Taking the combat against trafficking in persons in Kyrgyzstan to the next level
An OSCE-organized week-long live simulation exercise on how to identify and rescue victims of human trafficking started in Issyk-Kul province, Kyrgyzstan on 6 September 2021. More than 70 professionals from law enforcement agencies including the representatives of the Ministry of Interior, the Prosecutor General's Office, civil society organizations, independent experts and representatives of social services are taking part in the event.
Delivered for the first time in Kyrgyzstan, this pioneering training exercise offers front-line responders the opportunity to simulate real-life anti-trafficking responses using actors to recreate trafficking scenarios. Infrastructure has been re-created to simulate cases of labour and sexual exploitation of men, women and children.
Kyrgyzstan is a country of origin, transit and destination for persons who fall victim to human trafficking. Some challenges facing Kyrgyzstan are a widespread impunity for traffickers and lack of effective prosecution. Additionally, the country has a high level of internal trafficking in human beings and exploitation in labor on construction sites and farms, and sexual exploitation. Trafficking in persons remains largely a hidden phenomenon, with only a few cases per year resulting in identification of victims and prosecution of traffickers. Preventing and combating trafficking remains complicated by the lack of a single co-ordinating body.
Jyldyz Bakashova, Deputy Chairperson of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, said in her welcome speech: “This new format of exercises developed by the OSCE allows to test the national referral mechanism, the system of protection and assistance to victims of trafficking in human beings and to develop recommendations based on identified shortcomings.” She highlighted the notable contribution by the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek and other international partners in the fight against human trafficking in Kyrgyzstan.
The simulation-based exercise is based on the methodology developed by the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings, and is part of its roll-out programme at the national level.
In his opening remarks, Alexey Rogov, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek highlighted an innovative nature of the training programme developed for law enforcement officials, prosecutors, social service workers and non-governmental organizations, which enables the simulation exercise in real time format.
The live simulation exercise is carried out as part of the Programme Office’s ongoing efforts in assisting the host country to combat human trafficking and better identify and assist victims of human trafficking through a new co-ordinated approach.