November 2005
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
   

Five Country Strategic Initiative Launches This Month

IOM this month launches a five-country regional initiative to combat trafficking. The multi-country approach focuses on increasing prosecutions, enhancing protection for trafficked individuals and implementing targeted prevention activities. The initiative is built on close cooperation (and stepped up regional coordination) between IOM missions in Turkey, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, top trafficking source countries for Turkey. Key objectives of the initiative are increasing cross-border cooperation among law enforcement, including mutual legal assistance requests, improving comprehensive reporting of trafficking caseloads and trends and implementing multi-country prevention campaigns. The initiative was developed at a three-day IOM meeting in Budapest aimed at improving regional strategic approaches to counter-trafficking. It also builds on the successful IOM cross-border awareness campaign in Turkey, Moldova and Ukraine to publicize the 157 helpline for rescue and assistance for trafficked individuals in Turkey. In Turkey, funding for the awareness campaign is provided under the Turkish government coordinated, U.S. Government funded and IOM implemented counter-trafficking project.

CT Awareness Raising Activities Move Ahead on Two Fronts

Television Shoot, Moldova

IOM-Turkey this month launches a new web broadcast service on counter-trafficking and migration issues. Informational interviews, or "podcasts," on CT and other topics will be available on the IOM-administered website, www.countertrafficking.org, as well as the Apple Itunes service. Audio files can be downloaded directly from IOM website. In addition, the files can be downloaded through the Itunes podcast service by searching under IOM Turkey, and then played through the Itunes software and/or transferred to the popular Ipod music players. The first interview with IOM-Turkey Chief of Mission Marielle Sander Lindstrom now online is focused on counter-trafficking issues. Also this month, IOM wraps post-production on a new 30-second commercial aimed at increasing awareness of CT issues in Turkey. The commercial shot in Moldova, is part of a planned comprehensive campaign to raise awareness in Turkey about the impact of trafficking on families in key source countries.

Ankara Bar Association to Receive Training on CT...

Providing much needed legal assistance for trafficked individuals is the focus this month of a two-day IOM workshop for the Ankara Bar Association. A key gap in the system of protection and assistance for trafficked individuals in Turkey is the lack of access to legal assistance. Trafficked individuals often require a range of legal services, from replacement of lost documents, such as passports, to participation in criminal investigations and legal proceedings against traffickers. The Bar Association training is an important step towards providing a system for assistance for trafficked persons. The aim of the two-day workshop to be held Nov. 12-13 is to write an action plan for providing legal assistance to trafficked individuals. The agenda includes basic legal orientation on trafficking and developing a system for sustainable legal assistance for trafficked individuals. The workshop is funded under the U.S. Government funded, Turkish government coordinated and IOM-implemented program to combat trafficking in Turkey. IOM will also hold a three-day law enforcement training on counter-trafficking Nov. 16-18 in Istanbul.

...As Research Begins on Law Enforcement Assessment

Research on an assessment and strategic plan for counter-trafficking law enforcement activities in Turkey launches this month under the Royal Netherlands Embassy-funded law enforcement project. The IOM coordinated project will write a law enforcement strategic plan to combat trafficking in human beings. The project is working closely with the Turkish authorities to assess needs, gaps and goals for improving CT law enforcement activities. Specifically, the project will implement a comprehensive situational analysis and capacity assessment. That is the focus of the research that begins this month. Recommendations and conclusions are required to be endorsed by key Turkish ministries.

PfP Training Planning Gets Underway for December Event

Developing CT Activities in Turkey

IOM and Partnership for Peace (PfP) this month ramp up their collaboration for counter-trafficking trainings. PfP-IOM are scheduled to hold trainings for 20 international participants and 10 Turkish officers in Ankara, 5-6 December at the PfP "Centre for Excellence." The training includes combating counter-trafficking and smuggling. This is the first IOM-PfP joint training of its kind in Turkey. Participants are expected from Nato, PfP and UN member states. The training is to include identification of victims, interview techniques and overview of international protocols. Also included are types of assistance available and issues related to regional collaboration and cooperation between law enforcement, international organizations, government and civil society.


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