September 2005

CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE

Dutch Law Enforcement Project Launches This Month IOM Program Works in Partnership with Government New Ankara Shelter Opens Doors to Trafficked Individuals Facility Slated to accept first Occupants in mid-September Quick Pace of Rescues for 157 as NGO Tender Anounced Guidelines and Application Released on CT website New Awareness-raising Commercial Goes into Development 30-second spot part of push for CT awareness in Turkey New Dutch-Funded Law Enforcement Project Sees Sept. Launch New project signed at IOM Anakara With funding from the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Ankara, IOM this month launches a major nine-month project to write a law enforcement strategic plan to combat trafficking in human beings. The project, managed by IOM Ankara's most senior CT assistant Meltem Ersoy, will work closely with the Turkish authorities to assess needs, gaps and goals for improving CT law enforcement activities. IOM has conducted in-depth counter-trafficking trainings for more than 2000 Turkish law enforcement officials, and this project is slated to build on that experience by creating a framework fully endorsed by the Turkish government for all law enforcement counter-trafficking actions. Specifically, the project will implement a comprehensive situational analysis and capacity assessment. The goal of this project is to assess current law enforcement structures, identify barriers to cross-sector approaches and propose workable solutions. A qualified expert team will be hired through the project to conduct the assessment and situational analysis. Recommendations and conclusions are required to be endorsed by key Turkish ministries. In the initial phase of the project set for September and October, IOM will be working to establish a high-level government working group for coordination and development of the counter-trafficking law enforcement assessment and strategic plan. The research team will also be selected. Shelter Ready To Offer Protection to Trafficked Individuals... Shelter computer center online The new Ankara-based shelter for victims of trafficking opens its doors this month marking a strong collaboration between IOM, government and non-governmental partners to provide safe shelter and protection to trafficked individuals. The Foundation for Women's Solidarity (FWS), and Ankara-based NGO, is running the shelter within the framework of the IOM-administered and SIDA-funded counter-trafficking project, which provides core operational funding. The Ankara municipal government is providing in-kind co-funding, donating, renovating and fully furnishing the facility down to sheets, pillows and towels. The two-story residential facility (as fully funded by the Mayor's office) is equipped with ten beds, small computer center, landscaped garden area, common area and two offices for staff equipped with desks, chairs and computers. FWS has signed on a six person shelter staff that speaks Russian, Romanian, Ukrainian, Turkish and English. With funding from the U.S. Government, IOM last month provided training in Albania for the shelter staff -- made up of social workers, psychologists and managers. With the shelter facility now fully completed, FWS expects to receive the first trafficked individuals at the facility by mid-September. ....157 Helpline Begins Transition to NGO Management IOM this month launches the open competitive tender for a qualified non-governmental organization to take over administration of the 157 counter-trafficking helpline. Since project launch on 23 May, 55 confirmed and suspected victims of trafficking have been rescued through assistance from the 157 helpline. Strikingly, seventy six percent of all rescue requests have come from clients and friends, with the balance from trafficked individuals in need of immediate rescue. Sixty-six trafficked individuals have been referred to IOM by law Turkish law enforcement since the May helpline launch. Twenty eight of these (42 percent) were rescued as a result of 157. In August alone, the helpline assisted in the rescue of 42 suspected and confirmed victims of trafficking. The surge in cases is believed to be largely due to widespread exposure of the 157 helpline in previous months through press coverage and IOM's multi-national promotion campaign, according to preliminary data. IOM Sept. 1 announced a tender for a qualified NGO to take over administration of the helpline by November. IOM agreed to launch and run the helpline for six months, then turn over operations to a Turkish NGO. Guidelines and application for the tender are posted at www.countertrafficking.org. CT Public Awareness Commercial Moves into Development IOM this month begins development of a new 30-second commercial and outreach to build public awareness of counter-trafficking. Development of the spot to be produced by Istanbul-based Zego Communication Strategies builds on in-depth research on attitudes and perceptions toward trafficked individuals completed in April. That research was conducted for IOM by SAM Research and Consulting, also based in Istanbul. IOM is developing the ad in close coordination with ongoing outreach and public awareness raising activities in key trafficking destinations. Later this month, IOM will be conducting a workshop in Trabzon on counter-trafficking realities. Additional activities aimed at building awareness as well as capacity of local NGO's to conduct public awareness campaigns are scheduled to ramp up in October. Ongoing outreach activities and the public awareness television spot are being funded through a U.S. Government funded counter-trafficking program.