REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS
National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017
Tirana, October 2016
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017
This report is prepared by Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons and Ministry of Internal Afairs.
The report is translated, edited, designed and printed with the support of World Vision Albania.
Editor: Guri Lekloti
Graphic design: Genuine Effect
Print: ExpoVision
http://wvi.org/albania http://www.punetebrendshme.gov.al TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 8
I. PROSECUTION 8
II. PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING 16 OPERATION OF THE NATIONAL REFERRAL MECHANISM 18 IDENTIFICATION AND REFERAL OF THE VICTIMS/POTENTIAL VICTIMISOF TRAFICKING 19 ASSISTED RETURN OF THE VICTIMS /POTENTIAL VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING 25 SUPPORT TO THE VICTIMS /POTENTIAL VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING 26 FINANCIAL STATE/ NON-STATE SUPPORT FOR THE PUBLIC AND NON-PUBLIC SHELTERS 27 SERVICES FOR THE VICTIMS/ POTENTIAL VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING 29
III. PREVENTION 38 Improving the Legal and Institutional Framework 38 Awareness raising on trafficking in persons 39
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 4 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 I V. COORDINATION 52 COORDINATION OF ANTI-TRAFFICKING ACTORS WITHIN THE COUNTRY 53 COORDINATION AND STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS, ESPECIALLY WITH CIVIL SOCIETY 55 REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION AND COOPERATION 57
V. RECOMMENDATIONS 63
Annex 1 64 Analysis of the activity of the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committees (RAC) for 2015 64
ANNEX 2 95 Capacity building of anti-trafficking structures / trainings & workshops 95
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 5 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 PREFACE
Trafficking in persons in Albania is still, nowadays, a disturbing phenomenon, despite the existence of legal and institutional mechanisms set up in order to combat it.
The reasons of trafficking are numerous. Among them, poverty and inability to work, receive education, and lack of alternatives, are some of the driving factors that lead women, men, and children to trafficking, and consequently to becoming victims of such a crime.
The Government of Albania and the Ministry of Internal Affairs have made the fight against trafficking in persons a top priority, by committing maximal engagement to it, and adopting concrete measures in response, including:
Improving the legal framework and its compliance with international law; enhancing the capacities of anti-trafficking structures; improving the methods for victim identification through a pro-active approach and the process of their reintegration into society; preventing human trafficking by increasing public awareness; intensifying regional and international cooperation in combating trafficking.
All the achievements in the area of trafficking, and the progress made in this regard, have received continuous support by Minister Tahiri, who made the measures against trafficking in persons one of the priorities of the Ministry.
Due to such maximal commitment and response with specific measures, the US State Department Report (June2015), pointed out that Albania showed stability, and positioned it in tier 2 (for the purpose of that Report, Tier 1 is the highest and Tier 3 is the lowest).Tier 2 stands between Tier 1 and Tier 3,and concerns countries under observation. The 2013 Department of State Report ranked Albania in Tier 2.
In addition, the recent Progress Report of the European Commission on Albania positively evaluated the measures against trafficking in persons. Similarly, the latest Council of Europe report highlights the notable progress our country has made in the area of trafficking.
This Report presents the information divided into four chapters, namely:
- Prosecution; - Protection; - Assistance for victims of trafficking; - Prevention and coordination, in accordance with the Strategic Document pillars.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 6 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 In this Report, you can find information on the efforts made by the law enforcement agencies in collaboration with other stakeholders, to pursue criminal prosecution and increase the number of convictions of traffickers, based on fair court proceedings.
During their activity, these structures paid special attention to the improvement of the treatment of victims of trafficking, based on human rights and the best interest of the latter.
This Report on the implementation of duties under the National Anti-trafficking Action includes information on the achievements, and on the issues faced while implementing the activities for reaching the objectives set out in the Strategy against Trafficking in Persons, as well as the challenges in finding a systemic sustainable response to this phenomenon in Albania. This Strategy was also adopted by Decision of the Council of Ministers (DoCM)No. 814, dated 26.11.2014. REPORT
This Report is a product of teamwork because without the information supplied by all actors involved in the Strategy, we would not have a clear overview of the actions undertaken for the progress, not only as regards the fight against and prevention of trafficking in persons, but also for the country’s full integration into European structures.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons would like to specially thank all the implementing institutions of the Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons, including: the Ministry of Internal Affairs/State Police, the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Urban Development, the Ministry of Economic Development, Tourism, Trade and Entrepreneurship, the Ministry of Finance, the General Prosecution Office/Serious Crimes Prosecution Office, First Instance Serious Crimes Court, Appellate Serious Crimes Court, International Organizations and local NGOs, National Coalition of Anti-Trafficking Shelters, Regional Anti-trafficking Committees, as well as all the other partners and stakeholders who have contributed in the implementation of the Strategy, without which contribution, this Report would be made possible.
A special thanks goes to the Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, namely to Anila Trimi, Mimoza Qyra, Iris Hodaj, and Dea Dragoti, for their dedication and commitment in coordinating the work at national level, addressing all the issues, and the efforts they made to find solutions.
Dr. Elona Gjebrea Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 7 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 INTRODUCTION
Trafficking in persons is considered today as one of the priority issues of the society. In various international instruments, trafficking in persons is estimated as “A violation of fundamental human rights, dignity, and integrity of human beings”.
This Report presents the measures and efforts made during 2015 by the Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, as regards the improvement of the legal framework in the area of fight against trafficking in persons, prevention and awareness of the community through meetings and awareness campaigns concerning this phenomenon, improving and building capacities of law enforcement structures engaged in the fight against trafficking in persons, protection of children from exploitation and abuse, fighting corruption among the ranks of law enforcement, cooperation within and outside the country, collection of statistical data regarding the identification, investigation, and trial of human trafficking offenses, etc..
During its work, the Office of the National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator (ONAC), worked closely with, and received constant support from all actors involved in the fight against trafficking in persons. Several law enforcement structures are to be mentioned here, including the police, the prosecution office, as well as the social service, the diplomatic and consular service, etc.. Local and foreign NGOs which provide rehabilitative and preventive services for anti-trafficking in Albania have made a special contribution to the fight against trafficking in persons, especially to the prevention of this phenomenon.
I. PROSECUTION
Based on the need to improve the penal and procedural legislation, and as a follow-up of the recommendations of the international organisms, the Office of the National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator (ONAC) has proposed the following amendments:
–Article 52/a of the Criminal Code, “Exception or reduction of the sentence for justice collaborators and victims”. The proposal here is that the second paragraph of this Article is be reworded into the following text: “A person who is victim of trafficking in persons offence shall be entitled to exemption from the criminal prosecution for having committed a criminal offence during trafficking period, to the extent he/she has been forced to commit those illicit actions or omissions”. In this way, the victim is exempted also from the criminal prosecution, and does not become a subject of the criminal offence from the moment he/she is identified as such.
– With regard to Article 110/a of the Criminal Code, the proposal is that for the criminal offence of “Trafficking in persons” there should be only one Article provided for it. This proposal reflects the recent developments towards a consolidation of the legal framework on combating trafficking in persons. In the reworded Article,trafficking of minorsshould be an aggravating circumstance, which leads to the application of a harsher penal policy expressed in heavier punishments. Based on the above, we have proposed that Article 128/b is repealed, and only one single article on trafficking in persons –Article 110/a-remains.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 8 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 In the framework of the approximation of the legislation with the CoE Convention, the proposal is that the second paragraph of Article 114 of the Criminal Code “Exploitation of prostitution” which provides for the exploitation of minors for prostitution is repealed.
Referring to Law no. 144/2013, the proposal is that Article 75/a of the Criminal Procedure Code is reworded so that the provisions of Articles 110/b “Benefiting or using the services provided by trafficked persons”, and Article 110/c “Actions facilitating trafficking”, are included under the jurisdiction of the Serious Crimes Prosecution Office.
The Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs has been ratified by Law No. 150/2015, dated 21.12.2015, as a legal and institutional obligation since the signing of the Convention on the 25thof March 2015, in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Now we are at the stage of setting up the Joint Working Group among the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Health, REPORT and representatives of the General Prosecution Office for drafting the amendments to the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code order to have the domestic legislation aligned with the Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs. Besides the legal amendments proposals, this chapter also contains statistical data on the cases identified, investigated, and tried during 2015. You will also get acquainted with other developments regarding capacity building of law enforcement structures, the trainings conducted during this period1, the level of cooperation between agencies, both at domestic and international level, the fight against corruption, the improvement of the legal framework, and finally some recommendations for the next period.
