Counter Trafficking Projects

IOM is the leading agency in Tajikistan on combating trafficking, and has projects to enhance capacity of law enforcement and judges to investigate, prosecute and judge human traffickers and protect the victims.

Combating Trafficking in Persons in Central Asia

As part of a larger regional project throughout Central Asia, IOM Tajikistan focuses on prevention and protection. As preventive measures, IOM will continuously conduct information campaigns by developing and disseminating gender-mainstreamed information materials and broadcasting counter-trafficking related talk shows on TVs and radios. A series of trainings and workshops will be conducted for various audiences including law enforcement, government, and religious leaders. IOM will also build the capacity of the Ombudsman office in understanding human trafficking issues by involving the Ombudsman office in various public counter-trafficking activities within this project in order to effectively address, monitor and analyze the situation with human trafficking based on migrants' appeals. As protection measures, IOM in Tajikistan will render standard return, rehabilitation and reintegration services to VOTs, along with conducting trainings for NGOs/CBOs on identification of VOTs and provision of assistance to VOTs.

Assessment of the Exploitation of Children and Students in the Cotton Fields

Each year, Tajikistan experiences a huge seasonal labor outflow; more than 800,000 of its citizens work abroad, mainly in the Russian Federation. This phenomenon substantially impacts the labor market in cotton growing areas and makes child labor an easily available solution for an industry in desperate need of workers. Despite Tajik legislation officially prohibiting child labor and forced labor, schools in rural areas are often closed and pupils are sent to the fields during the harvest period, potentially endangering their health and limiting their education development.

Technical Assistance to the Government of Tajikistan on Combating Trafficking in Persons

This two-year project was designed to further assist the Government of Tajikistan (GoT) to enhance its legislation and procedures related to combating Trafficking in Persons (TiP) and strengthen capacities for education and training of present and future staff of concerned law enforcement agencies, justice system and executive authorities to fight against human trafficking. The project will help the GoT harmonize the interagency system in Tajikistan to combat human trafficking and establish a sustainable training framework for relevant state authorities.

Shelters for Assistance to Victims

IOM Tajikistan operates two shelters for victims of trafficking. In 2005, IOM opened the Dushanbe Shelter for Victims of Human Trafficking with the support of the US Department of State Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL). Several months later, IOM opened a shelter in Khujand which caters specifically to the needs of minor victims of trafficking, operated with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Since 2005, the Dushanbe shelter has provided return, rehabilitation and reintegration assistance to 156 VoTs, and the Khujand shelter has provided for the needs of 64 minor victims.

Central Asian Partnership Group

This project aimed to promote human, refugee and migrants’ rights in Central Asia. Objectives were to enhance the capacity of Central Asian national governments and NGOs, and to strengthen the state-civic dialogue.

Combating Trafficking in Persons in Tajikistan: Educational Prevention

This project aimed to increase the anti-trafficking awareness and preventive capacity of NGOs, governmental and private educational institutions and mass media institutions in undertaking related information campaigns and protecting victims through a network of victims advocacy NGOs. By increasing the capacity of local civil actors to provide advice, services and a supportive environment for victims of trafficking in their communities, the project aimed to achieve long-term sustainability.

Capacity Building for Prosecution of Trafficking in Persons in Tajikistan

This programme aimed at stemming the key causes of trafficking in persons (TiP) from Tajikistan by enhancing law enforcement capacity to investigate and apprehend human trafficking-related crimes.