Combatting Trafficking in Persons in Armenia: Improving Victim Identification and Referral Systems

  • Start Date
    2023
  • End Date
    2025
  • Project Status
    Active
  • Project Type
    Protection and Assistance to Vulnerable Migrants
  • Budget Amount (USD)
    300000.00
  • Coverage
    National
  • Year
    2023
  • IDF Region
    Europe
  • Prima ID
    AM10P0523
  • Projects ID
    PX.0442
  • Benefiting Member States
    Armenia
In recent years, Armenia has become an attractive destination for migrants, including migrant workers. While this has brought economic benefits to the country, including a sharp increase in the country's GDP in 2022, it has also increased the risk of trafficking in persons (TIP), exploitation, and abuse of migrants. In 2022, an electronic work permit system was introduced in the country and registered close to 11,000 applications in 2022. However, the Armenian government needs support to assess and analyze the scope of potential human trafficking among migrant workers, as well as make amendments to the National Referral System in line with updated legislation. The proposed project aims to contribute to enhancing migrant rights protection and fighting TIP in Armenia. This will be achieved through various interventions, such as identifying prevailing patterns in labour migration and migrant recruitment, developing an innovative alert system based on early warning indicators in the new Work Permit System, capacitating state and non-state actors, including civil society, to help prevent and identify TIP, and delivering targeted, gender-sensitive information to migrants, workers, employers, and local communities. The project will also revise the National Referral system and organize workshops and simulation exercises for national and local actors to ensure effective implementation. Ultimately, the project will support government efforts in digital transformation and place migration governance at the centre of reforms.