During this year, important measures were taken in the fight against trafficking in persons, in particular on tackling the phenomenon, and on conducting professional investigations and trials. We note that the cases identified are a result of increased striking force and professionalism of the law enforcement structures, and a consequence of an increased attention of the management structures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Directorate of State Police to the fight against trafficking in persons.
Referring to the updated data in the SIVET system which is administered by the Responsible Authority, for 2015 the trend of trafficking in persons (males, females, adults, minors, Albanians or foreigners) is a total of 109 VoT/PVoT, out of which 38VoT and 71PVoT, 22 males and 87 females, 61 adults and 48 minors, 104 Albanians and 4 foreigners(2 British, 1 Filipino, and 1 from Kosovo).Based on the comparative statistics of the previous year, an increased number of trafficked males is observed (from 17 last year to 22 this year). Also, it is noticed that the largest number of VoT/PVoT is from Elbasan Region (Qarku), with 24 TV/PTV, followed by Tirana Region with 18TV/PTV, and Berat Region with 12TV/PTV. A limited number is fromVlora, Fier, Durres, Dibra
and Shkodra Regions. Whereas, Gjirokastra Region continues to remain the region with 0 VoT/PVoT also for this reporting period. Regarding their education, 6 VoT/PVoT have higher education, 17VoT/PVoT have secondary education, while the rest has elementary education or no education at all (21). Regarding the forms of exploitation, out of the total number, 47 VoT/PVoT were trafficked for sexual exploitation, while the rest for forced labor and begging.
1 For more detailed information regarding the trainings conducted during 2015, see at the end of the Report –Annex II
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 9 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Similarly, out of the overall number of VoT, the number of females continues to prevail. Female trafficking is presented in two ways: as domestic trafficking, where the victims are trafficked from one city to another with the purpose of exploitation for prostitution, and as cross-border trafficking, where the trafficking victims are sent abroad to be exploited for prostitution.
The referred cases regarding the “trafficking in minors” do relate to exploitation of minors for prostitution too, but still most of them are to be used for begging in Kosovo and Greece. In the majority of cases, minors who are exploited for begging are forced to do so by their own family members. Most of these cases involve people from the Roma community.
In addition, for the reporting period, an increase of the identification of the number of TV/PTV by the state structures is noticed, where 80 TV/ PTV were identified and referred by the state structures, 27 TV/PTV were identified by non-state actors, and2 TV/PTV were self-identified.
Based on the information recorded by the law enforcement structures for 2014 and 2015, some of the trafficking routes and recruitment methods included the following:
Trafficking routes:
Albania – Belgium – England Albania – England – Norway Albania – Italy – Netherland Albania – Kosovo – Macedonia – Switzerland Albania – Montenegro – Italy /Belgium /Germany Albania – Greece- Italy – France – Netherland – England.
Methods of recruitment:
1. Mainly girls aged 18-25 years are selected. They are either daughters of divorced parents, or with no support of their parents, or economic and health issues. 2. Initially they establish intimate connections with the traffickers and later on due to fraud and coercion become exploited for prostitution. 3. Social networks, such as Facebook offering engagement/marriage or promising a job and a better life. 4. Job offers as dancers in bars in the country or abroad, mainly in Kosovo and Macedonia. 5. By phone or being introduced by other persons, while traffickers also go to the families of the girls using marriage as a tool and introducing themselves as their daughter future husband to their family members.
During this period, more efforts were made towards increasing the efficiency, professionalism, and cooperation among legal structures and specialists, as well as between them and other stakeholders in the process of investigation, collection of evidence, in order to convict the offenders and protect the victims of trafficking.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 10 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 1. data on investigations and trials (information from the police, internal Issues and complaints Service (IICS), prosecution office and court system)
Police:
For 2015, the state police has identified a total of 80 criminal offenses of trafficking in persons:
17 cases of “Trafficking in minors” Article 128/b of the Criminal Code; 63 cases of “Trafficking in adult persons” Article 110/a of the Criminal Code.
Criminal Criminals Ran Identified Perpetrators Arrested Detained Offense at large away Trafficking in 17 23 5 11 3 4 minors REPORT Trafficking in adult 63 67 10 33 13 11 persons Total 80 90 15 44 16 15
The State Police has referred a total of 104 criminal offences related to trafficking in persons:
23 cases of “Use of premises for prostitution” Article 115 of the Criminal Code; 81casesof “Exploitation of prostitution” Article 114/a of the Criminal Code.
Criminal Criminals Run Identified Author Arrested Detained offences at large away
Use of premises for 23 32 12 15 1 4 prostitution
Exploitation of 81 96 27 41 12 16 prostitution Total 104 128 39 56 13 20
The operational situation as regards illicit trafficking, both in terms of collection and follow-up of the information, and cooperation with judicial bodies for the legal recording and bringing the offenders of these criminal offenses before justice, is assessed to have been more serious.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 11 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Police operations conducted during 2015: For the combat of the criminal offence of trafficking in persons, during 2015, a total of 6 operations were carried out by striking the criminal activity in the area of illicit trafficking. During these operations a total of 32 perpetrators were identified as implicated in illicit trafficking, out of which,25 people were arrested. Among the most noteworthy operations we can mention:
“The Model” 5 persons were arrested for trafficking in minors-Article 128/b of the Criminal Code. “Tallava” 4 persons were arrested for exploitation of prostitution-Article 114 of the Criminal Code. “The Diva” 4 persons were arrested for trafficking in adult persons- Article 110/a of the Criminal Code. “The Fountain” 4 persons were arrested, 7 prosecuted as criminals at large, for exploitation of prostitution-Article 114 of the Criminal Code. “The Nature” 5 persons were arrested for exploitation of prostitution-Article 114 of the Criminal Code. “The Dancer” 3 persons arrested for trafficking in adult persons-Article 110/a of the Criminal Code.
International operations: During 2015, the central structures against illicit trafficking, in cooperation with our international partners, conducted 2 operations, namely, “Alba Nostra” and “Balcania” with a significant number of arrested persons, both within and outside of the territory of the Republic of Albania.
Internal Issues and Complaints Service:
During the period January - December 2015, the Internal Issues and Complaints Service continued its efforts to strengthen the capacities and quality of investigations in uncovering and combating cases where police officers are either involved or favor trafficking in persons.
During this period, a total of 5 (five) cases where police officers had favored trafficking in persons were initiated and referred. All of the 5 (five) cases were registered as formal proceedings by the prosecution office, and are being investigated. Based on the assessment of the General Prosecution Office, the criminal offense of “Giving assistance to illegal border crossing” has been declassified, and is now only considered as one of the elements of the “Abuse of office” offence.
During the period of analysis there were no cases of referrals through the green border or other forms of referral regarding the involvement of police officers or their favoring of trafficking in persons.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 12 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Serious Crimes Prosecution Office:
In 2015, in the Serious Crimes Prosecution Office of Tirana a special section for the investigation of criminal cases related to trafficking in persons, composed of two prosecutors and three judicial police officers, become operational. One judicial police officer has played the role of the coordinator among the Serious Crimes Prosecution Office, shelters for the victims of trafficking, and the State Police. Special attention was paid to the rights of victims of trafficking, where elements for establishing appropriate conditions for interviewing victims of trafficking were taken into account, by ensuring the presence of a social worker or psychologist, accommodating the victims of trafficking in shelters, etc.
The statistical data of the Serious Crimes Prosecution Office for 2015 show that the number of proceedings registered for the criminal offense foreseen by Article 110/a of the Criminal Code, i.e. Trafficking in adult persons, is 38, and the number of defendants and persons
under investigation registered for this period, is 16. A total of 8 criminal proceedings with 13 REPORT defendants were sent for trial, where 7 defendants were convicted on account of trafficking in adult persons.
As regard Article 128/b of the Criminal Code, Trafficking in minors,for 2015 the number of registered proceedings, is 14,and the number of defendants and persons under investigation registered, is 8. During this year, 1 criminal proceedings with 1 defendant was sent for trial, and a total of 5 defendants were convicted on account of trafficking in minors.
