On 31 December, 2009 the Project Prevention of Human Trafficking in the Russian Federation funded by the European Union, the US Department of State and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation came to an end.

The Project was launched in 2006 as the first initiative to comprehensively counter-act the phenomenon of human trafficking in Russia. During the course of its implementation, the project has brought together state structures, international inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations.

 

The project has worked to promote and further develop those national initiatives which followed the signing and, later on in the spring of 2004, the ratification of the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and the related Protocols, including the Protocol to Prevent, suppress and punish Trafficking in Human Beings, especially women and children. The aim was to provide a model for action, in which each stakeholder would take action in order to enhance the prevention of human trafficking in the country.  The project activities have been carried out in the Russian Federation at federal and local level (in the three pilot regions of Moscow- Moscow region, Astrakhan-Astrakhan region, Petrozavodsk-Republic of Karelia) with a look at Russia as an origin, transit and destination country of victims of trafficking. During the course of the project, 423 victims of trafficking identified in Russia and abroad have received assistance and an inter-agency model of assistance and referral of victims of trafficking among relevant stakeholders has been promoted, with an increased cooperation between law enforcement and non-governmental organizations working has service providers. At the same time, the extent of the phenomenon in Russia has been researched and at-risk groups, including labour migrants and young people have been targeted by a country wide information campaign. Legislative tools have been researched for further use of policy makers and legislators and the work of law enforcement including of the investigative units dealing wit human trafficking crimes has been supported.  Three Information and Consultation Centers in the pilot regions have worked to raised the knowledge of the population on the phenomenon of trafficking and provide information tools on how to avoid risk averting behaviors.  

 

Overall the project has set a model of action on which new endeavors could be further built. The project has also worked as a catalyst attracting the attention of both national stakeholders, including governmental authorities and the international community on the problem of human trafficking in Russia and of its ramifications at international level. On these grounds further actions are still needed to be carried out, such as a National Plan of Action and a Federal law on countering Human Trafficking, in order to institutionalize mechanisms which have been tested within the framework of the project.

 

      Components of the PROJECT:

Policy Advice: improving the legislative framework and the State policies regarding human trafficking, including the national capacity to assess and measure this phenomenon in Russia.

Prevention: strengthening the capacity of the relevant law enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking; raising awareness amongst the risk group, general public and relevant Russian authorities, NGOs and diplomatic missions of foreign states.

Reintegration: building the capacity of the national authorities and local NGO networks to protect and reintegrate victims of trafficking.

 

      Specific Objectives

1. Policy Advice Component

      · Estimate the scope of the trafficking phenomenon in the Russian Federation, including the number of the involved Russian victims, those from CIS and non-CIS countries, through a baseline study in three sample regions of Russia (regions of origin, transit and destination, respectively), with a special focus on the trafficking trends involving the EU countries.

      · Develop a set of methods for measuring, assessing and analyzing the human trafficking phenomenon in Russia to be used as a model for further research.

      · Enhance the capacities of the Russian authorities and NGOs to conduct basic and applied research of the human trafficking phenomenon, using the recommended research model.

      · Contribute to upgrading the Russian legislation referring to trafficking in humans through an expert review of the existing and draft legislation and developing recommendations using EU consultancy and best practices.

      · Contribute to the improvement of the existing State policies on human trafficking through an expert analysis and developing improvement recommendations, based on EU best practices; prepare recommendations for a National Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings.

      · Promote inter-agency cooperation at the federal and regional governmental levels for the purpose of creation of a sustainable consultative process (e.g. support the existing Inter-Agency Working Group under the Legislative Committee of the State Duma in preparation draft Federal Law to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings).

      · Enhance cooperation between the governmental authorities and the NGO network.

      · Build effective coordination and cooperation mechanisms between IOM, Delegation of the European Commission to the Russian Federation and other Donor agencies involved in the prevention and combating of trafficking in human beings through participation in joint activities and complementary project design and planning.

2. Prevention Component Awareness raising:

      · Increase the awareness of the trafficking perils among “high-risk” groups, minors and the general public.

      · Raise the awareness of the trafficking phenomenon among the relevant Russian governmental agencies, NGOs and other caregivers and concerned entities.

      · Provide the personnel of the Russian diplomatic representations abroad and the consulates and embassies of EU countries with effective tools and skills for prevention of trafficking crimes and assistance to victims of trafficking.

