A/HRC/20/18 national referral mechanisms developed in cooperation with non-governmental organizations. Bulgaria also provides training on trafficking in human beings and victim identification to diplomats, consular and military attaches through the Diplomatic Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 46 The National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force in Sri Lanka is currently developing and implementing standard operating procedures that would assist in the accurate and timely identification of victims of trafficking, and establish a referral mechanism to provide assistance and protection. 47 Similarly, in April 2011, in the Republic of Moldova, the National Committee for Combating and Prevention of Trafficking in Persons approved the draft of an interdepartmental regulation on the identification of victims and potential victims of trafficking. The draft, which is awaiting final adoption and publication by the Ministry of Justice, will be an operational tool for organizations engaged in the national referral system and is aimed at streamlining and standardizing the identification process.48 37. Community-based organizations and victim support agencies are also becoming increasingly important in the identification of victims of trafficking. For example, in Australia, non-governmental organizations accounted for 13 per cent of all referrals in the period 2009–2010. 49 In keeping with a human rights-based approach, the Special Rapporteur observes that victims identified by non-governmental organizations should only be referred to the police if they give their consent. Importantly, Government financial support for victim support agencies should not make such funding contingent on requiring them to pass on information about identified victims. 38. Other mechanisms include agreements and partnerships between Government and non-government agencies, including victim service providers, to ensure that victims identified by non-State actors have access to Government support services.50 D. Support for victims of trafficking 39. There is growing recognition for the need to provide victims of human trafficking with support services, which, however, must be designed and delivered in a manner that is compatible with a human rights-based approach. 40. Some States have introduced reflection and recovery periods in order to provide immediate support and protection to victims not conditional on cooperation with criminal justice processes. During these periods, trafficking victims receive assistance, including shelter, health care and legal advice to enable them to make informed decisions about whether to participate in the criminal justice process. Such periods of reflection have the added advantage of giving investigators and prosecutors time to gather evidence. 51 41. For example, Canada provides trafficking victims with a 180-day period of reflection and options for obtaining temporary residence permits, including for stays of up to three years.52 The Netherlands offers a period of reflection of three months that is not conditional on participation in the justice process and provides immigration remedies to foreign trafficking victims, including, in certain circumstances, options for permanent 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 10 Submission by Bulgaria, pp. 6-7. Submission by Sri Lanka, pp. 4-5. Submission by the Republic of Moldova, p. 5. Submission by Australia, p. 10. For example, see submission by Albania, p. 8. A/HRC/17/35, para. 27. Submission by Canada, p. 6.