Karma Rigzin

Lieutenant Colonel Karma Rigzin is a former UN peacekeeper, one of the three most senior ranking women in Royal Bhutan Police, and founder of its Woman and Child Protection Division.[1] In June 2020 the US State Department named her as one of their 10 "heroes" for working to combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP). In a ceremony at the White House, John Richmond, from the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons said the award was given: "In recognition of her extraordinary leadership in pioneering Bhutan's victim-centered specialized national police unit on women and children that led to the first-ever criminal human trafficking case, and her pivotal role in significantly increasing anti-trafficking efforts across all departments of the government".[2]

According to the US Department of State, Colonel Rigzin has developed "innovative practices for compiling human trafficking-related data" as well as establishing a human trafficking awareness program for Bhutanese citizens traveling overseas for employment.[1] Colonel Rigzin created a video to publicly express her thanks, saying she was "honored and humbled" by the award and that her success was the result of "a team effort".[3]

Career

Rigzin studied Political Science at Delhi University, intending to become a lawyer, but instead joined Royal Bhutan Police in 2000. In 2006 she started a special unit for protection of women and children. In 2007, her team identified and prosecuted Bhutan's first criminal case involving human trafficking charges.[1] In 2017, she worked with UN peacekeeping forces in Sudan.[4] Colonel Rigzin has trained immigration officials, senior police officers, and non-commissioned officers on identification of trafficking victims and investigation techniques and has successfully advocated for increased funding for trafficking victim services.[1]

References
  1. "Karma Rigzin - U.S. Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report Heroes". www.tipheroes.org. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  2. "At the 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report Launch Ceremony". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  3. "Bhutan- Karma Rigzin". Vimeo. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  4. Wangmo, Choki (3 July 2020). "Karma Rigzin recognised for fighting trafficking". Kuensel. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
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