UNODC conducts workshops on the identification and referral of victims of trafficking in persons in Turkmenistan

Trafficking in persons is one of the most serious crimes and violations of human rights, however, it remains widespread and thrives particularly in situations where front-line officers and specialists are not capable to identify potential victims of those crimes. Timely identification of victims of trafficking is crucial to prevent and successfully investigate trafficking in persons crimes, as well as to protect and assist victims of such crimes.

On 25, 27 and 31 January 2023 UNODC jointly with the Prosecutor General’s Office of Turkmenistan and USAID Safe Migration in Central Asia Programme organized workshops on identification and referral of victims of trafficking for the front-line officers working at the points of entry and major transport hubs and counselor staff in order to support the efforts of the Government of Turkmenistan aimed at developing skills of front-line practitioners in countering trafficking in persons.  

The workshops took place at Ashgabat International Airport, the UN House in Ashgabat, and the premises of the transport agencies of Turkmenistan. The events engaged 40 officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Migration Service, the State Border Service, and the State Customs Service, 10 representatives of the Counselor Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye, as well as over 180 staff of ground security services of Ashgabat International Airport, staff of automobile and railroad transport agencies of Turkmenistan. 

The participants of the workshops were briefed on the concept of trafficking in persons crime, the legal framework of Turkmenistan in combating trafficking in persons, the victim identification indicators, as well as the role of each participating agency in the victims’ identification and referral, as well as in the assistance process.

These activities were carried out within the framework of the UNODC Global Programme against Trafficking in Persons and the UNODC Programme for Central Asia 2022–2025. 

 

For further information please contact:           

Arifa Fatikhova    

Communications and External Relations Officer 

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 

Regional Office for Central Asia

Mobile: (+998 99) 825-05-43 | Email: arifa.fatikhova[at]un.org