DUSHANBE, June 13, 2012, Asia-Plus — A two-day seminar aimed at helping thirty representatives of Tajikistan’s diplomatic and consular personnel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, Migration Service and Tajik Diaspora leaders abroad, strengthen their abilities to detect potential cases of human trafficking, identify victims, and refer them to the relevant governmental and civil society organizations for assistance was held here on June 9-10.
According to the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe, the seminar was organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in partnership with the Inter-Ministerial Commission for Combating Trafficking in Persons of Tajikistan with funding provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Tajikistan is a country of origin for labor and sex trafficking and it is crucial that embassies, consulates, migration services and Diaspora organizations abroad combat the trafficking of Tajik nationals to destination countries. These groups are often the first point of contact between the home country and victims of human trafficking. It is imperative that officials in these organizations have the necessary skills to cooperate with international and local organizations working to combat human trafficking.
IOM and USAID are working with the Government of Tajikistan and local civil society organizations to provide protection assistance to victims of trafficking in Tajikistan. As part of this effort, the project supports hotlines throughout the country. The hotline service in Dushanbe can be reached at 918-85-3434.
The Counter-Trafficking Project is one of the many assistance projects supported by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Since 1992 the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe has provided more than $984 million in programs that support Tajikistan’s democratic institutions, health care, education, and economic growth.