The following table presents these data in a detailed way:
Registered Sent for trial Defendants Articles Proceedings and people Convicted Cases Defendants under investigation 110/a - “Trafficking in 38 16 8 13 7 adult persons” 128/b - “Trafficking in 14 8 1 1 5 minors”
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 13 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 First Instance and Appellate Serious Crimes Courts:
Measures of punishment in the Articles of the No. of SCC Criminal Code convicted defendants First instance Appeal
1 11 years 11 years 6 years and 8 6 years and 8 Article 110/a/2 –Trafficking 1 in adult persons months months 1 acquitted acquitted 1 14 years 14 years Article 110/a/4 –Trafficking 10 years and 8 10 years and 8 1 in adult persons months months 1 6 years 6 years Article 114/b/1 – 1 6 years 6 years Exploitation of prostitution Article 128/b/1 – 1 7 years 7 years Trafficking in minors 2 17 years each 17 years each Article 128/b/3 – Trafficking in minors 1 20years 20years 1 15 years 15 years
3 cases carried over from the year 2014, out of which:
• 2 cases: with 2 persons convicted for Article 110/a/4 - “Trafficking in adult persons”; and 1 convicted for Article 110/a/4 - “Trafficking in adult persons” and Article 128/b/3 – “Trafficking in minors”.
• 1 case: with 1 person convicted for Article 110/a/2 - “Trafficking in adult persons” and Article 278/4- “Trafficking in arms and ammunitions”.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 14 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 The following table gives a detailed overview of them: Measures of punishment of the Serious Crimes Articles of the Criminal Code No. of convicted Court defendants First Appeal instance Article 110/a/2 –Trafficking in adult 1 11 years 11 years persons 1 10 years 10 years Article 110/a/4 –Trafficking in adult persons 1 10 years 5 years Article 110/a/4 –Trafficking in adult
persons+ Article 128/b/3–Trafficking 1 12 years 12 years REPORT in minors
The High Court:
The statistical data of the High Court on the new cases presented, court files carried over, and the outcome for the criminal offenses related to trafficking in persons are provided in a detailed way in the following table:
Cases Cases Articles of the New cases Information No. carried over pending Criminal Code filed in 2015 on the case from 2014 trial
Article 110/a – 1. Trafficking in adult 4 0 - 4 persons Article 128/b – 2. 4 0 - 4 Trafficking in minors A total of 2 cases A total of Article 114/b – (Rejection of 3. 1 3 2 cases are Trafficking in females the recourse pending trial was decided upon)
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 15 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 II. PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING
The main goals of the protection pillar are: to ensure an early identification and referral of all minors and adults as victims/potential victims of trafficking for exploitation purposes, and immediate referral to the appropriate assistance services, in accordance with the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs); to ensure access to comprehensive assistance, protection and services for victims/potential victims of trafficking, according to individual needs and preferences (in shelters or community), and despite their willingness to cooperate with law enforcement structures; to promote the return, reintegration, and social inclusion of VoT/ PVoT, and reduce the risk of trafficked persons to be re-victimized and re-trafficked, or become traffickers.
To ensure the most effective protection of the VoT/PVoT, ONAC continues the strict implementation of the SOPs for the identification and referral of the trafficking victims/ potential trafficking victims that were adopted by DoCM no. 582, dated 27.07.2011. The implementation of SOPs, coupled with relevant training, lead to an increase of identification skills of the law enforcement, social structures, public health, educational service providers, State Labor Inspectorate, while it also enabled an notable increase of the cooperation and partnership among the aforementioned agencies, where it is worth noting the increase in speed and accuracy as regard the identification and referral.
During the period January –December 2015,a total of 109 victims /potential victims of traffickingwere identified, referred, and assisted, compared to 125 VoT/PVoT in 2014, out of which: 38 victims of trafficking,compared to37 during last year, and 71 potential victims of trafficking, compared to 88 during last year; 48 children, compared to 62 during last year, and 61 adults, compared to 63 during last year; 22 males, compared to17 during last year, and 87 females compared to 108; 105 of Albanian nationality, compared to 123 during last year, and 4 foreigners compared to 2 during last year. The comparative data for the years 2014-2015 are presented in the following chart:
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 16 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 4 38
105 71
61
87 REPORT 48 22
All identified cases have received the necessary protection and assistance. For this, besides the State Social Service, a fundamental contribution was given by the shelters for victims of trafficking, members of the National Referral Mechanism. A very important element of the fight and prevention of trafficking is also the encouragement of the trafficking victims to testify in criminal proceedings, but the assistance and protection to the victims is not conditioned on their cooperation with justice.
During the reporting period, besides the implementation of SOPs, there were significant developments in the protection and assistance of victims/potential victims of trafficking:
• 109 victims/potential victims of trafficking were identified, referred, and received the necessary services; • The Peoples’ Assembly adopted the Law no. 150/2015 “On the Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs”; • The DoCM “On Amendments and addenda to DoCM No. 107, dated 10.2.2010 “On the Publication, Printing, Distribution and Sale of Textbooks of the Pre-university Education System”, as amended, was adopted on 26 of August 2015, providing for the provision of free textbooks to children who are trafficking victims; • A co-operation agreement was signed among the Office of the National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, State Police, and Albanian Caritas on “Strengthening the State Structures to Protect Victims of Trafficking”. The purpose of this Agreement is to strengthen the capacity of the state police structures and improve the protection system for victims/potential victims of trafficking through trainings, workshops, roundtables, and assistance provided to victims/ potential victims of trafficking, identified at the border crossing point of Muriqan, and Port of Durres, with emergency aid packages.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 17 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 • In the context of prevention, protection, and reintegration of trafficking victims, with special focus on children and youth, in line with the Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Children 2014-2017, and in coordination with all involved state and non-state institutions, in November 2015, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Internal Affairs and World Vision “On Further Intensification of Action against Trafficking in Persons in Albania, with special focus on Children and Youth.” • The funding of the National Coalition of Anti-trafficking Centers by the State Budget continued; • In implementing the Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons, an Action Plan for the Social - Economic Reintegration of Women and Girls, Victims/Potential Victims of Trafficking 2015- 2017, was developed, with the purpose of providing assistance and reintegration to women and girls who are victims/potential victims of trafficking, through the development and implementation of crosscutting policies, including education, employment, social inclusion and social protection, gender development and mainstreaming, protection from domestic violence, and child protection. This Action Plan was drafted through extensive consultation process/suggestions from relevant involved structures, and was adopted by DoCM No. 115, dated 17.02.2016.
OPERATION OF THE NATIONAL REFERRAL MECHANISM
The National Referral Mechanism for Victims/Potential Victims of Trafficking (NRM) which activates the structures that actualize its operation became fully operational after 2013with dynamic and concrete results. Through periodic meetings of members of the NRM and Task Force, the involved stakeholders recognized and expressed their commitment to meet all institutional obligations in the process of identification and referral for assistance of victims/potential victims of trafficking, where, thanks to cooperation and coordination of anti-trafficking actions, success stories were marked, such as provision of health cards to victims of trafficking, or provision of free books to children who are victims/potential victims of trafficking.
The meetings of the members of the Task Force and the NRM (15thof January, 16th of July, and 24thof December), focused on the issues encountered during the implementation of this Agreement and the right way to address them, in order to achieve a full and efficient operation of the NRM, strengthen the Responsible Authorities, as well as on a more active role of and increased cooperation with the Ministry of Health, for an improved access of VoT/PVoT to services, especially with regard to the mental health of trafficking victims/potential trafficking victims and providing them with health cards, cooperation for important awareness activities, like the summer anti-trafficking campaign, or the Month on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons, as well as support and reintegration of victims of trafficking.
The Responsible Authority (RA) is the essential structure that activates the National Referral Mechanism for the identification, referral, protection and a reintegration of victims/ potential victims of trafficking. With the signing of the Joint Guideline no. 3799, dated 08.07.2014, the roles of each of the structures, part of the Responsible Authority, are defined in a detailed way, while such structures have made achievements both in solving trafficking cases, and in monitoring the implementation of the Standard Operation Procedures. ONAC,
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 18 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 in cooperation with OSCE, developed the Rules of Procedure of the RA, which enable it to function in a well-defined spirit and dynamic, and in accordance with the needs of the time. During the reporting period, the Responsible Authority gathered periodically, specifically on: 16th of April, 25thof May, 19th of June, 3rd of September, 18thof September, and 23rdof November.
