UNODC, Winrock International, and the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic join efforts in combating trafficking in persons in the country

Due to quarantine measures introduced in many countries around the world, traffickers use digital technologies and other modern means to recruit and exploit victims, in most cases, people in need as well as children are becoming victims.

In Kyrgyzstan, since the beginning of 2020, according to the Сriminal police’s data, 16 criminal cases have been initiated on article "Trafficking in persons" of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic, including 1 case of sexual exploitation, 1 case of forced labor and 14 cases of sale of new-born babies. However, the actual number of victims of trafficking in persons is much higher given the latent nature of the crime. Combating trafficking in persons remains a priority area for both the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and UNODC and other international organizations.

 

In order to improve the interagency interaction and cooperation in the investigation, criminal prosecution of cases related to trafficking in persons, ensuring legal assistance and establishing a protection system for victims of trafficking in persons, 12 organizations representing key criminal justice institutions and their training centers, government agencies, civil society and international organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic signed a Memorandum of Partnership and Cooperation within the framework of the project implemented by UNODC and Winrock International in the Kyrgyz Republic in the field of combating trafficking in persons in the Kyrgyz Republic.

“Strengthening cooperation and its modernization, moving to a new level in a changing international environment, in order to comply with the provisions of the national legislation and international acts, will further develop close cooperation in our joint fight against illegal migration and trafficking in persons,” said Ms. Jamilya Jamanbaeva, Deputy Prosecutor General of the Kyrgyz Republic. "I believe that the signing of this Memorandum and the establishment of a platform for the exchange of experience and information is an important step towards consistently combating trafficking in persons and will certainly serve to develop interdepartmental interaction and cooperation in this direction."

 

According to Ms Ashita Mittal, UNODC in Central Asia: - “This Memorandum offers great opportunities to strengthen the interagency interaction between the Parties, allowing to make effective decisions in the field of combating trafficking in persons, including the prosecution of traffickers, protecting victims and preventing crime, as well as developing and delivery of the joint professional training programs, professional development and research in the judicial and legal sphere”.

 

This Memorandum provides for a wide range of interaction among all participants, including collaboration in organizing joint meetings, scientific conferences, trainings and seminars, round tables; creation of a permanent platform for the exchange of experience and information, including information on identified victims of trafficking in persons within the framework of the current legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic, for the subsequent provision of legal assistance to them; joint initiation of the adoption of legislative norms or amendments to existing legislation in line with international standards; improving the training system (training, retraining, advanced training) aimed at strengthening the capacity of judges, prosecutors, lawyers and law enforcement officers in investigating and prosecuting cases related to  trafficking in persons.

In 2020, UNODC, together with the Training Center of the Bar Association of the Kyrgyz Republic and Winrock International, within a project funded by the US Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), created a network of lawyers to provide probono legal services to victims of trafficking in persons.  14 practicing lawyers were selected on a competitive basis to join the network and will be supported by UNODC and Training center, as well as 19 university students from law schools with the assistance of Winrock International. They have been trained on trafficking in persons issues based on a training manual previously developed with the support of UNODC / INL for lawyers in TIP cases.

The creation of a network of lawyers to provide free legal aid to victims of trafficking in persons is a very important initiative that will contribute to the effective implementation of the National Referral Mechanism for Trafficking in persons victims in the Kyrgyz Republic. This mechanism, adopted in September 2019, is aimed at preventing, detecting and suppressing trafficking in persons, as well as providing protection and assistance to victims of trafficking in persons in the Kyrgyz Republic. Within the framework of this mechanism, it is planned to provide comprehensive assistance to victims of trafficking in persons, which includes medical, psychological, social, legal and other support for rehabilitation and reintegration.

The UNODC 2020 Global Trafficking in Persons Report (UNODC) estimates that nearly 50,000 victims of trafficking were identified in 2018, reported by 148 countries.

As the guarantor of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and its complementary Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, the UNODC Program Office in the Kyrgyz Republic supports the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in its efforts to strengthen the criminal justice response to  Trafficking in persons through a project funded by the United States Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL).

The participating organizations – parties to the Memorandum: General Prosecutor's Office of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Bar of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Ministry of Interior of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Training Center for Lawyers, the Higher School of Justice under the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Kyrgyz association of women judges, Information and Consultation Center of the State Migration Service under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Association of Legal Clinics of Kyrgyzstan, the Association of Crisis Centers, Public Charity Fund “Oasis”,  the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the branch of WinRock International in the Kyrgyz Republic (Winrock International).

 статья на русском языке 

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For more information, contact: Vasilina Brazhko (Ms.)

Communication and PR Specialist

UNODC in Central Asia

at +996775987817 WhatsApp

or by e-maill: vasilina.brazhko [at] un.org