OSCE trains facilitators of the Women’s Resource Centers network in Tajikistan on counteracting human trafficking

DUSHANBE, 23 September 2016 – An OSCE-organized two-day training course on counteracting trafficking in human beings for facilitators from Women’s Resource Centres (WRCs) concluded today in Dushanbe.

The course brought together some 35 participants and aimed at strengthening the knowledge of WRC facilitators on how to raise the awareness of the general public on human trafficking and deepened their understanding on the correlation between human trafficking and domestic violence. Participants learned about identification of persons at risk as well as survivors of both crimes, multidisciplinary approach measures on protection of victims, and an exchange of good practices on raising awareness techniques.

“It is good that trained project facilitators will be able to talk to people in remote areas not only about domestic violence but also about the human trafficking phenomenon, and provide them with information and contacts of agencies which victims could use while seeking help,” said Viorelia Rusu, Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer at the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

The activities on counteracting trafficking in persons have been added to the work of Women Resource Centres in Tajikistan in June 2016. This means that WRCs will be able to provide day-care services including psychological counseling, legal support and vocation trainings for a new target group such as, survivors of human trafficking.

Building capacity of civil society representatives on counteracting domestic violence and trafficking in persons is one of the commitments of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan in the implementation of the OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality (2004) and OSCE Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings (2003).