Some of the issues resolved in the RA’s meetings, include the handling of the mental health issues of the VoT/PVoT; the draft Rules of Procedures of the RA, and its approval by the members of the Responsible Authority, and its implementation and well-functioning by the members of the Responsible Authority; the way of implementing the DoCM “On Some Amendments and Addenda to the DoCM No. 107 dated 10.2.2010 “On the Publication, Printing, Distribution and Sale of Textbooks of the Pre-university Education System” as amended; handling of specific cases referred by the police, state social services, or non-governmental organizations, etc..
IDENTIFICATION AND REFERAL OF THE VICTIMS / POTENTIAL REPORT VICTIMIS OF TRAFICKING
Identification is the most important process in the whole chain of actions to ensure protection and assistance of victims of trafficking in accordance with the SOPs and is performed in cooperation and collaboration with all authorities and state and non-state structures. According to the Standard Operation Procedures, identification of the VoT/ PVoT is classified into initial identification and formal identification.
Initial identification of potential victims of trafficking is the set of actions taken by the state and non-state institutions at the border, outside the border, and in the country. The responsible agency for the initial identification, at the border, is the Border and Migration Police. In the territory, the responsible ones are the state agencies, like the social service offices, the state inspectorate, the employment office, the educational services, the health services, the child protection units, etc. and non-state ones, including the shelters, organizations with programs of assistance to people in need. Outside the territory, the responsible institutions for the initial identification of VoT/PVoT are the diplomatic representative offices of the Republic of Albania abroad.
Formal identification ofVoT/PVoT at the borders and in the territory is the identification of a person as a victim of trafficking. The formal identification is performed only by the police officer part of the sector for illicit trafficking and the social worker of the SSS, who make the interview analysis concluding on the status of the victim (Annex. 9.4 SOPs). Whereas outside of the territory, formal identification is considered the request for information of the Responsible Authority for identifying and assisting Albanian victims of trafficking in persons by the local authorities that are responsible for the identification of the trafficked persons.
ONAC has asked that the SOPs are always part of guidance training, mainly for newly recruited staff. In these trainings, importance is given to communication with the victims, which should provide them security as well as information on their rights and available possibilities for assistance. While the victim is interviewed by the police, it is required that the guarantee for security of protection and establishment of trust for the victim, are not conditioned to the testimony of the latter, whereas the social services are required to play a more active
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 19 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 role and provide a detailed explanation of the available assistance alternatives. The interview process should be as informative as possible, brief, and sensitive towards the particular situation in which the victim is. The monitoring of the implementation of the SOPs is a task which ONAC together with the Responsible Authority consider as a key element to ensure the correct implementation of the procedures. In this monitoring process, the Responsible Authority has assisted the subordinated structures for the identification and referral of the cases referred from Belgium, England, Norway, Italy, Kosovo and Greece.
The goal of the state and non-state actors, directly or indirectly engaged in the fight against trafficking in persons is to increase the number of identifications and referrals of victims/potential victims of trafficking exploited either within the country, or at the border, or abroad, and the number of self-identifications.In 2015, the state structures identified and referred a total of 80 VoT/PVoT, while 27 VoT/PVoT were identified by non- state structures, and 2 VoT/PVoT were self-identified. There continues to be a limited number of identifications by the State Inspectorate for Labor and Social Services (SILSS), as well as educational and health authorities.
Identification and the Police
The Directorate of State Police, as an important link in the initial and formal identification of victims/potential victims of trafficking, continued to be active in the identification of trafficking cases, by fully implementing the SOPs. The State Police has fully cooperated with the National Coalition of Anti-trafficking Shelters (NCAS) and RA to provide the necessary services to the victims of trafficking. The activity of police structures is based on enhancing the professional capacities of the police personnel, through trainings planned and delivered in collaboration with the Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons and law enforcement structures, international organizations, etc. and on increasing both the quality and quantity of their proactive investigations. The local police structures have identified a total of 21potential victims of trafficking, out of which, 9 were identified by the police commissariats of the Local Directorate of Police (LDP) of Tirana; 2 by the LDP of Lezha; 1 by LDP of Vlora 1; 2 by LDP of Fieri; 1 by LDP of Lushnja, 1 by LDP of Gjirokastra, 1 by LDP of Shkodra; 1 by LDP of Elbasan, 1 by LDP of Durres, and 3 by LDP of Berat.
In order to fulfil its mission to identify the potential victims of trafficking at the border, the Border and Migration Police (BMP) focused on updating the knowledge of its staff on the Action Plan on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons, and on the continuous training regarding the implementation of SOPs, for the identification and referral of victims of trafficking, and on the more advanced EU models on the identification of trafficking in persons, in order to make them familiar with the compliance of the internal procedures of the BMP during the identification of potential victims, their identification in TIMS system, learning the interviewing methods, and the details where the BMP officer should focus on during the interview, introduction of the Draft Practical Handbook to the BMP officers, which contains instructions on how a BMP officer should act to identify potential victims of trafficking at the border, as well as making them familiar with the documentation and the ways how the BMP officer should compile them for the identification of PTVs, either Albanians/foreigners, minors/adults, the statement of the
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 20 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 interpreter on the confidentiality of the interview, and request for immediate intervention of the Sector of Fight Against Illicit Trafficking (at the police) (SAIT).
Also, based on the Action Plan, clear tasks have been assigned to the subordinate structures of the BMP with regard to respect for human dignity and interviewing process of unaccompanied females and children on their way out of the territory of the RA at the border crossing points; interviewing the returned citizens, taking into account the primary and secondary indicators of early identification of potential trafficking victims, as well as interviewing and identifying potential victims of trafficking exploited for informal labor. A special attention was paid to citizens caught trying to illegally cross the border, as well as minors not accompanied, or accompanied by people who were neither their parents nor their legal guardians.
During 2015, the Border and Migration Police identified a total of 6 potential victims of trafficking, of which, 4 (adult) females and 2 (minor) males. Victims come from different areas
of the country, mainly from rural areas of Korça, Berat, Elbasan, and Mirdita. The areas where REPORT they come from are characterized by high rates of unemployment and lack of perspective for the future. 4 of them had as destination Greece, 1 Italy, whereas the foreign citizen France. Compared to 2014, in2015, there was an increase in the number of identifications of potential victims of trafficking (3 times more). The age of potential female victims was from 22-36 years old, whereas the 2 males were minors.
Identification and the State Social Service
The Standard Operation Procedures contain specific tasks for social workers who carry out the formal identification of VoT/PVoT. The SOPs require the Regional Offices of State Social Services to play a primary role in the formal identification. To make a correct and compliant formal identification according to the procedures, the social service staff must respond in time to the call of illicit trafficking sector police officer for participating in the formal interview and cooperate with the police, as well as respect the purpose of the formal interview/formal identification, communicate the willingness to listen, respect the initial identification, and collected information.
During 2015, in implementation of the Standard Operation Procedures on conducting the formal interview, a total of 56 cases of victims /potential victims of trafficking received assistance from the 12 Regional Offices of the Social Services, disaggregated by region as per the following:
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 21 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 RDSSS of Tirana
In implementing the SOPs, the social workers of the regional offices in cooperation with the social administrators and non –public entities providing integration social services (in the family) should focus more on supporting cases after their return to family or after leaving the residential social care institutions.
Identification and the State Inspectorate for Labor and Social Services (SILSS)
The Standard Operation Procedures contain specific tasks for the staff of the SILSS in each step of the process of identification, referral, and rehabilitating and integrating assistance to the victims/potential victims of trafficking, whether minors or adults, Albanians or foreigners. The SILSS staff is tasked to identify potential victims of trafficking by applying the SOPs primary and secondary indicators of the initial identification.
The year 2015 was declared the year of the fight against informality and inclusion of the uninsured employees into the social security scheme. Informal businesses are always an important source of initial identification of forced labor, and consequently of the potential victims of trafficking. Due to the Government’s initiative against informality, there wasa delay in the progress of the implementation of the Memorandum. Consequently, the Core Group was unable to determine an Action Plan based on the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding between the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, the General Directorate of State Police, and the State Inspectorate for Labor and Social Services “On the Procedures of Cooperation for the Identification of Cases of Forced Labor and Trafficking for Labor Exploitation”, signed on October 21, 2014. According to the terms of this Memorandum, the State Police and the State Inspectorate for Labor and Social Services shall act simultaneously in work places or in cases where there is information for labor exploitation, with a view of preventing any possible trafficking case.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 22 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 One of the problems encountered for the operation of the Memorandum of Understanding among the SILSS, the State Police, and the National Coordinator (21 October, 2014), is the failure of the SILSS to identify potential victims of trafficking, which dictates a need for increasing the capacities through the delivery of staff training.
