency was established to serve as a regional training centre for law enforcement and to facilitate informationsharing for the suppression of transnational crime. 56. In the Philippines, the Centre for Transnational Crime has the task of formulating and implementing a concerted programme of action involving all law enforcement, intelligence and other government agencies for the prevention and control of, inter alia, trafficking in women and children, in particular through improved coordination, research, and the collection and centralization of data. Some countries have established governmental working groups to develop national strategies against the trafficking and smuggling of persons. 57. The Government of Thailand has developed guidelines for relevant agencies to be applied to women and children who are victims of trafficking, in order to establish a common understanding and standard practices among national agencies concerned. The Government of Croatia has set up a national Committee to Combat Trafficking in People. In some countries, specific plans of action have been formulated to ensure more coordination among competent ministries and departments in the fight against trafficking and smuggling. Many Governments have involved NGOs in these initiatives, including through their inclusion in ad hoc interdepartmental/ministerial groups. In Sri Lanka, NGOs, government agencies and migrants themselves have created a forum to discuss counter-trafficking measures. In Colombia, rehabilitated former victims of trafficking participate in similar efforts. 58. In the Netherlands, victims of trafficking are temporarily regularized and given protection and support so that they can decide whether to cooperate with law enforcement authorities. In Belgium, the Act on Human Trafficking provides that victims of trafficking should be granted residence permits and social assistance if they agree to testify against the perpetrators. In January 2002, the “T” visa programme for victims of trafficking was created in the United States. It is a procedure for attaining permanent residency status for certain trafficking victims who cooperate with law enforcement agencies in the prosecution of those responsible for their enslavement. After three years under this status they may apply for permanent residency. In Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands, victims are given a 18