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Projects in the Far-East Region |
The Russian Far-East, and in particular the city of Vladivostok has grown to be an important point of origin, transit and destination of human trafficking for sexual and labor exploitation over the last 15 years, due to its geographical location, bordering China, Korea and Japan. In order to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings in this region, IOM is implementing two Counter-Trafficking projects in the Far-East region, both focusing on Primorskiy Krai and its capital Vladivostok.
Within the framework of the first project “Assistance Center for Victims of Trafficking in Primorskiy Krai, Vladivostok City” a safe house for victims of trafficking was opened in Vladivostok in February 2009, which provides direct assistance service to victims of trafficking. The second project “A Multiagency Model of Cooperation for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in the Russian Far-East” aims on one side to increase inter-agency cooperation in combating human trafficking, and on the other side to provide necessary instruments and know-how to law enforcement officers and judges in order for them to be able to more effectively combat human trafficking.
Both projects are financed by the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs at the U.S Department of State (www.state.gov/p/inl ).
Project: “Assistance Center for Victims of Trafficking in Primorskiy Krai, Vladivostok City”
The goal of the project is to contribute to combating human trafficking in Primorskiy Krai by providing assistance and reintegration services to victims of trafficking (VoTs), namely through an Assistance Center (safe house) for victims of trafficking in Vladivostok. The Project aims to address the needs of VoTs through offering them a standard inventory of assistance services, which is being provided by the NGO Far East Crisis Center in close coordination with the Administration of the region and IOM Moscow. As a minimum, the assistance package includes:
-Provision of temporary accommodation in the Assistance Center;
-Provision of medical services and psychological counselling, as well as social and legal counselling;
-Referrals to regional social, health and other governmental structures for counselling and follow – up assistance, as applicable;
-Provision of grants;
-Transportation to the regions of final destination in Russia or the VoTs’ countries of origin;
-Provision of counselling/training on reintegration opportunities.
The Assistance Center is opened on the premises of a governmental social institution.
One of the bedrooms of the Assistance Center
The Assistance Center has the capacity to accommodate 6 VOTs at the same time. Its operational functions are being funded by the project for 6 months. After this period the Primorskiy Krai Administration will endorse the project and provide funding for the continuation of the activities of the Assistance Center.
Welcome remarks of Alberto Andreani - Coordinator of IOM CT projects
The opening ceremony of the Assistance Center took place on 17 February 2009 with the participation of the US Consul General Mr. Thomas Armbruster, the Deputy Head of the Department for the Coordination of Law Enforcement Affairs of the Administration of Primorskiy Kray Ms. L. Goncharuk, the Deputy Director of the Department for Social Security of Primorskiy Kray Ms. O. Meyta, other representatives of governmental and non-governmental institutions and journalists.
Project: “A Multiagency Model of Cooperation for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in the Russian Far-East”
The goal of this project is to contribute to the efforts of the Primorskiy Krai authorities and civil society to combat human trafficking through establishing an institutionalized response mechanism for combating this crime and providing training to relevant stakeholders.
Project Objectives:
1) To improve the capacities of specialized law enforcement units as well as judicial authorities to detect, investigate and prosecute trafficking crimes.
Activities in support of Objective 1:
- launch and carry out a comprehensive regional Law Enforcement Counter-Trafficking (LECT) educational program.
- develop a comprehensive reference manual on investigative and prosecutorial techniques to be used in thematic workshops, as well as training and re-training programs administered by the MoI and prosecutorial educational establishments of Primorskiy Krai; the special focus of manual will be financial investigations;
- conduct a series of thematic trainings for field police officers, investigators and prosecutors, in the areas of THB detection, investigation and prosecution as well as victims’ referral and assistance;
- conduct a ToT seminar on the LECT course work for the faculty of the MoI and prosecutorial educational establishments of Primorskiy Krai.
- Organize a workshop on the specifics of legal proceedings on THB cases for judges in the region.
2) To put in place an effective identification system for frontline policemen as a means of preventing trafficking crimes.
Activities in support of Objective 2:
- Develop a manual for frontline police officers on human trafficking indicators, victims’ identification and modalities of evidence collection.
3) To facilitate information exchange and coordination of counter-trafficking activities within and among governmental authorities.
Activities in support of Objective 3:
- Conduct a workshop on establishing a region-wide interagency Task Force to exchange relevant data on the trafficking situation and design response measures.
4) To promote interaction between governmental authorities and NGOs to provide referral, protection and assistance services to victims of trafficking.
Activities in support of Objective 4:
- Organize a working meeting between local NGOs and law enforcement agencies meant to exchange the best practices and establish standard operational procedures to refer and assist victims of trafficking.
LT. Colonel Sergio Carbone - Guardia di Finanza expert, Attache of the Italian
Embassy in the RF (right) - giving a lecture on use of financial investigations
in combating human trafficking during the training in Vladivostok
A first training for law enforcement officers on investigation and prosecution of crimes related to human trafficking was conducted in Vladivostok on 18-20 February. Three day training, which was attended by a total of 35 participants, was given by experts from the Management Academy of the MoI of Russia, the Institute of the MoI of Russia, the Italian Financial Police, the US Department of Justice and IOM.
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