During the reporting period, the work of the SILSS and its regional offices focused on the periodic inspections of private entities, which are licensed or manufacturing enterprises for the identification of employees without individual employment contract, and of labor exploitation of minors without an employment contract, as an evident indication of labor exploitation. Thus, more specifically, the focus of the work of the inspectors during the reporting period consisted in:
• Identification of workers without an employment contract; • Identification of working minors under 18, without authorization from the SILSS, without an employment contract; • Identification of foreign workers without a work permit.
During 2015, a total of 7628 routine inspections and 30153inspectionswere performed in cooperation with the General Directorate of Taxation, under which a total of 1226uninsuredworkers were identified, who had accepted the conditions of the employers and consequently their labor exploitation by the employers. A total of 4431workerswere found without an employment contract, 1739 foreign workers, of whom 15 were found without a work permit. Meanwhile, the inspections of SILSS for this period showed a total of 156 children employed, 16 children without an employment contract, and 24 children without authorization from the SILSS. After the identification of the above infringements by various entities, the State Inspectorate for Labor and Social Services, in collaboration with the General Directorate of Taxation, adopted a series of measures, including 122 fines at the value of up to 35.196.000 ALL and warnings for fine addressed to2 entities.
In order to increase the initial identification of PVoT by the SILSS, and based on the Work Plan of the Anti-Trafficking Directorate, in cooperation with the OSCE, on the 25thof February 2016, the labor inspectors were trained on topics that included the definitions of forced labor and the procedures they should follow during the conduct of field inspections regarding this matter. Meanwhile, jointly with the State Police, regional groups will be set up, which will report to the Core Group every three months, which constitutes the second phase of the Action Plan for the fight against trafficking in persons. Further on, the cooperation between the signatories will continue with the conduct of joint operations with the police officers by setting the timelines and specific dates.
Identification and Child Protection System
During the reporting period, ONAC intensified cooperation with state and non-state agencies, both as regards the strategic policy making, and concrete actions. To address the children issues in general and particularly children in street situations, the Government of Albania increased its efforts in adopting legislative and coordination measures with all the stakeholders.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 23 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 To improve the quality of child protection services at the local level and enable their inspection by the central level structures, a DoCM no. 573, dated 24.06.2015 “On Standards of Provision of Social Services in Child Protection Units”, adopted standards for social services of Child Protection Units. The standards are based on five specific areas: resources and environment; management procedures; child and family involvement; multidisciplinary interventions in the process of management and provision of quality service to fulfil the needs of the child.
In the context of improving the interventions for the protection of children in street situations by amendment of 12.06.2015, no. 3430 of prot, the current Agreement between the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of 17.09.2014, no. 4776 of prot. was expanded. The expansion consisted in the inclusion of the Ministry of Education and Sports, as one of the main and important institutions during the process of school integration of children in street situations. Also, a progress report of the Action Plan “On Children in Street Situation,” which begun implementation in June 2014, was presented.
In view of the aforementioned Agreement among 4 ministries, a rogatory letter of the Director of State Police, no. Prot. 493, dated 06.19.2015, “On the Participation and Representation of State Police Structures in the Work Coordination Mechanisms between Local State Authorities, and Fulfilment of Duties and Responsibilities for the Identification, Protection, Treatment and Referral of Cases of Children in Street Situations or Children at Risk “was prepared and sent to all local structures of the State Police.
The Action Plan aims at protecting the children from all forms of abuse, exploitation and neglect, through a comprehensive, integrated, and coordinated approach, and a coordinated cross-sectorial approach. The structures and stakeholders involved in the implementation of the Action Plan include the social services, the state police, education, health, and employment services, etc., which will cooperate to protect children and empower their families. The State Agency for the Protection of Children monitors the progress of the Action Plan.
According to the Agreement, the coordination of the Action Plan implementation is a responsibility of the State Agency for the Protection of Child Rights (SAPCR). To coordinate the activities between the institutions, a Task Force to assist children and families in street situation has been set up, with representatives from SAPCR, SSS, the National Employment Service, the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, the Directorate of State Police, the Tirana Regional Educational Directorate, and NGOs. During the reporting period, the Action Plan continued to be implemented in the Municipality of Tirana, with the commitment and field identification work of 11 Child Protection Units, supported by social workers of partner organizations which provide services for children (ARSIS, SHKEJ, Terre des Hommes, Save the Children, “Children of the World and of Albania” organization, “Different & Equal” organization).
In the periodic meetings of the Task Force, issues from the field have been raised, aiming at finding institutional solutions and making legal mechanisms work, to help children and families in street situation. Many issues have found a solution thanks to the cooperation, others remain constant challenges.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 24 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Interventions made in support of children and families include:
• Consultation, provision of services from day care centers • Enrollment of children in educational institutions • Registration of unregistered children; • Vaccination of children • Interventions for medical assistance • Mediation for employment of parents.
In March 2015 the intervention started to expand to cover the municipalities of Fier, Elbasan, and Durres, where SAPCR coordinated the meetings with the mayors of three municipalities to start the intervention.
During 2015, in the context of the Action Plan, with regard to the identification and referral of children in street situations, and capacity building of agencies directly dealing with children:
• Several trainings2 were organized with representatives from the CPUs, police, civil society, education, health, police, anti-trafficking agencies, social services in municipalities, Regional Social Services, NGOs, regarding the roles and responsibilities for the field identification work, and ways of cooperation. Trainings were addressed to 45 practitioners in Tirana, and in cooperation with the Office of the National Anti- Trafficking Coordinator, 62 practitioners from the districts also received training. • A total of 17 teams have been set up in the field to identify children in street situation. • A total of 243 children have been taken under protection and are no longer in street situation. • A total of 91 children identified in street situation have been enrolled in school, 21 children have been enrolled in the kindergarten, and 11 children have been enrolled in nursery. • A total of 147 cases of family members have been referred and supported for employment, out of which 78 were employed. • A total of 18 cases of adults who exploit children for begging have been referred for criminal prosecution.
So far, ONAC has not yet received any information on any possible case identified and referred by the Child Protection Units as a PVoT.
ASSISTED RETURN OF THE VICTIMS / POTENTIAL VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING
The Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons is responsible for the direct monitoring of the process of voluntary assisted return of Albanian citizens identified outside the territory of Albania, and of foreign nationals identified in our country, whereas the Responsible Authority is directly responsible for enabling the voluntary assisted return. The purpose of assisted voluntary return of victims/potential victims of trafficking is to respect the 2 For more detailed information regarding the trainings conducted during 2015, go to the end of the Report –Annex II
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 25 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 will of the victims to return to their country of origin, as well as to ensure their protection, rehabilitation, and reintegration. To implement the voluntary return, an assessment of the socio-economic situation and security is performed, along with coordination of rehabilitation and reintegration in the community/family.
During the reporting period, the Responsible Authority, ONAC, and state structures responsible for the assisted voluntary return collaborated with the “Different & Equal” organization and reintegration organizations, to make possible the voluntary assisted return of VoT/ PVoT. “Different & Equal” organization cooperated with “SOLWODI” organization in Germany, for the return, support, and assistance in the country of origin of 2 cases, which based on information sent by the organization, were found to be exploitation cases. In one case the victim was assisted in the family together with her child, while in the other case the victim was assisted in a rented apartment together with her child, receiving all the assistance needed. All this was achieved in cooperation with SOLWODI organization in Germany. Both cases continue to remain under the reintegration program of the organization.
“Different & Equal” continued its cooperation also with an organization in Spain, called “SICAR cat Serveis”, where it continues to assist an Albanian girl, a victim of trafficking which has been subjected to sexual exploitation, and has constantly asked to contact her children living in Tirana, whom she though were being exploited for begging. “Different & Equal” mediated with ARSIS so that her children could be enrolled in a day-care center and for the possibility to provide them with textbooks, as well as the possibility to employ the people who were taking care of them. The Responsible Authority was informed on the return and assisting of the cases, and cooperated to resolve the cases in question. For the reception of the victims, relevant structures were engaged, including specialists of the Section against Illicit Trafficking in Tirana, social workers of the Regional Office of Social Services in Tirana, as well as representatives of “Different & Equal” organization.
