OSCE supports preventing human trafficking, assisting victims in Armenia

AGHVERAN, Armenia, 17 December 2010 - A national forum on the implementation of the Armenian national referral procedure of trafficked victims organized by the Anti-Trafficking Support and Resource Unit (ATSRU) established by the OSCE office and operating within the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry of Armenia, started today in Aghveran. 

The two-day event brought together state officials, regional representatives from Labour and Social Affairs Ministry's units for family, children and women's protection, the labour inspectorate, the state employment service, police, international organizations and non-governmental organizations. They will discuss ways of improving inter-agency co-operation and co-ordination, look at existing challenges in combating trafficking, addressing labor migration and forced labor, providing better assistance to the victims of trafficking and developing a truly victim-oriented strategy. The forum participants will also examine the implementation of the 2010-2012 Anti-Trafficking National Action Plan adopted by the Government of Armenia.

"For several years our office in Yerevan has been actively involved in combating trafficking in human beings in Armenia. Today's forum reflects increased awareness and co-operation among national actors which we have been supporting in the anti-trafficking field," says Doris Vogl, Democratization Programme Officer of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

"It is important to have a large-scale forum where anti-trafficking community members could raise priority issues and share their experiences. For our Unit this is an opportunity to assess the results achieved during the two years of work in Yerevan and all the regions of the country," Said Nazeli Asriyan, representative of the ATSRU. "We will continue our support to the state and non-governmental actors in the implementation of the Armenian National Referral Procedure prioritizing a victim-oriented approach."

In his opening speech the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Filaret Berikyan said that as a result of co-ordinated work of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, the Ministry, Armenian police and other stakeholders, a comprehensive picture on the situation with human trafficking in the country is available and regularly updated. "Within the framework of the ATSRU project the relevant agencies of the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry have strengthened their capacity in preventing human trafficking and assisting victims," said Berikyan.

Since November 2008, the ATSRU has assisted relevant anti-trafficking actors in establishing an effective operational mechanism for victim protection through improved co-operation between state authorities and non-governmental organizations, as well as the promotion of a victim-oriented strategy.