OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine

Trafficking in human beings is a problem of immense significance for Ukraine. This can be seen in the presence of legislation directed at countering this kind of crime, and in the growing activity of the Ukrainian government, as well as international and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in this area.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine closely co-operates in this field with the Ministry of Family, Youth and Children's affairs, the Office of the Ombudsman and NGOs. International partners include as the International Organization for Migration, UNICEF and the US Agency for International Development

Assistance in the implementation of the Comprehensive National Program 2002-2005 of Ukraine

The anti-trafficking activities of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine aim at assisting the Ukrainian government in implementing a comprehensive national programme on the fight against trafficking in human beings in Ukraine. In particular, they cover three main aspects: prevention of trafficking through information dissemination, protection and reintegration of victims of trafficking, as well as prosecution and criminalization of trafficking crimes by building the capacity of Ukrainian law enforcement and judicial authorities.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator carries out the following activities:

- Hotlines and economic empowerment programmes for vulnerable groups:

Since 1999, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine have supported regional and national hotline activities. These hotlines play a role before, during and after the trafficking experience. They target people who are interested in going abroad for employment, marriage and so on, as well as actual victims of trafficking.

The hotlines are an efficient tool in the national victim referral mechanism. When victims are identified, the hotline consultants automatically refer them to IOM or a governmental aid agency in order to provide them with relevant medical, psychological or legal assistance. Since the establishment of hotline activities in Ukraine in 1999 until August 2004, approximately 35,000 people have benefited from hotline services.

Twice per year, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator provides training seminars for hotline operators on issues such as victim identification, marriage, employment, residence and work permits, au-pair systems, psychological trainings and legal frameworks of transit and destination countries with regards to visa regimes.

Training seminars are also carried out for visa section employees of relevant consulates in Ukraine in order to increase awareness, inform them of hotline activities and to receive updates on changes concerning visa regimes, residence and work permits.

- Education:

Since 2000, the Ministry of Education of Ukraine and a network of 20 NGOs have conducted 1,200 lectures on anti-trafficking issues throughout Ukraine for more than 36,000 people from different target groups. The lector's group, consisting of the same NGOs that work on the hotlines, received regular training and are equipped with information materials and trafficking prevention manuals.

- Economic Empowerment:

Concerned with the economic empowerment of vulnerable groups in Ukraine, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator carries out labour assessments to develop strategies for such groups together with relevant governmental agencies. With the help of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Co-ordinator's Office, a project dealing with the economic empowerment of orphans is being carried out. Also, publications like "How to start my own business," "After School and now what?" and "No job, what to do" are being produced.