OSCE-supported pilot study reveals issues in forced labour and labour trafficking in Armenia

YEREVAN, 24 December 2015 – An OSCE-supported pilot study aiming to improve the identification of forced labour and labour trafficking cases among adults and children in Armenia, and to strengthen joint efforts to address related challenges, was presented today in Yerevan.

The study, conducted by the Caucasus Research Resource Centre-Armenia with the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, revealed the susceptibility of large and financially vulnerable families to forced labour and labour trafficking.

It revealed violations connected with agreed and actual wages, the absence of signed labour contracts and formal procedures to quit jobs, overtime work without due remuneration, and possible cases of labour exploitation breaching the Labour Code rather than cases of forced labour and labour trafficking. Cases of violations of children’s rights were also revealed, including forced labour, requiring intervention by relevant bodies.

“The OSCE Office in Yerevan has provided support to the national actors to enhance the implementation of OSCE commitments in combatting human trafficking, and my Office will continue prioritizing activities aimed at improving current anti-trafficking mechanisms,” said the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan Andrey Sorokin.

As part of the study, 300 households were surveyed to identify baseline data on the extent to which the population and specific demographic sectors are vulnerable to trafficking and to assess  issues related to forced labour and labour trafficking in Yerevan, and the Ararat, Kotayk, Lori, Shirak and Syunik regions. There was also focus on the extent to which children, especially those in schools and institutions for minors without parental care in the selected regions are prone to labour exploitation and abuse.

Members of the Inter-agency Anti-trafficking Working Group, which consists of representatives of several NGOs, relevant ministries and state agencies working to combat forced labour and human trafficking, as well as national experts involved in the pilot study, discussed the findings of the study during today’s presentation.

The OSCE Office in Yerevan will provide support to the Working Group to develop a new three-year National Action Plan on Combatting Human Trafficking, taking into consideration the study’s recommendations.

The report is available at https://www.osce.org/yerevan/212561 and it's summary at //www.osce.org/yerevan/212571. It was funded by two agencies of the United States State Department – the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement.