Prevention of human trafficking
SHORT OVERVIEW:
Trafficking in human beings remains one of the major migration challenges for Lithuania. Lithuania is an origin and transit country on trafficking routes from the East to the West of Europe.
In 2000 IOM Vilnius became actively involved in counter-trafficking activities and was one of the first organizations that started to talk openly about the problem in Lithuania. Since then IOM Vilnius has developed a comprehensive strategy for tackling trafficking in human beings, primarily women and children, in the Baltic States and became involved in anti-trafficking campaigns in the Kaliningrad Oblast.
Main target groups:
o Victims of human trafficking, including potential victims;
o Youth (and vulnerable youth in particular);
o Social workers, NGOs;
o Law enforcement;
o Teachers;
o Politicians.
ANTI-TRAFFICKING ACTIVITIES IN LITHUANIA:
o Research work on trafficking in human beings (evaluating scope, problems, legislation dealing with trafficking; analysis of public perception)
o Information campaigns (information to the general population, youth, particularly at risk groups)
o Direct assistance to victims (safe and dignified return and reintegration assistance in Lithuania to the victims of trafficking)
o Prevention activities through educative work (projects for youth)
o Capacity building (round tables/ networking; exchange of experts, study visits; trainings for specialists: social workers, police officials, civic pedagogues, media representatives, prosecutors, judges)
o Creation and maintenance of a data base for victims of trafficking.
RESULTS:
* Direct assistance (return and reintegration) to 142 victims of trafficking provided;
* 13 publications and 4 in-depth studies on the Trafficking in Human beings situation, public perception, legal issues and fight against trafficking crime problems;
* Two nation-wide preventive information campaigns for the general population 2001/2003 (“You will be sold like a doll”) and for youth/ schoolchildren 2005/2007 (“Easy? Job? Abroad?”)
* Training manuals/ curricular developed for:
- Social workers/ NGOs
- Law enforcement institutions
- Education institutions/ teachers
* More than 1000 GO and NGO officials from different background trained;
* More than 50 special CT events for youth organized.
* A joint IOM – NGO database for victims of trafficking created; yearly analytical reports produced.
Completed projects:
- Implementing Lithuanian Counter-trafficking State Programme, 2007-2008.
- Creation of the Unified Database for Social Assistance on Counter-Trafficking in Lithuania, 2005 - 2008.
- Assistance to victims of trafficking from Lithuania. This activity was a part of the bigger project “Establishment of an independent Migration Information Centre in Lithuania”; terminated in the end of October 2008.
- “Trafficking Assessment and capacity building project for the Kaliningrad Oblast" 2005-2007 supported by the Finnish Government.
- “Counter-trafficking capacity building and awareness raising activities for officials in the Baltic States " 2005-2007 supported by the Department of State and British Embassy in Riga.
- “Prevention of trafficking: Information for youth in the Baltic States ” 2004-2005 supported by SIDA,
- “Prevention of trafficking in women in the Baltic States-2. Training for police officials and social workers” 2003-2004 supported by SIDA,
- "Prevention of trafficking in women in : interactive consultations via internet and telephone” 2003-2004 supported by the MATRA grant from the Royal Embassy in Vilnius.
- Pilot project “Special training course for social workers “Trafficking in women: problems, prevention, assistance to victims” 2002 supported by the Lithuanian Government.
- Assistance to victims of trafficking in women” 2002-2003 supported by Finish Government.
- TV documentary “Women Sold into Slavery” 2002 supported by the “Matra” grant, Royal Embassy in Vilnius.
- “Information campaign against trafficking in women in the Baltic States ” 2001-2002 supported by SIDA.