OSCE Special Representative launches training course in Dnepropetrovsk on domestic violence in conflict situations and human trafficking

DNEPROPETROVSK, Ukraine, 9 November 2015 –The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Madina Jarbussynova, opened today in Dnepropetrovsk a two-day training course for social workers, lawyers and other experts on how to better address trafficking in human beings stemming from domestic violence in times of crisis.

“Domestic violence is a trigger that causes women and children to leave home, exposing them to the risk of becoming victims of human trafficking,” Jarbussynova said. “I am reaching out to the experts in order to provide them with the necessary knowledge to identify and assist victims.”

More than 20 experts from Dnepropetrovsk and the surrounding region will learn about military families and domestic violence, intervention techniques and psychological counseling and support networks.

The Special Representative has played a leading role in highlighting the risks of human trafficking during the ongoing crisis in and around Ukraine. She visits the country frequently, leading anti-trafficking information sessions for Special Monitoring Mission monitors with the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) and meeting local officials urging them to remain focused on the risk of human trafficking.

This was Jarbussynova’s  second visit to Dnepropetrovsk, an industrial city which has seen a major influx of internally displaced persons (IDP) from eastern Ukraine. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, there are currently more than 1.5 million IDPs in the country.

“Dnepropetrovsk is a key location for our work, not only because of the large IDP population, but also because of the significant number of military personnel and their families,” said Jarbussynova.