SUPPORT TO THE VICTIMS /POTENTIAL VICTIMSOF TRAFFICKING
Victims/potential victims of trafficking need multi-disciplinary services. It is necessary that potential victims of trafficking are understood as a category that deserves the same services likewise victims of trafficking. The main pillars of the work of state structures and reception and reintegration shelters for supporting victims/potential victims of trafficking include the financial support, services, medical, legal, psychosocial assistance, vocational training, economic empowerment, support for employment, awareness raising activities, etc.
One of the issues identified by the centers during the reporting period is the difficulty in handling the cases of victims who manifest mental health problems. Shelters do not have 24 hours qualified medical staff to handle such cases. Not only to resolve these issues, but also to provide a absent service to the victims of trafficking, due to the an amendment by Law no. 141/2014, dated 23 October 2014 to the Law no. 10383, dated 24.2.2011, “On Compulsory Insurance of Health Care in the Republic of Albania”, as amended, compulsory health insurance for victims of trafficking as economically inactive category, was made possible. The payment of the contributions for victims of trafficking is covered by the State
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 26 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Budget. On this issue, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Health with the Deputy Minister of Health, ONAC, directors of Regional Health Centers, where it was also discussed about the measures to be taken to provide the VoT/PVoT with health cards. Currently, 44 VoT/PVoT are provided with health cards, according to the list approved by the National Coordinator.
FINANCIAL STATE/ NON-STATE SUPPORT FOR THE PUBLIC AND NON-PUBLIC SHELTERS
For 2015, a fund of 3 million ALL was released under the Social Care Program, for the period 2014-2015,as a (source)fund for the non-public operators (Tjetër Vizion, Different and Equal and Vatra), in the municipalities of Vlora, Elbasan, and Municipal Unit No. 7. Compared to 2014, in 2015 for the NCRTV (National Reception Center of Victims of Trafficking), a total of 2 million ALL more were released, with a fund of 21400 000 ALL, while the fund for economic assistance was 1008080 ALL for 28 beneficiaries. REPORT
This fund includes the following items: Management and administration of the National Reception Center for Trafficking Victims, Economic Assistance for Victims of Trafficking leaving the institution, and Fund for food products for social care service providers. (“Different and Equal”, “Tjetër Vizion” “Vatra - Vlora”).
With the amending of Law no. 9355 dated 10.05.2005 “On Social Assistance and Social Services”, and DoCM No. 114, dated 31.01.2007 as amended by DoCM No. 840, dated 03.12.2014 “On Defining the amount of Contribution of Persons Placed in Public Institutions of Social Care Services”, victims/potential victims of trafficking, since January 2015, are entitled to have their contribution in cash for the period they stay at the institution and economic assistance when they leave the institution until they get employed. A total of 25 cases have been treated with payment as trafficking victims, (a total of 900,000 ALL), which have come out of the centers, after receiving the whole package of services, and live in the family. During 2015, the number of beneficiaries who became employed increased.
One of the main challenges has been the support with funds from the State Budget of the non-public entities that provide social care services to victims/potential victims of trafficking. For that reason, the Ministry has contributed to an increased cooperation with structures at local and regional level, to find co-financing mechanisms in support of victims/potential victims of trafficking. For 2015, a fund of 10 million ALL was disbursed from the State Budget for the payment of 12 social workers for the residential social care services provided in Vlora and Elbasan through non-public entities, namely, “Tjetër Vizion” and “Vatra” organizations. With the mediation of the Office of the National Coordinator, for 2016, the State Budget will cover the payments for 24 social workers at the three organizations, namely “Tjetër Vizion” “Vatra” and “Different & Equal”.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 27 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 The National Reception Centre for Victims of Trafficking has benefited from the Special Fund/Confiscated funds, an amount of 2 million ALL, based on Order of the Minister of Finance No. 30, dated 17.06.2013.
In the beginning of 2015,”Tjetër Vision” organization, after a period of emergency which it faced in the second half of 2014, resumed its normal operations in providing residential services to children, victims, and potential victims of trafficking. During the first 3 months (January-March 2015) with the help of financial resources provided by private companies, (1.0000.000 ALL), which were mediated by the Ministry of Social Welfare & Youth, the partial provision of the service package for children, and payment of the staff of the residential center were made possible.
Also, under the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth food fund for victims of trafficking, “Tjetër Vizion” organization received financial support for the period of January-December 2015,at the amount of 511 000 ALL. “Tjetër Vizion”, based on a contract with the INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE CENTER in Elbasan, received partial financial support for children food, at the amount of 245,000 ALL.
The anti-trafficking activities undertaken by “Tjetër Vizion” were supported also by funds allocated by the US Embassy, through the Small Grants Program,within the support of the activities of the Mobile Unit (MU) Elbasan for the identificaton of potential trafficking victims. The financing period was September 2014-April 2015. This support was followed bythe financing of the Czech Embassy for the period March - September 2015. Subsequently, the Elbasan MU continued its activity on a voluntarily basis.
Also, for the period November 2014-January 2015, “Tjetër Vizion”,under the Swedish support for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and State Police for community policing, implemented the project “Cooperate with the Police - Report! Save!”at a value of 450,000 ALL. This project focused on awareness campaigns on the fight against trafficking in persons in schools of Elbasan Region (Qarku).During 2015, “Tjetër Vizion” received support from OSCE in equipping the residential centre with pellet heating system. The value of the investments was 10,000 Euros.
Non-State Financial Support for Non-Public Centers
“Different and Equal”, “Vatra” and “Tjetër Vizion” performed all their activities within the implementation of a series of projects funded by different donors such as, USAID/IOM, JTIP/ IOM, OSCE, King Baudouin Foundation, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNODC, UN.GIFT, US Embassy in Tirana, Christian Associations of Prisoners of Albania (CAPA),Wings of the Eagle, ARSIS, Albanian CARITAS, TLAS legal Centre, and Centre of Citizens Legal Aid (CCLA), “Human Rights in Democracy” Centre, “Centre for Population and Development”, “Meridia”, “Terre des Hommes”, Czech Embassy, Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway, UN Voluntary Trust Fund, Soros Foundation, etc..
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 28 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 SERVICES FOR THE VICTIMS/ POTENTIAL VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING
Accommodation
The centers provide accommodation facilities according to approved standards. For every case that is admitted at the center, the beneficiaries are informed on their rights, opportunities, and obligations.
For the period January - December 2015, the NCRVT, provided residential service to a total of 33 beneficiaries, of which 11 cases carried over from 2014, and 22 new cases accommodated in the period January-December 2015. During this period, in implementation of the standards, in the 3 non-public centers, part of the NCAS, a total of 20 beneficiaries were referred to home, or to the community, based on an assessment of their needs.
The prognosis of victims of trafficking by age, gender, nationality, and status: there are 22 victims REPORT of trafficking; 10 potential victims of trafficking; 1 child accommodated with his mother, 32 females, 1 male, 16 minors, and 9 adults, 1 child (male) accompanied by his mother, 2 trafficking victims of foreign nationality (Kosovo), 31 VoT/ PVoT with Albanian nationality. In terms of their geographical distribution, they are mainly from Tirana, Durres, Elbasan, Shkodra, Fier and Kukes. In the context of the needs assessment, 20 cases were referred outside the institution for integration: 3 cases at the “Different and Equal” organization -Tirana, 5 cases at “Vatra” center-Vlora, 1 case at “Tjetër Vizion” organization -Elbasan, 1 case at the “Orphanage”, and 10 cases were referred to the family.
