Angel Coalition took active part in 4-th International Conference “Women –21 st century. Dialogue without borders”, which took place in Ohrid ( Macedonia ) on 17-22 of September, 2006. There were 73 participants in the conference, all of them are women activists from different countries, they represented small enterprises, governmental bodies, non-governmental bodies, the institutes of culture and science. Besides this, on the conference there were present representatives of the embassies of Commonwealth of Independent States and of Balkan states, compatriots who currently live abroad. Among problems discussed in conference there were such problems as gender stereotypes, distribution of gender roles in contemporary society, women's and family values, and certainly, the problem of human trafficking was actively discussed. Tatiana Uzakova from Angel Coalition has presented to attention of participants her report “Problem of human trafficking: the analysis and causes of the phenomenon”. The report attracted great attention and evoked vivid response on the part of audience. There was special section created in conference, which was discussing the issue of trafficking and elaborated suggestions to the governments of Russia and Macedonia , which were later on included into the resolution of conference.

Apart from that, on 21, 25 and 28 of September, 2006 Angel Coalition has conducted the trainings in Chernogoria “What is human trafficking? The attitude to the problem. What must be done?”. The trainings were accompanied with demonstration of movie “Exit” by MTV, which told about stereotypical attitude to the problem, to the victims of human trafficking. The participants of the training gave positive evaluation of the work of Angel Coalition. This response has shown that discussion of the issue of human trafficking is timely. The conclusions drawn were that as means of prevention more close collaboration with mass media is needed in order to throw the light on this phenomenon, and in order to evoke wider public discussion of the topic and to impact target groups, especially those representing demand side of sex-service. All participants of the trainings emphasized the growing role of education in fostering attitudes of new generations.

Trainings for children of risk group in summer resorting center for youth “Vostok”

In cooperation with organization “Women of our City” in August 2006 in resorting center for youth  “Vostok" Angel Coalition conducted three trainings courses for children from the risk group, on the topic  “Do not get hooked by promises! Work and study abroad. Myths and reality". The aims of these trainings were to present the notion of human trafficking and disclose its character, to outline the main features of this phenomena, to inform children of the real threats posed by criminal business when they recruit novices; to warn young people against the impulsive actions, to manifest the negative consequences of such actions using real life examples, to instruct the young ones in rules of safe employment. This course included 80 children, majority of whom are of 15-17 years old. The trainings were taught in interactive manner and raised self-awareness of children. Youth were surveyed with the help of two questionnaires: first in the beginning, before the training course, in order to learn about their level of awareness of this problem and their attitudes toward the problem; the second questionnaire was given after the end of the training and was aimed at finding out about teenagers' opinions concerning necessity of information trainings on trafficking. Survey has shown that 90 % of children previously were not aware of the issue of trafficking. The aims of the training were fulfilled, children showed interest and serious attitude towards the problem, noted in their answers the necessity of the distribution of the information on trafficking and about preventing measures how not to fall a victim of trafficking.

Summer trainings for children of risk group in youth camp “Vostok”

The Angle Coalition and leadership of youth resorting center have concluded agreement on provision of similar trainings for other groups of teenagers.

The Collaboration of the Angel Coalition with Law Enforcement Agencies in Russia and Overseas.

From the very beginning, the Angel Coalition has been active in developing collaborative relationship with governmental agencies working to fight human trafficking in Russia and the CIS. By now the Angel Coalition has accumulated substantial experience in collaborating with law enforcement agencies.

The Angel Coalition works in close cooperation with law enforcement agencies in Russia , both in the capital and in the provinces. In particular, the Angel Coalition collaborates with the Ministry of Internal Affairs' Investigative Committee, the Ministry of Internal Affairs' Main Office of Criminal Investigation, Organized Crime Division of the Moscow city, the 12 th Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on the Fight against Organized Crime, Moscow's Main Department of Internal Affairs, and the General Prosecutor for the Russian Federation, among others. The collaboration is carried out through an exchange of information, joint work on forthcoming information about victims, searches for missing persons, struggles with traffickers, and additionally, the repatriation and rehabilitation of victims. In 2006, there were 29 cases of help being rendered which would not have been possible without cooperation from law enforcement. The Angel Coalition gives law enforcement agencies many practical materials (about the experiences of other countries, articles, reports, statistical information) with the goal of increasing the level at which the Russian Federation's law enforcement is informed.

In addition, the Angel Coalition plays a big role in the development of international collaboration between law enforcement entities in Russia , the CIS, and overseas. In particular, direct collaborations were set up between Russia and law enforcement agencies in the following countries: Turkey , the United Arab Emirates , Holland , Germany , Belgium , Afghanistan , Tajikistan , Italy , Georgia , Uzbekistan , and many others. In Tajikistan , the Angel Coalition collaborates with the Interdepartmental Commission Against Human Trafficking in Tajikistan , which includes all Ministries and Departments on the level of Deputy Minister.

In September 2006, the Angel Coalition established contacts with the United Arab Emirates, in particular, with Police on Human Rights of the Ministry of Interior, Abu Dhabi Police, and the Social Support Center, something which was, until recently, extremely hard to accomplish. As a result of the productive collaboration, the Angel Coalition has been invited to the UAE in order to establish closer and broader contacts, and to visit jails with the intention of helping Russian citizens who have been victims of trafficking (especially women and young girls), and who are in UAE prisons.

By the initiative of Scientific Research Institution of the General Prosecutor of the Russian Federation, the Angel Coalition is participating in the preparation of a methodological handbook “Human trafficking: prevention, discovery and investigation” for prosecutors and investigators. The Angel Coalition is preparing the section “The repatriation and rehabilitation of human trafficking victims.”

