Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic - 27 November 2018 - The Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants ( GLO.ACT) organized, on 10September 2018, an official launch of the nationwide awareness raising campaign "100 days against Trafficking in persons". The campaign, running from 10 September to 10 December 2018, is lead by youth leaders and youth organizations with the support of the State Agency for Youth, Physical Training and Sport and the State Migration Service.
To date, around 40 per cent of 18-32 year olds are leaving the country for the purpose of employment abroad. Yet most of them have low levels of legal literacy, lack of knowledge on employment and migration procedures in destination countries, and limited understanding on risks of human trafficking and migrant smuggling. Young people are one of the most vulnerable groups, lacking in access to justice and frequently an easy target for criminal migrant smuggling and human trafficking networks. Consequently, this year the campaign focuses on youth through working with youth organizations and youth centers.
In July 2018, GLO.ACT in partnership with IOM, UNICEF and ILO organized a media workshop for youth teams where they were taught about human trafficking and migrant smuggling. Attendees became familiar with government agencies and civil society organizations that implement TIP legislation. In addition, they learnt about the existing hot line '1899', the recently launched Mobile App called 'Migrant Guide' and difference between child labour and forced labour. Moreover, participants learnt about forced marriages and child marriages as well as 'bride kidnapping,' a phenomenon that has been on the increase amongst the young population in the Kyrgyz Republic over the past few years. Based on the knowledge they gained, youth leaders then proceeded to design media plans, which they are now implementing by themselves through the nationwide "100 days against Trafficking in Persons" campaign by using a 'peer to peer' approach.
This year, this youth led campaign includes a wide range of public events being organzied. This includes events such as youth debates, quiz nights, peace marches, bicycle marathons, forum theatres, sport events, TV and radio programmes, street performance (flash mobs) as well as joint field trips with representatives of local government authorities to remote villages to raise awareness among the local population.
UNODC, under the framework of GLO.ACT, took a lead in terms of coordination and in securing the involvement of over 20 youth organizations, local government authorities and civil society, as well as international partners contributing to implementation of the campaign including IOM, UNICEF, ILO UN UN Women, and the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek. In August 2018, GLO.ACT organized a special meeting for the communications officers representing the international partners to agree on the type of information and key messages that are being distributed through the organizations social media accounts in support of the campaign.
The European Union Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic has also contributed to the campaign. It organized a special training sessions for 8 youth teams on producing and capturing good quality videos and photos using mobile phones. Additionally, GLO.ACT in partnership with EU Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic will produce three human-interest stories focusing on different forms of exploitation such as labour exploitation of women and men and forced marriages.
Youth teams also created a youth network throughout the country and to showcase campaign activities in all eight regions of the country Facebook and Instagram accounts were set up and are being managed by youth teams. As in the previous year, this years campaign will conclude with a final conference that will take place on 14 December 2018.
The Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) is a four-year (2015-2019), €11 million joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The project is being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). GLO.ACT aims to provide assistance to governmental authorities and civil society organizations across 13 strategically selected countries: Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine. GLO.ACT works with the 13 countries to plan and implement strategic national counter-trafficking and counter smuggling efforts through a prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships approach. It supports the development of more effective responses to trafficking and smuggling, including providing assistance to victims of trafficking and vulnerable migrants through the strengthening of identification, referral, and direct support mechanisms.
For more information, please contact:
Madina Sarieva
www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/glo-act/
Email: glo.act@un.org
Twitter: @glo_act