      · Ensure professional and responsible coverage of trafficking-related issues by mass media and create a dedicated pool of journalists.

Addressing the social problems underlying the trafficking phenomenon:
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      · Contribute to the improvement of the employment prospects for victims of trafficking and “at-risk” persons through research of labour markets in the selected regions and engagement of the local authorities in developing effective employment strategies for “high-risk” groups.

      · Increase the awareness of the employment opportunities among “high-risk” groups in their regions.

      · Promote legitimate labour immigration through the establishment of information centres for migrants in cooperation with the authorities.

      · Enhance the capacities of the Federal Migration Service through awareness-raising sessions for the officials and personnel of the federal and regional offices.

      · Promote alternative income-generating opportunities for “high-risk” groups in the selected regions through the involvement of complementary initiatives carried by the International Labour Organization.

Capacity building activities for law enforcement and judicial authorities:

      · Upgrade the capacities of the law enforcement authorities to effectively prevent, detect, investigate and prosecute trafficking crimes through diversified training, sharing of EU and international best practices and exchange visits to EU countries, involving high and mid-ranking, as well as field officers of the police (Ministry of Interior) and prosecutors (Prosecutor General’s office).

      · Promote institutionalisation of law enforcement personnel training on the various aspects of trafficking crimes prosecution through the introduction of appropriate training modules in the law enforcement education system.

      · Support the law enforcement agencies’ access to on-line information resources; improve the technical base for the exchange of information and communication among the federal and regional structural units dealing with the investigation and prosecution of trafficking-related crimes.

      · Promote international operational and judicial cooperation between the Russian law enforcement authorities and their counterparts abroad, particularly, in the CIS and EU regions.

3. Reintegration Component

      · Establish a model facility for the rehabilitation and subsequent referral of trafficking victims, offering a comprehensive inventory of rehabilitation services (Rehabilitation Center in Moscow) for Russian citizens returning from countries of destination as well as CIS and non-CIS national – victims of exploitation on the territory of Russia.

      · Upgrade the capacities of the federal and regional governmental authorities and NGOs to assist the various groups of trafficking victims in the return/rehabilitation/reintegration through specialized training, using methodologies developed by IOM and other instiutions.

      · Further inter-agency cooperation and coordination in assisting victims of trafficking through the establishment of sustainable referral mechanisms in the selected regions with participance of governmental agencies, NGOs and international organizations.

 

 

      Project description
      (background information) 

      The 2005 Trafficking in Persons Report by the US State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons estimates that approximately 600,000 – 800,000 persons are trafficked annually across the globe.

      In 2001, European Commission indicated that 120,000 women and children were annually brought illegally into Western Europe and exploited mainly in the sex industry.

      The estimates above suggest that thousands of Russian women and girls may be annually brought into the countries of Europe, as well as South-East Asia and the United States.

      At the same time, Russia itself is a major destination and transit country where women from the former Soviet Union territories, including Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, the countries of Central Asia and others are exploited by trafficking networks.

      The Russian Government is increasingly demonstrating commitment to combating irregular migration and cross-border crime, including the trafficking phenomenon on the territory of the Russian Federation.

      In 2001-2003, the Inter-Agency Working Group of the Legislative Committee of the State Duma initiated and developed a draft Federal Law to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, which established a legal and organizational framework for combating trafficking in human beings in the Russian Federation.

      In December 2003, the President of the Russian Federation signed a decree enacting a set of amendments to the Criminal Code which provided a basis for the criminalization of trafficking in persons (Article 127-1), exploitation of slave labour (Article 127-2), engagement in prostitution and procuring prostitution (amended Articles 240 and 241).

      In December 2000, Russia signed the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto, including the Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children, which was ratified by the Parliament of Russia in the spring of 2004.

      At the same time, the rates of trafficking cases detection, investigation, and referral to court (as per Articles 127-1 and 127-2 introduced in the Russian Criminal Code in December 2003) remain disproportionate to the scope of human trafficking from and into Russia. Thus, the law enforcement authorities are in need of technical assistance and expertise to effectively combat the trafficking crime, in cooperation with the governments of destination and source countries.

     There is also a lack of reliable data on the number and profiles of the trafficking victims, and the routes and methods used by the trafficking rings, as appropriate mechanisms for data collection and exchange are not in place.

