ARMENIA REMAINS ON TIER 2 WATCH LIST

ArmenPress
June 16 2004

YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS: Armenia found itself in its last
year’s company in this year’s U.S. State Department report on human
trafficking. In the department’s fourth annual Trafficking in Persons
Report, released Monday, Armenia was among 42 nations listed on the
Tier 2 Watch List. Nations are classified into three categories,
with Tier 3 being the least favorable. Armenia moved from Tier 3 to
Tier 2 last year after it took steps to clean up its act. Nations on
the Tier 2 Watch List are considered in danger of falling into Tier 3.

Armenian foreign affairs ministry said Armenian ambassador to the
USA was invited, together with representatives of other diplomatic
missions to the report presentation. John Miller, head of the office
for fighting against trafficking in persons, spoke with Armenian
ambassador, saying that Armenia may move to Tier 1 in the event of
launching a large-scale crackdown on corruption and tracking down and
punishing people involved in trafficking in persons. An arrangement
was reached to convene a special meeting to that end.

The report says that Armenia is primarily a source and transit country
for women and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation mainly to the
United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) and Turkey, as well as Russia, Greece,
and other European countries. Trafficking to Russia, Turkey and the
U.A.E. for the purposes of labor exploitation was an increasingly
significant problem. There were a few cases of trafficking in women
from Uzbekistan to Armenia for sexual exploitation. Advocates expressed
concerns about internal trafficking and trafficking of orphans,
but no confirmed cases were uncovered.

The Government of Armenia does not fully comply with the minimum
standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making
significant efforts to do so. Cooperation between police and NGOs
increased the number of investigations, and provided police a greater
understanding of international and domestic sources of trafficking.
The government should improve legal instruments to create more
effective tools for law enforcement and should improve the transparency
of its anti-corruption programs.

The Report also says that law enforcement improved its record of
victim identification and referrals to a service-providing NGO. In one
operation, police identified eight foreign prostitutes, suspected
they were victims and referred them to an NGO for assistance.
Armenian NGOs provided most victim assistance, but cooperated well
with police. In order to alleviate vulnerabilities of an at-risk group,
the government adopted a program to provide apartments to children who
graduated from orphanages, and provided assistance to poor families
with needy children.

Prevention activities increased during the reporting period, especially
through the use of mass media. The National Police were featured in
several training films and TV shows on trafficking, and the Ministry
of Education approved anti-trafficking educational lectures for
secondary and university students. In January of 2004, the government
approved an anti-trafficking national action plan for 2004-2006. The
government contributed the equivalent of $11,000 of its own funds
to support the work of the National Anti-Trafficking Commission,
and foreign donors provided the remaining funds. The government’s
Department for Migration and Refugees conducted extensive outreach on
migration issues, which prevented a significant number of individuals
from succumbing to trafficking, according to an independent survey.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress