Experts Agree on Cooperation as Key to address Human Trafficking

Within the framework of implementation of Turkmenistan’s National Action Plan on Counter-trafficking for 2016-2018 and together with the Government of Turkmenistan, International Organization for Migration/UN Migration Agency (IOM) organized a two-day Regional Discussion on Prosecution and Investigation of Crimes of Trafficking in Persons for The Purpose of Labor Exploitation.

The regional discussion was organized within IOM’s Combating Human Trafficking Program in Turkmenistan, funded by U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

The discussion strengthened people's understanding and knowledge of the representatives of the law enforcement and other government organizations on prosecution and investigation of crimes of human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation. Importantly, it focused on the human rights and victim-centred approach as well as learning the best practices of judicial cooperation on prosecuting trafficking in persons for the purpose of labour exploitation between the law enforcement agencies of the countries of origin and destination.

Opening the discussion, Mr. Dejan Keserovic, Regional IOM Coordinator for Central Asia underlined that “IOM and the Government of Turkmenistan continue to effectively cooperate in three areas that were named strategic areas of cooperation during the meeting between the Esteemed President of Turkmenistan, His Excellency Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Director General of IOM Mr. William Lacy Swing in 2013. Combating human trafficking is one of these areas. Other two areas include Migration and Health and Migration and Emergencies.”

The discussion brought together the experts on combating trafficking issues from Belgium, the Republic of Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, IOM and United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) experts, as well as judges, prosecutors, representatives of government, public and international organizations, UN specialized agencies, and foreign embassies in Turkmenistan.

The participants learned from each other’s experiences, discussed the challenges, and possible solutions to implement prosecution and investigation of trafficking cases with the purpose of labor exploitation taking into account victim-centered approach. The participants particularly stressed the critical importance of international cooperation between law enforcement agencies, NGOs and other counterparts in combatting the scourge of such organized crime as trafficking in persons.

This discussion complemented the series of IOM activities in Turkmenistan in the area of combating human trafficking supported by U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and implemented together with the Government of Turkmenistan.