Trafficking in human beings in R. Macedonia

1
Trafficking in human beings in R. Macedonia

• Maja Varoslija- Open Gate
• La Strada Macedonia

2
Situation In R. Macedonia

• Until 2005 transit and destination country for
  women trafficked from Eastern Europe to South
  Eastern and Western Europe.
• Increasing cases of internal trafficking/child
  trafficking
• Significant number of cases of labour
  exploitation
• Trafficking for the purpose of
• Sexual exploitation
• Forced labour in (restaurants, servitude,
  begging)
• Forced marriages

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Responses

• International and national instruments
• Strategy and National Action Plan for Combating
  Trafficking and Illegal Migration (including
  Action Plan for Combating Trafficking in
  Children) both for 2006-2009 and 2009-2012 docs.
• Official coordination bodies for combat
  trafficking in human beings in R. Macedonia
  (National Commission, Secretariat of the National
  Commission, Sub-group against trafficking in
  children )
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for
  assistance to victims of trafficking endorsed
  in January 2008

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Responses

• National Referral Mechanism for victims of
  trafficking in human beings coordinated by the
  Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (NRM office)
• R. Macedonia member of the Trans-national
  Referral Mechanism (TRM) for Trafficked Persons
  in South-Eastern Europe ICMPD project
• Reception Centre for Foreigners (MoI) managed
• Open Gates/La Strada Macedonia shelter for
  trafficked persons for nationals and minors
• SOS Line for information and help from
  trafficking in human beings / Open Gate - La
  Strada Macedonia

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Who we are

• OPEN GATE- Womens lobby and action against
  violence and trafficking in women founded in
  September 2000
• Aim
• -to influence the authorities, the media and
  public opinion to address trafficking as a severe
  human rights violation
• -to develop and offer prevention and
  protection for trafficked persons
• Open Gate is a member of La Strada European
  Network Against Trafficking in human beings

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What we do

• Our programs
• Information and Lobby
• Prevention and Education
• Social Assistance

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Information and lobby

• Permanent contacts with media, interviews,
  drafting publications, articles.
• Lobbying and monitoring of implementation of
  international standards and instruments
  pertaining to human rights.
• Development, follow up and active participation
  in the implementation of the Naional Plan of
  Action for Fighting Human Trafficking and Illegal
  Migration in Macedonia.

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Prevention and education

• Raising of the level of knowledge and sensitivity
  among the community at large and among the
  professionals
• Providing information pertaining to the risk of
  work abroad
• Support of women in decision making
• Education of professionals for the purpose of
  procurement of information and assistance (police
  officers, teachers, social workers, doctors,
  etc.)
• Provision of information through the SOS line for
  help from trafficking in human beings

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SOS LINE

• The SOS free line for national calls is 0 800 11
  111 and 00389 2 277-7070 for callers from
  national calls and abroad.
• From October 2002 till September 2010 on the line
  are registered 3011calls
• Working time 24/7

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Types of assistance provided by the SOS line

• Emotional help
• Psycho-social help
• Information on risk-free departure/travelling and
  work abroad
• Basic legal assistance
• Information and assistance to a client in need
• Help in establishing contacts with relevant
  institutions.
• Contact and facilitation in a process of
  accommodation in a shelter

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Cooperation with Terre des Hommes

• Enhancing capacity to address trafficking in
  especially children from a human rights
  perspective in Southeast Asia, Southeast Europe
  and Latin America
• March 2007-February 2010
• Developed excellent cooperation on regional level

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Activities

• 1. Capacity-building of NGOs and media, services
  providers and duty bearers
• 2. Awareness-raising and empowerment (of
  communities) at local level
• 3. Advocacy at national and regional level and
  Establishing networks.

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Social assistance

• In 2005, the Shelter for trafficked persons, was
  opened as a part of the Social assistance
  Program. Since opening, 70 clients received
  accommodation and assistance.
• Capacity of the shelter
• Security external Private Security Agency
• Confidentiality- Personal information of clients
  is kept highly confidential.
• Shelter Team - functions 24 hours per day.
  Trained professionals are working in shifts.

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Social assistance

• Long-term accommodation
• Covering basic needs (food, clothes, or hygienic
  sets)
• Trafficked persons are provided with adequate
  psycho-social treatment
• Medical care
• Basic legal assistance provided by the skilled
  lawyer

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Social assistance

• Contact with the family
• Help in obtaining personal documents
• Inclusion in the educational process and
  providing vocational courses for further
  education
• On-job training and help to the trafficked
  persons in looking for a job.
• Contact with foreign non-governmental
  organizations members of the La Strada network
  and other (countries of their origin)

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Classification of Assisted clients by the age

• From 12 to 18 43
• From 19 to 28 18
• Over 28 9

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Classification of assisted clients by education

• Up to fourth grade 20
• Primary school 31
• High school 10
• College degree 2
• No education 7

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Profile of a trafficked person

• Generally aged between 12- 25 years
• Often from high risk rural areas poor families
• Education - unfinished primary education
• Family status - dysfunctional families
• Types - sexual and labour exploitation in
  restaurants in the west parts of Macedonia.
• Origin - from the south - east part of Macedonia

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Thank you for your attentionOpen Gate La
Strada Macedonia Tel/Fax[phone]
700107www.lastrada.org.mk