The Angel Coalition developed training on “Counteracting to human trafficking” for employees of law enforcement agencies. This training was aimed at informing law enforcement agencies about the problem of human trafficking, about the necessity of observing and protecting the rights of the individual trafficking victim, and about changing the stereotypical attitude towards victims of human trafficking (especially with regard to women who have been victims of sexual exploitation). Additionally, examples were provided from other countries on how they fight this. At this time, at the request of the Main Department of Internal Affairs in Moscow , this training will be carried out for its staff.

Law Enforcement Training and NGO/law enforcement coalition building in Russia , Tajikistan , Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan

Since 2004, the Angel Coalition, in conjunction with SIDA and Kvinnoforum , Sweden , has been carrying out trainings and conferences with the goal of developing and strengthening cooperation between government agencies, law enforcement, and international NGOs through the exchange of experiences and the creation of a system for the repatriation and rehabilitation of trafficking victims. We have carried out trainings in Sweden , Tajikistan , Kyrgyzstan , Kazakhstan , and throughout Russia on this topic.

The first training, with NGOs in Stockholm , was carried out in April 2004. Here, a strategy was discussed for working with the various Russian regions participating in the project. Over the next two years, trainings were then carried out in St. Petersburg , Petrozavodsk , Kazan , Murmansk , Yaroslavl , Nizhny Novgorod, and Irkutsk .

A new phase of this project began in 2006, with the involvement of new participants. Another training was carried out in Stockholm for law enforcement agencies and NGOs for the purpose of exchanging ideas between law enforcement and NGOs from Russia , Sweden , and Tajikistan . Participants included representatives from Russian and Tajik law enforcement agencies, notably the deputy minister of justice for Tajikistan . Participants visited shelters serving trafficking victims, and were able to meet with and interview representatives from government agencies.

In September, the Angel Coalition conducted a conference in Tajikistan with representatives from law enforcement agencies from Sweden , Turkey , Afghanistan , Kazakhstan , and Kyrgyzstan attending. It is important to note that all of these project-related trainings and conferences aid in the development of closer and more direct contact between countries and organizations. This is important, because the above-mentioned countries are all interconnected in the trafficking problem. Some are suppliers of human goods, while others are receiving or transit countries. These trainings are even supported by the governments of these countries.

The primary result of these conferences and trainings is the development of an active, working mechanism for cooperation between the participating countries. The results are already evident in many cases of help in repatriating and rehabilitating trafficking victims.

 

Landmark conference in Tajikistan – September 15-16, 2006

After two years of organization and planning, Angel Coalition and MiraMed Institute, in partnership with long-standing Tajik NGO partner MODAR (Mother), the Presidential Administration of Tajikistan, and Swedish NGO Kvinnoforum, have carried out a landmark two-day, high-level counter-trafficking conference in the mountainous Central Asian Republic of Tajikistan.

Tajikistan , formerly part of the Soviet Union , is a major sending country of trafficked women and children for prostitution and begging, and of men for labor. Russia is a receiving and transit country for trafficking victims from Tajikistan . Tajik victims are transported through Afghanistan , Kazakhstan , and Uzbekistan to destination countries Iran , Turkey and United Arab Emirates .

Tajikistan is a Muslim country and trafficking from Tajikistan occurs predominately throughout the Muslim nations of Central Asia and the Middle East, as well as the Russian Federation . Trafficking is carried out by Muslim mafias and family groups, as opposed to the Ukrainian, Russian, Bulgarian and Albanian mafias, who traffic prostitutes to Europe .

The conference, “Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking – Exchange of Experience, Development of Strategic Approaches, and Strengthening of Cooperation” represents the first time that NGO, governmental, and law enforcement representatives from key Muslim countries came together for working sessions on transnational trafficking with a focus on Tajikistan, mechanisms of criminal recruitment, transport and sale of victims, law enforcement operations, and evaluation of regional laws.

Government and NGO participants came from Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Russia , Afghanistan , and Turkey . In addition, American experts were present, including Dr. Laura Lederer, Senior Advisor on Trafficking to the U.S. Under-Secretary of State on Global Affairs; Dr. Donna Hughes, a leading global authority on trafficking; Dr. Juliette Engel, and Lois A. Hermann. Representatives from Swedish police and international embassies in Dushanbe were also in attendance.

MODAR Founder Gulchekhra Mirzoeva greets participants in native Tajik dress.	Tajik girls are considered prime targets for brothels in Russia , Turkey , Iran and U.A.E.

The conference, “Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking – Exchange of Experience, Development of Strategic Approaches, and Strengthening of Cooperation” represents the first time that NGO, governmental, and law enforcement representatives from key Muslim countries came together for working sessions on transnational trafficking with a focus on Tajikistan, mechanisms of criminal recruitment, transport and sale of victims, law enforcement operations, and evaluation of regional laws.

Government and NGO participants came from Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Russia , Afghanistan , and Turkey . In addition, American experts were present, including Dr. Laura Lederer, Senior Advisor on Trafficking to the U.S. Under-Secretary of State on Global Affairs; Dr. Donna Hughes, a leading global authority on trafficking; Dr. Juliette Engel, and Lois A. Hermann. Representatives from Swedish police and international embassies in Dushanbe were also in attendance.

K.U. Mavlonova, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan and A.R. Azimov, Chairman, Interdepartmental Commission on Combating Human Trafficking, in conference in Dushanbe.

Tajik participants included the Deputy Prime Minister, Chief of the Presidential Interdepartmental Commission on Combating Trafficking, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court and Prosecutors Office, and Deputy Ministers of Justice, Labor, Internal Affairs, Education, and Religious Affairs. A total of 86 participants worked intensely for two days to develop a Memorandum and Plan of Action for Counter-trafficking activities in Tajikistan and to propose a revision of the Tajik counter-trafficking legislation that has proven ineffective for prosecutors.