ARMENIAN PUBLIC IS NOT AWARE OF TRAFFICKING IN CHILDREN
ArmInfo
2010-03-30 20:30:00
ArmInfo. On Mar 30 2010 at 11:00 AM the press conference devoted to
outcomes presentation of "Child Trafficking Phenomenon in Armenia"
research took place in the big meeting room of European Union
Delegation to Armenia.
The press service of the European Commission Delegation to Armenia
reports that Mr.Raul de Luzenberger, Head of EU Delegation to Armenia,
Vice Minister of RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs Filaret
Berikyan, Head of the International Organizations Department of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dzyunik Aghadjanyan spoke at the
conference.
The research was conducted in Oct-Dec 2009 by "Harmonic Society"
Armenian Association of Social Workers. Three targets groups were
researched in this study: first, children attending public schools
in urban and rural settlements, second, institutionalized children
aged 5-18 from 5 types of institutions of social and education nature
and third, general public. The third target group of the study is
general population.
Child trafficking as special form of trafficking became an issue
of concern in Armenia only in the recent years. A great progress in
combating trafficking phenomenon in Armenia has been recorded since
the formation of Interdepartmental Consulting Committee in 2002.
This report summarizes the results of the level of awareness among
children and the general public in Armenia on the issue of trafficking
within the social and legal context. This study is the content of "The
Prevention of Child Trafficking Phenomenon in Armenia" program jointly
implemented by "People in Need" Czech Non-Governmental Organization
and local "Hope and Help" NGO. The project is funded by the European
Union and Czech Government, totally in the amount of 448,454 EUR,
90% of which (403,609 EUR) is provided by EU.
The main driving force for the development of this project was the
concern about children found in the streets of Yerevan and other
settlements of Armenia (Gyumri, Vanadzor, etc.), which has been very
typical in terms of trafficking until recently.
Desk review of available relevant materials showed that the size and
the complexity of "street children" phenomenon has been constantly
changing in Armenia. The phenomenon of "street children" had a greater
increase in 2000 first performing as children begging (as a simple
mechanism to cope with poverty and starving). Gradually the phenomenon
decreased in sizes but became deeper and more complicated (with
different forms of children labor, cases of children prostitution etc).
"It is worth to mention that initially the term "street children"
was used in Armenia with certain precautions to its classical meaning
as the majority of those children had families and homes and returned
there after completion of "street activities,"" says Mira Antonyan,
the author of study.
It is interesting that during the realization of this study no specific
case was identified, though the research was not directly aiming at
it. Certainly, the street children are still under concern: at the
same time variety of cases about children’s street life were identified
throughout this study; however no specific cases were identified.
The results of the research may have a valuable contribution to
the policy development on strategic level in combating children
trafficking phenomenon.
People in Need (PIN) is a Czech organization that provides relief
aid and development assistance while working to defend human rights
and democratic freedom in Czech Republic as well as abroad. The
organization assists to human rights protection and implements programs
for social integration and development.
"Mobilized and empowered system of prevention of child trafficking in
Armenia through awareness raising, capacity building and networking"
project has for an aim to prevent the phenomenon of children
trafficking in RA (awareness, teaching, support). Strengthening of
children security in RA – cooperating with state and social structures.