Assistance project for Georgian victims of human trafficking
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World Vision Georgia is committed to working with others in Georgia
against human trafficking
World Vision MEERO, http://meero.worldvision.org
World Vision MEERO, http://meero.worldvision.org
A Social Assistance to Trafficked Persons (SATP) project focusing on providing sustainable assistance to trafficked persons and victims of illegal labor and sexual exploitation has
recently been launched in an initial 5 regions of Georgia by World Vision Georgia.
Contributing to the Georgian National Action Plan against Trafficking, and in particular efforts to increase public awareness and propose protection and rehabilitation of victims, SATP seeks to design a social assistance and identification network which will provide assistance and referral to social services to at least 200 presumed trafficking victims within the project timeframe.
Since June 2003 to March 2005 the State Prosecutor's office has investigated 30 cases of trafficking concerning 62 women victims, 1 man and 3 infants. In 94% of cases it concerned sexual exploitation where the major destination country was Turkey.
According to the information provided by International Organization of Migration, a worrying statistic of 21% of trafficking victims were minors at the time when they fell in to the hands of their exploiters.
Within the framework of SATP project, a team of 30 social workers (including those already working for World Vision Georgia), 45 medical personnel, and 20 governmental stakeholders will be trained in strategies to identify and assist victims of trafficking in Georgia.
By extending training to government stakeholders, the SATP project will provide a strong knowledge base regarding the human trafficking situation and social assistance needs of trafficking victims in Georgia, as well as a framework of best practices and strategies of assistance provision for future governmental implementation.
"We hope that this pilot project will contribute to coordination of efforts of various government and NGO stakeholders," - says Teona Kupunia, Manager of the SATP project. "At the same time, we hope that after the end of the project, the government will take ownership and responsibility of maintaining developed social assistance infrastructure that will eventually result into sustainable development".
Social Work Assistance for Trafficking Victims (SATP) project is funded by World Vision Switzerland and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
Contributing to the Georgian National Action Plan against Trafficking, and in particular efforts to increase public awareness and propose protection and rehabilitation of victims, SATP seeks to design a social assistance and identification network which will provide assistance and referral to social services to at least 200 presumed trafficking victims within the project timeframe.
Since June 2003 to March 2005 the State Prosecutor's office has investigated 30 cases of trafficking concerning 62 women victims, 1 man and 3 infants. In 94% of cases it concerned sexual exploitation where the major destination country was Turkey.
According to the information provided by International Organization of Migration, a worrying statistic of 21% of trafficking victims were minors at the time when they fell in to the hands of their exploiters.
Within the framework of SATP project, a team of 30 social workers (including those already working for World Vision Georgia), 45 medical personnel, and 20 governmental stakeholders will be trained in strategies to identify and assist victims of trafficking in Georgia.
By extending training to government stakeholders, the SATP project will provide a strong knowledge base regarding the human trafficking situation and social assistance needs of trafficking victims in Georgia, as well as a framework of best practices and strategies of assistance provision for future governmental implementation.
"We hope that this pilot project will contribute to coordination of efforts of various government and NGO stakeholders," - says Teona Kupunia, Manager of the SATP project. "At the same time, we hope that after the end of the project, the government will take ownership and responsibility of maintaining developed social assistance infrastructure that will eventually result into sustainable development".
Social Work Assistance for Trafficking Victims (SATP) project is funded by World Vision Switzerland and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]