     Taking into consideration the trafficking victims’ vulnerability, the Government of Russia needs assistance in developing effective mechanisms for victims protection and assistance, which would involve governmental social protection agencies, law-enforcement bodies, NGOs and international organizations.

     Besides, there is a need for a comprehensive strategy to further increase the awareness of the general public of the human trafficking problem and design and carry out prevention activities targeting “at-risk” groups, including young women, minors, labour migrants and other socially vulnerable categories.

     The present project was developed proceeding from the priority tasks in the field of combating human trafficking, identified by the Inter-Agency Working Group under the Legislative Committee of the State Duma as well as by concerned governmental structures.

     The project envisions activities to be implemented at the federal and regional governmental levels (three pilot regions have been selected for the purposes of the project: Astrakhan, Republic of Karelia and Moscow regions).

 

      PROJECT ACTIVITIES

1. Policy Advice. 

      1.1 Baseline study of the problem of human trafficking in three sample regions of Russia.

      1.2 Development of a methodology for conducting baseline and applied research of the human trafficking problem.

      1.3 An expert review of the existing and draft legislation referring to trafficking in humans (using EU and national expertise).

     1.4 Expert analysis of the existing State policies and measures to combat human trafficking; development of a draft National Plan of Action.

      1.5 Creating a sustainable inter-agency cooperation and consultative process on trafficking issues at the federal and regional governmental levels (conferences to be held in Moscow with the participation of federal governmental authorities; seminars in selected regions for local administrations; monitoring visits of IOM and EU experts to selected regions).

      1.6 Regular consultations of the donor community to ensure complementarity and sustainability of current and future projects.

 

      2. Prevention Activities.

Raising the awareness of general public and “at-risk” groups

      2.1 Information campaign for “at-risk” groups and general public (special media events; press publications and “social advertising”, radio and TV programmes participation, information brochures and booklets for various target groups; legal and social guides for migrants; development of a Journalist Guide and mass media trainings; website developement).

      2.2 Development and implementation of an education programme for minors. 

      2.3 Research in the pilot regions on employment possibilities for “at-risk” groups.

      2.4 Establishment of information centres for labour migrants, victims of trafficking and “at-risk” groups to provide consultations on employment possibilities and social and legal counselling (in three pilot regions).

      2.5 Promotion of alternative income-generation opportunities for “at-risk” groups in the pilot regions (according to guidelines and in cooperation with ILO).

      2.6 Technical cooperation with the Federal Migration Service in monitoring the employment agencies sector.

 

 

Capacity building for law enforcement and judicial authorities

      2.7 Training of law enforcement practitioners in special investigative and prosecutorial techniques (in partnership with the Ministry of Interior Domodedovo All-Russia Institute for Advanced Training, with the participation of IOM and EU experts), including:

            · Training for federal-law enforcement faculty (training of the trainers);
            · Regional training for law-enforcement bodies practitioners.

      2.8 Development of a specialized Trafficking Crimes Investigation and Prosecution Module for educational and advanced training institutes of the Ministry of Interior and Prosecutor General’s Office (in cooperation with UNODC).

      2.9 Development of an inventory of typologies for police and prosecutors (in cooperation with UNODC).

      2.10 Promotion of cross-border cooperation between Russian law-enforcement and judicial practitioners and their EU and CIS states counterparts: round-table sessions with the participation of EU and CIS countries representatives; networking visits and study tours to EU countries for Ministry of Interior and Prosecutor General’s Office practitioners; regular working consultations of law-enforcement practitioners from Russia and EU states.

     2.11 Provision of computer and technical equipment to the law-enforcement authorities in Moscow and pilot regions to optimize operational and investigative procedures.

      2.12 Development of an interactive web-based Mutual Legal Assistance Tool.

      2.13 Creation of a directory of national and international contacts in the police, prosecutorial and judicial agencies in EU and CIS countries.

 

3. Assistance to victims of trafficking

      3.1 Establishing a mechanism for the referral of victims of trafficking to an appropriate agency/organization for assistance in the pilot regions on the basis of inter-agency operational networks, involving governmental authorities, NGOs and international organizations.

      3.2 Assistance to victims of trafficking/Rehabilitation Centre for victims in Moscow.

      3.3 Organization of specialized trainings and seminars for Rehabilitation Centre personnel (on medical assistance and psychological support to victims).

      3.4 Enhancing the NGO networks and capacity-building and training activities to enhance the NGOs’ ability to provide effective rehabilitation and reintegration services to victims.