June 2008

International anti-trafficking seminar in Aktobe (Kazakhstan)

On June, 2-3, 2008 joint Russian-Swedish-Kazakh seminar on countering trafficking took place in Aktobe, in north-east of Kazakhstan. International seminar and training "Fighting against Human Trafficking in Kazakhstan: Joint Response to the Challenges of XXI century" was organized by "MiraMed Institute" and "Angel Coalition" (Russia) in partnership with "Center for the support of women of Aktobe" (Kazakhstan) and Kvinnoforum (Sweden).

The event brought together all agencies fighting trafficking in Aktobe region and its neighboring regions in Kazakhstan: law enforcement, social services and non-governmental organizations. Active part in seminar and training took experts from Investigative Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russian Federation and Swedish experts from social services. Seminar discussed current status of human trafficking in Russian Federation, the Republic of Kazakhstan and in Central Asia, and became perfect venue to exchange the experiences of counter-trafficking between Kazakhstan, Russia and Sweden.

Swedish experts are listening to the report on current situation in human trafficking in Aktobe region

Presentations of Swedish experts toucned upon issues of social protection and gender relations in society

Thanks to this seminar, both its comprehensive formal program and informal discussions there were strong partner ties established between Russian and Kazakh law enforcement, and between NGOs from various regions of Kazakhstan, rendering assistance to victims of human trafficking. All participants shared their experience of anti-trafficking, brought to light important recent cases and developed common point of view on trafficking as violation of human rights and slavery of 21st century. Special attention attracted most recent case of human trafficking in Aktobe region, which involved about 20 victims - citizens of CIS, used as for sexual exploitation so as domestic slaves. The heated discussion allowed drawing lessons and talking over the mistakes in work with victims of human trafficking.

As a result of seminar and training participants have suggested new strategies of countering trafficking on local level and elaborated practical tools of fighting against trafficking. Thus, the preliminary version of Profiling card for identification of human trafficking victim, in its Kazakhstan edition, was developed. Second document which was developed during seminar is a Handbook on assistance to victims of human trafficking in Kazakhstan. Both documents were approved by law enforcement as efficient and helpful tools in their everyday work. Seminar and training in Aktobe became one more landmark in building anti-trafficking partnerships between NGOs, law enforcement and governmental bodies in Central Asia.

Role play: who is real victim? Play is conducted by Alexander Mukha (NGO "Meirim", Кazakhstan)

Group photo of Aktobe seminar participants

Angel Coalition network members took part in SIDA forum (Saint-Petersburg)

Several representatives of non-governmental organizations - members of the Angel Coalition network have taken part in the forum organized by Swedish Agency for International Development (SIDA). The forum was taking place in Saint-Petersburg on 10 and 11 of June, 2008. It was an event celebrating 15 years of Russian-Swedish cooperation, which was carried within joint projects sponsored by SIDA. The forum has presented the results of the projects aimed at solution of important social problems and strengthening capacity of NGOs. Among the projects presented there were those aimed at development of cooperation between civil society and the state, education of youth, prevention of alcohol and drug addiction, of violence and human trafficking, improvement of gender policies. The forum gathered about 500 participants, among them official representatives from Russia and Sweden: ministers, governmental and city officials, and representatives of non-governmental organizations from both countries. Trafficking Victims Assistance Center of Angel Coalition (Moscow), Karelian Center for Gender Research (Petrozavodsk) and NGO INGO Crisis Center for Women (Saint-Petersburg) were represented in the forum. We talked about the results of the project Safe Return and Recovery, which was carried by Coalition from 2004.  We not only summed up the results of joint work, but also exchanged the experience with other participants of the forum and found new partners, with whom we discussed the future ways of cooperation in preventing human trafficking and rendering assistance to the trafficking victims.

"Angels" came together: representatives of regional NGOs - members of Angel Coalition partner network

Two Angel Coalition representatives with chief police officer of law enforcement from Saint-Petersburg and Swedish colleagues from "Kvinnoforum"

NEWS ARCHIVE