Strengthening of comprehensive anti-trafficking responses in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia

Brief description

The project seeks to address reduction of all forms of trafficking in human beings through capacity building and provision of protection and assistance to actual and potential victims. The immediate objectives of the project envisage:

• To support the development of the national institutional framework in the respective countries to address Trafficking in Human Beings (further referred to as THB) and their practical implementation including victim-centred research, National Action Plan (NAP) evaluation and monitoring mechanisms. Although all three countries have adopted and/or revised their national action plans, they are still lacking longer-term comprehensive anti-trafficking strategies. On the other hand, Anti-trafficking Strategy and Action plan alone is not sufficient to guarantee an efficient anti-trafficking response. The institutional and administrative structures - the so called “supporting framework” - necessary for a successful implementation of the NAP though are not any more neglected in the three countries, but need substantial support and capacity building. Thus the project seeks to continue supporting the governments with the amendment and update of the existing strategies and action plans and with the capacity building of the organisational-administrative components of the supporting framework. This includes an optimisation of co-ordination structures, the set up of appropriate structures for future monitoring, evaluation and revision, information management and budget mobilisation.
• To support prevention of THB through labour market interventions and addressing potential migrants. The activities to reach this objective will be carried out as a follow up of the outputs of the labour market interventions carried out in 2007-2008. The present efforts build on the success, as well as limitations of the previous ones. Experience from previous anti-trafficking action has shown that information dissemination to (potential) migrant workers as well as developing viable alternatives to irregular migration will help reducing trafficking in the long run. Labour market institutions, in particular public employment services, trade unions and private recruitment agencies have central role to play in this alongside NGOs and other civil society actors.
• To assist the respective Governments to detect, investigate and prosecute criminal activities pertinent to THB. The implementing organizations in their efforts to support the respective governmental agencies in combating trafficking in human beings will follow up on the recommendations of the multi-agency assessment of 2007-2008 in this area. Law enforcement officials will receive training in monitoring recruitment agencies, preservation of evidence and proactive investigations. Training modules on the detection of trafficking will be introduced to the national training curricula of law enforcement, based on the law enforcement training needs assessment conducted in 2007-2008 in the countries.
• To improve identification, referral, protection and assistance including reintegration of victims. As the consortium of implementing organizations (ILO, ICMPD, OSCE in Armenia) was joined by IOM, the efforts for identification, referral and assistance to the victims of trafficking will be enriched by the IOM experience in this field and their know-how. The project seeks to address the special needs of women, men and child victims of THB through the support of NGO and trade union outreach activities as well as provision of reintegration measures based on a proper understanding of labour market dynamics in the country.

• Information booklet (PDF, 258 kB)