1. AUSTRIA - Counter Trafficking Legislation in Eastern Europe     and Central Asia
2. BELARUS - Human Trafficking Training for Law Enforcement     Officials

AUSTRIA- Counter Trafficking Legislation in Eastern Europe and Central Asia - The IOM Technical Co-operation Centre in Vienna has published a new report which reviews current counter-trafficking legislation and existing institutional frameworks in twelve countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA).

The report states that trafficking in persons has become a pressing issue for all 12 countries covered in this survey (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan). It confirms that governments in the region now recognise that trafficking is a serious issue that requires urgent action.

However, the report notes that despite the overall recognition and increased awareness by governments and the civil society, there are great differences in terms of concrete measures taken to fight trafficking in human beings.

Whilst some countries have made considerable progress over the last couple of years in improving legislation, establishing appropriate policy mechanisms, protecting victims and prosecuting traffickers, others have been less active in bridging the gap between initial recognition and concrete follow-up measures to combat trafficking.

Few states have as of yet taken all necessary and possible steps in order to protect their citizens in terms of prosecution of traffickers, assistance to victims and preventive information campaigns. According to the report, the weakest component of counter-trafficking policies in the 12 EECA countries is the lack of bilateral cooperation to facilitate the prosecution of traffickers and the assistance to victims of trafficking.

The report concludes that despite shortcomings, governments in the region are making progress in understanding trafficking and putting in place appropriate counter-trafficking legislation and institutional structures.

This will require the adoption of a transnational and interdisciplinary approach, including bilateral exchanges and training for key actors in the fight against trafficking.

To date, IOM has developed and implemented 46 counter trafficking projects, of which 17 are ongoing in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. These programmes target the prevention and prosecution of trafficking in persons, as well as the protection of and assistance to trafficking victims.

BELARUS - HumanTrafficking Training for Law Enforcement Officials - IOM has launched a series of five training seminars on human trafficking for some 350 law enforcement officials and judges in Belarus.

The two-day seminars, organized in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and funded by the Swedish Development Agency (SIDA), will take place between now and early February in Mogilev, Vitebsk, Brest, Grodno and Gomel.

Each seminar will bring together around 70 participants to discuss the problem of trafficking in human beings (THB), attitudes to victims of trafficking, national legislation in the field of counter-trafficking and the current situation in the region. The acclaimed anti-trafficking movie "Lilja 4-Ever" will also be screened.

The seminars will also provide practical training for the officials, focusing on local aspects of THB, strategies for combating it, information sharing, investigative methods and how to work with trafficking victims.