OSCE Centre promotes best practices in preventing human trafficking in Turkmenistan

ASHGABAT, 11 April 2014 – Law-enforcement officials, judges and defense lawyers of Turkmenistan discussed best practices in preventing and combating trafficking in human beings at an OSCE-organized training course that ended in Ashgabat today.

The three-day event, which brought together 20 participants, focused on strengthening the mechanisms of preventing human trafficking and addressed effective prevention measures beyond awareness raising, such as techniques to identify potentially vulnerable people.

“The OSCE urges its 57 participating States to take all necessary measures to combat trafficking in persons, as well as promote and protect the human rights of trafficked victims in line with OSCE commitments”, said Ambassador Ivo Petrov, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat welcomes the efforts of the government of Turkmenistan in preventing and combatting human trafficking, including its criminalization, and remains committed to continuing its support in this area”.

International experts from Serbia, Turkey and United Kingdom presented  challenges and best practices in preventing and combatting human trafficking in their respective countries. The course also discussed different categories of trafficking exploitation and explored ways to protect and assist adult and child victims of trafficking.

The event also provided participants with an opportunity to exchange views on the effective ways of co-ordination at the national and international level, as well as the role of law-enforcement bodies in tackling this problem.