Belarus  – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and two non-governmental organizations, namely, Vitebsk Oblast Organization of Belarusian Red Cross Society and Gomel City Branch of Young Women Christian Association, signed, on 31 January 2018, grant agreements for the provision of direct assistance services to victims of trafficking and migrants in vulnerable situations in Gomel and Vitebsk Oblasts. The grant provision is part of the European Union funded Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) and aims to prevent and address trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants by assisting the civil society organizations to develop protection and assistance responses for migrants in vulnerable situations.

Needs assessment conducted in Belarus in 2016 indicated the need for additional services for vulnerable migrants in Gomel and Vitebsk Oblasts. These services included in particular identification of vulnerable migrants in under-served migrant populations, such as male victims of trafficking for the purposes of labour exploitation; individualized case management services to support sustainable and effective socioeconomic reintegration of migrants in their local communities; long-term (re)integration assistance services, such as, vocational training and employment counselling, medical and psychological interventions, and referral to relevant public services. The grant also includes the provision of material (clothes, food, etc.) assistance to migrants in vulnerable situations.

The Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) is a four-year (2015-2019), €11 million joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The project is being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). GLO.ACT aims to provide assistance to governmental authorities and civil society organizations across 13 strategically selected countries: Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine. It supports the development of more effective responses to trafficking and smuggling, including providing assistance to victims of trafficking and vulnerable migrants through the strengthening of identification, referral, and direct support mechanisms.

For more information, please contact Victoria Klimova, IOM Belarus,  VKLIMOVA@iom.int https://www.iom.int/gloact
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/glo-act/index.html
Twitter: @glo_act