During the period January –December 2015:
“Different & Equal” organization, under its reintegration program, assisted a total of 112 beneficiaries and their 81 children, of which 55 victims and 45 children, entered the program for the first time during this period, whereas the other cases were carried over from last year, and continued to receive assistance according to the reintegration plan. Of the total beneficiaries, 89 victims assisted under the “Different and Equal” program were victims/ potential victims of trafficking and their 32 children. Of these, 40 victims and 16 children of them were new cases of TV/PTV enrolled in the program during this period;
“Tjetër Vision” shelter, provided residential services to: 7 VoT (3 F and 4 M), of which 2 of the age group 25 and 26 years old, and 5 of the age group 10- 14 years old; 25 PVoT (13F and 12M) of the age group 5- 17 years old, where 2 of them belong to the age group 26-30 years old;
“Vatra” shelter supported with its reintegration programs a total of 62 primary beneficiaries and their 11 children, of which: 24 new cases of VoT/PVoT and 1 domestic violence victim3; 11 carried over cases of VoT/PVoT, in the first and second phase of reintegration program, and 1 victim of violence together with her children. Likewise, also 11 children of VoT/PVoT. 25 cases
3 . This case of domestic violence was referred for assistance to the shelter. In the framework of its program in support of the domestic violence victims during 2015, “Vatra” assisted with its services a total of 4 trafficking victims.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 29 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 were included in long-term monitoring (in the third phase of the program). Sources of referral of new cases include mainly: the police, SSS, CPUs, Women’s Forum Elbasan, SSS Shkodra, Self- referrals, “Woman to Woman” organization, Shkodra. The cases referred by the police were mostly from the local Police Directorate of Vlora.
Legal assistance:
The trafficking victims are entitled to benefit legal representation from the state in case of their involvement in legal proceedings, but for the victims/potential victims of trafficking legal advice and orientation is necessary even in cases of non-involvement in court proceedings, and this advice is currently provided by lawyers of legal centers or services of civil society organizations.
A positive step was the reduction of court fees for victims/potential victims of trafficking, by virtue of the joint Guideline of the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Finance no. 5668, dated 20.11.2013, which significantly reduced such fees. Members of the broad public facing such judicial fees benefit from this joint Guideline, which includes also the victims/potential victims of trafficking. The National Coordinator has been lobbying for this outcome in every meeting she has had with the relevant stakeholders.
Law no. 10039, dated 22.12.2008,”On Legal Aid”, underwent some important addenda and amendments by Law no. 143/2013. According to Article 4 of Law no. 143/2013, people who want to defend their rights, but have no financial resources to cover the necessary costs for the judicial services, if they are victims of trafficking in persons, may, through the submission of an application for legal aid, receive such aid. The State Commission for Legal Aid has adopted bylaws, which lay down more detailed regulations as regards the priorities related to the provision of state legal aid. Following these amendments, on the 7th of October 2014, Law no. 77/2014, in Article 6, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph c/ii, defines victims of trafficking as an eligible category to benefit legal aid.
But we note that this group has no special treatment in relation to legal aid. The state agencies are lacking the necessary human and specialized capacities to provide this service to victims of trafficking, therefore, still today, although the legal framework is in place, this service is provided to them by legal clinics of civil society organizations.
The reception and reintegration centers have provided legal assistance to all beneficiaries through their lawyers, as well as through cooperation with the Center for Legal and Civic Initiatives (CLCI). Beneficiaries who have had court proceedings against their traffickers were continuously informed about their cases through direct meetings with the prosecutor of the case, were accompanied while visiting law enforcement institutions, in relation to their involvement in either criminal or civil proceedings, were assisted while applying to obtain an identification document, while the staff of the centers has made possible the registration of their children in the Civil Registry Office.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 30 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Medical assistance:
Reception and reintegration centers for victims/potential victims of trafficking continuously provide medical assistance to victims referred at the center. Also during the period January - December 2015, the centers continued to mediate health services for VoT/PVoT. Thus, “Vatra” organization reports that according to the needs assessed for the victims assisted in the shelter and community, the organization provides assistance and health services in cooperation with Public Health Directorate (PHD) of Vlora, “Aulona” Centre in Vlora, as well as other organizations in other districts. During 2015, “Vatra” assisted a total of 6 beneficiaries with mental health problems, of which 3 had acute problems. The staff of “Vatra” cooperated with the Responsible Authority and with Vlora Psychiatric Hospital for solving the acute problems of these beneficiaries.
“Different & Equal” organization addressed and met the medical needs of the program
beneficiaries of the reintegration center. These types of services were offered primarily for REPORT the beneficiaries who are accommodated in the reintegration center, but also for those who are in the second phase of the program. 6 pregnant beneficiaries received support in proper medical assistance at the residential center, and follow-up by obstetrician-gynecologist doctor, and gave birth during this period. The center continued to cooperate with the Albanian University- Dentistry Branch, through which free dental services were provided for the program beneficiaries, and also cooperated with the “Community Mental Health Centre 1 and 2”, and Public Health Institute (PHI). The medical staff organized group discussions on issues of health, sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis B and C, the ways of protection and prevention, seasonal allergies, healthy nutrition of children, “HIV/AIDS, etc..
Likewise, the non-public organization “Tjeter Vizion” and the NCRVR provided the necessary health services for cases handled in the centers, and organized information sessions on health care prevention measures.
Vocational training
There are nine public centers of vocational training in the largest cities of the country, such as Vlora, Shkodra, 2 in Tirana, Durres, Elbasan, Korca, Gjirokastra, Fier and a mobile centerfor the northeast area, as well as private entities licensed extended in the entire territory of Albania. Vocational training is one of the important active policies of the labor market that the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth implements, with the aim of integrating and reintegrating into the labor market, mainly unemployed jobseekers, registered at the regional and local employment offices, but also of other persons who seek to increase their level of professional skills, in order to adapt to the changes occurring in the labor market.
The staff of the “Vatra” organization cooperated with the Directorate of Vocational Training of Vlora in order to enroll in the course the beneficiaries who requested to have this service at the shelter. During this period, a total of 13 beneficiaries were supported with this service, at the first phase of the program: 5 cases completed the cooking course; 4 cases completed the aesthetics course; 2 cases completed the tailoring course; 2 cases are
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 31 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 attending the hairdressing course. “Different & Equal” organization continued to work for the professional training of beneficiaries. In total, 31 beneficiaries attended professional courses on various areas, including course on foreign languages, computers, secretary work, tailoring, guitar, hairdressing, cooking, etc.. Some beneficiaries received more than one course, based on individual abilities and preferences. In addition, during the reporting period, parenting classes were delivered to new mothers and pregnant women (5 cases), to assist them in the process of parenting, in order to increase their parenting skills and raising of healthy children. For 2015,”TjeterVizion” organization provided vocational training course for 4 cases: auto mechanic courses, cooking, hairdressing; the National Reception Centre for Victims of Trafficking cooperated with the Vocational Training Centre Nr. 4, Tirana, where hairdressing, tailoring, secretarial and cooking courses were provided, where 14 girls benefited.
Assistance to the Trafficking Victims/ Potential Trafficking Victims
During the period January - June 2015, the staff of “Vatra” Psycho - Social Centre continued its work and efforts in the protection and assistance of trafficking victims/potential trafficking victims and also to prevent these phenomena. This was realized in the framework of the projects that Vatra implemented during the year, financially supported by the national and international institutions. The “Direct Support for the Rehabilitation, Reintegration, Economic and Social Empowerment of Women and Girls Victims of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence” Program is based on specific projects funded by donors: Royal Norwegian Embassy, Pristina, King Bodouin Foundation, UN Voluntary Trust Fund, U.S. Embassy in Tirana, the Soros Foundation, Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth through the Municipality of Vlora which has allocated the fund.
A full package of reintegration services was provided to the beneficiaries of the of“Different & Equal” reintegration program, including: accommodation, security, and reintegration plan; immediate medical assistance; negotiation/mediation with the family; psychological assessments and counselling; legal support and assistance; assistance in the registration/continuation of the school system; vocational training; social activities; counselling and assistance for employment; financial support for housing; information on the services available in the community, as well as the necessary contacts/map of services; work programs that generate revenues; assistance and support for children victims of trafficking; subsequent monitoring and follow-up of beneficiaries of the program. For all new cases that have entered the program, an assessment was made by the multidisciplinary team, and based on that assessment, together with the beneficiary, an assistance plan was developed.
Direct Assistance to Male Victims of Trafficking
During this period, “Different & Equal” helped 23 male victims/potential victims of trafficking, of whom 6 male victims/ potential victims of trafficking were new cases referred to the Different“ & Equal” reintegration program. Male VoT/PVoT were provided with psycho-social counselling, legal assistance, medical assistance, support to find a job, financial support for paying the rent of an apartment; trainings to enhance their life skills; information and mediation for obtaining the services offered by different service providers in the community, monitoring and tracking, etc..
