Government, Law Enforcement and Civil Society Launch Public Awareness Raising Campaign against Trafficking in Persons in Tajikistan

With a joint press conference in the city of Khujand, Tajikistan’s authorities and civil society recently launched a public awareness raising campaign against trafficking in persons as part of the Global UNODC Blue Heart campaign. During a period of three months, the campaign will engage local government bodies, police, youth organizations and civil society in a range of initiatives to harness vulnerable populations against the risk of falling victim to traffickers.

 

Public social advertisements and other forms of media engagement are expected to reach over one million people across Tajikistan during the campaign dubbed “100 days against trafficking in persons”. Roundtable discussions, drawing and essay contests, theatre performances and job fairs will engage around 30 000 youth and other people, in particular in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, Sughd and Khatlon provinces.

“Such outreach initiatives are crucial to build resilience among our population against trafficking in persons. Based on a social partnership between the government and civil society partners, this 100-day campaign will play a pivotal role in the implementation of the National Action Plan to prevent and respond to trafficking in persons, as adopted by the Government of Tajikistan covering the period from 2019-2021”, emphasized Ms. Zaynura Sharifi, Head of Department for the Migration Service of Sughd Oblast at the press conference held in Khujand.

 

The campaign follows a workshop, organized by UNODC in September last year, during which 20 government officials, law enforcement officers, academia and civil society gained skills on the organization of such campaigns and effective media engagement. Based on the knowledge and skills, gained during the training, these key stakeholders elaborated an action plan for the campaign, which has now been launched officially.

“Raising awareness is an important element of a comprehensive strategy to addressing trafficking in persons and modern-day slavery”, said Mr. Koen Marquering, International Coordinator of the UNODC Justice Programme in Central Asia. “As guardian of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and its supplementing Protocols, UNODC helps the Republic of Tajikistan to implement its National Action Plan. In addition to such awareness raising initiatives, capacity development for national law enforcement and criminal justice practitioners in investigation and prosecution of trafficking in persons is a core priority with new training programs currently being rolled out in the practice of training institutions of law enforcement bodies and the court system”.

 

Key partners in the campaign are civil society organizations “Khayrkhohi Zamon”, “Fund for Social Development” and “Volunteer” who are partnering with the Ministry of Interior and its Public Councils on Police Reform, as well as with the Committee of Youth Affairs and Sports, Committee of Women and Family Affairs, Ministry of Labor and Employment, Committee on Television and Radio, Ministry of Education and Science, Committee of Religion, Traditions and Rites, local government bodies and other relevant stakeholders.

The Blue Heart Campaign against Human Trafficking is a Global UNODC initiation which works to raise awareness of the plight of victims and to build political support to fight the criminals behind trafficking. The Blue Heart Campaign encourages everyone to get involved: raise awareness and inspire action to help stop human trafficking and to fight its impact on society.

The campaign is a part of a broader UNODC initiative to strengthen the law enforcement response to trafficking in persons in Tajikistan with financial support from the US State Department Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

***

For more information, please contact Vasilina Brazhko (Mrs.)

UNODC Communication and PR Specialist

At +996775987817 Whats App or by e-mail:

vasilina.brazhko[at]un.org