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 32 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Accommodation of VoT/PVoT
The provision of a safe and sustainable housing remains one of the most difficult aspects of integration. For this aspect, and in implementation of the Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and Action Plan 2014-2017, a Reintegration Plan for women and girls victims of trafficking was adopted, (DoCM no. 115, dated 17.02.2016).
Besides assistance and other services, NGOs, in association with other anti-trafficking actors help the VoT/PVoT to receive financial support for paying the rent of an apartment in the community where they want to be settled, until the VoT/PVoT find long-term employment.
The shelters report that when restitution to the family of origin is not possible, the alternative of moving the person to a transitory apartment, where a small number of people may live together, is used. The beneficiaries move to the transitory apartment after having completed
their journey in the shelter. Women/girls live in this way until their full integration with REPORT an independent life in the community. Life in the apartment has contributed to increasing their skills to handle difficulties, stay away from social problems, such as, trafficking, drugs, prostitution, etc.
During 2015 a total of 26 primary beneficiaries and their 11 children, received housing services from “Vatra” organization in the first phase (shelter), and in the second phase (half-independent life in rented apartments). Also, 4 victims of domestic violence received accommodation services. Whereas, a total of 63 individuals and 55 children were assisted in apartments, 31 individuals and 16 children were supported in their families, and 9 beneficiaries and 2 children were assisted in other alternative places by the “Different & equal” organization.
For the reintegration of the victims of trafficking of the NCRVT, actions were taken according to the mission of the center and system of referral to other organizations that provide reintegration services. Given that NCRVT is part of the NCAS, for all trafficking victims that have completed the rehabilitation program at this center and have expressed their whish and willingness to start an independent life, they were referred and reintegrated to other organizations of NCAS, which later on, at the second phase of the program, provide them rented apartments, or send them to their families.
Psychosocial Assistance
The counselling sessions are intended to bring emotional stability to the victims, clarify their ideas about the future, and help them to establish self-control, increase self-esteem, manage risk situations, manage conflicts, recover from traumatic events, rebuild trust in others, explore childhood and the past, explore interpersonal relationships, explore fears, phobias and trauma, accept oneself, cultivate patience, set short-term and long-term goals, achieve emotional stability, manage stress and get empowered in decision-making, relaxation techniques etc.. Council sessions are either individual or in group. During the reporting period, psychological and psycho-social support were provided to all the beneficiaries of the 4 centers, during all program phases, as well as for their children, by the psychologists
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 33 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 of the center and social workers. Social workers (of the case), provided counselling to the beneficiaries with respect to the objectives set in individual reintegration plans and mainly to: the importance of establishing relationships with the families, relationships with family members, the importance of education, vocational training, emotional state, professional and employment situation, relationship and communication in living in the community, advice on financial management, childcare, management of daily life and income, etc..
Assistance for Education
The Albanian legislation recognizes the right to basic education, and by law, a person can pursue basic education up to the age of 17 years, and secondary education up to the age of 22. In practice, the enrolment of the VoT/PVoT is facilitated by NCAS and supported by the Responsible Authority. The reception and reintegration centers conduct a preliminary assessment and identify the needs of VoT/PVoT for education, and resolve issues of school enrolment with the Educational Directorate or with the school. The difficult cases are referred to the Responsible Authority. For the reporting period, shelters reported not to have encountered major challenges in the school enrolment of VoT/PVoT, and cooperation with the educational system is good.
“Vatra” organization in cooperation with the Regional Educational Directorate of Vlora, have made possible that the beneficiaries receive education. During this year, a total of 2 new beneficiaries and 2 children of a beneficiary accommodated in the center were supported to be enrolled in the region 9-year schools and secondary schools. Progress of 6 beneficiaries who attend school in the first and second phase of the program, and of 6 children of the beneficiaries in the second phase of the program was monitored. While for the next school year school enrolment of 2 new beneficiaries has been planned. For the beneficiaries who do not attend school, the teacher, in collaboration with the staff, organizes every month information sessions and reading of books, discussing them afterwards with the group. For this year, a total of 16 beneficiaries received support for their education in all phases of the program.
Also during this period, trainings and educational activities for the beneficiaries of“Different & Equal” shelter, at the Education/trainings Center, were essential. To increase the life skills of the beneficiaries, the staff of Different“ & Equal” organized various activities, as well as trainings on various issues, group discussions, reading of artistic books, teaching of school materials and materials of courses where they participate. For the new ones entering the program, the teacher of “Different & Equal” makes an assessment in order to determine the educational level of each beneficiary, followed by the development of educational and learning plan, as part of the reintegration of each beneficiary.
o 30 beneficiaries attended school during this period, 3 of which attended the University. All beneficiaries were provided with books and other educational tools necessary for a better academic life.
o For registering specific cases in the school system,“Different & Equal” cooperated with the Responsible Authority, the Ministry of Education and Sports, and the Regional Educational Directorate of Tirana.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 34 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 For the reporting period “Tjeter Vizion” organization provided supported regarding education to a total of 32 beneficiaries, of whom 2 (pre-school and 3 illiterates), 10 in the basic education, 14 in the 9-year education, and 3 in secondary/higher education. As regards the NCRVT, due to the security specifics, this center has its own educators and therefore the basic education is provided in the center.
Counselling/Support for the Employment of Victims/Potential Victims of Trafficking
Employment counselling and support for trafficking victims is one of the most important factors in the reintegration process, which enables the economic independence of VoT/ PVoT to meet their needs in the long run. State agencies and organizations provide advice and information to increase access of VoT/ PVoT to employment and support them for sustainable employment. REPORT During the reporting period, “Vatra” center, in cooperation with the Regional Directorate of Employment of Vlora, mediated for the employment of the beneficiaries, who after completing vocational courses, sought employment, but also for those that have sought employment without attending these courses. Overall, a total of 17 beneficiaries were employed and self-employed throughout all the program phases.
Also the staff of “Different & Equal” continues to guide the beneficiaries on choosing demanded professions in the labor market, obviously always in accordance with their personal skills. During this year, a total of 42 beneficiaries were in an employment relationship, employed as: tailors, cooks, assistant cooks, dishwashers in restaurants, cleaning persons, assistant hairdressers in beauty salons, operators at call centers, bartenders, food distributors, pastry, waiters, furniture workers, grocery workers, fish sellers, etc.10 beneficiaries of the “Different & Equal” reintegration program were involved in the counselling series “Employment counselling”. Through this program, beneficiaries were supported to pursue professional courses, trainings in workplaces, to be part of the internship programs at various private companies, and were informed on the possibility to open micro-businesses. As regards the beneficiaries of “Tjeter Vizion” organization, with the mediation of this organization, for 2015, a total of 5 cases of potential victims of trafficking were employed.
Small Businesses for the Beneficiaries
Establishment and stabilization of small businesses of the beneficiaries, remains one of the important activities and services for the economic empowerment of the target groups supported by “Vatra” organization. Since 2009,a total of 24 beneficiaries have been supported, of which 17 VoT/PVoT, and 7 victims of violence. These small businesses have been established with the support of donors, such as the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IOM, World Vision, and the Soros Foundation. Out of 17 former victims of trafficking, who currently manage businesses for which they received supported from “Vatra”, 10 of them have completed the reintegration program, and currently their contacts with the staff of “Vatra” are only in the context of maintaining relations. Meanwhile, in 2015, 7 other beneficiaries were monitored and were found to manage 3 businesses, despite difficulties in specific seasons of the year.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 35 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 During the year, in the framework of the “Economic and Social Empowerment of Women Victims of Domestic Violence in Vlora District” Project, funded by the Open Society Foundation for Albania, Soros, 3 new small businesses were set up, namely: hairdressing shop, tailor shop, and nail aesthetics shop. Also 4 sets of hairdressers and sewing kits were donated to 4 beneficiaries, who are now at the third phase of the program. Two of the beneficiaries, for which small businesses were set up (hairdressing and aesthetics) decided to join the two shops in one place in order to share the renting costs and other running costs and, consequently generate more revenues for themselves and their children.
During this period, 5 beneficiaries of “Different & Equal” have been managing their own businesses. The beneficiaries were regularly monitored and provided with technical support according to their needs. Likewise, 10 beneficiaries were involved in internship programs: 3 beneficiarieswere involved in social business where 2 persons were included as assistant cooks, and 1 other as a food distributor. In addition, 3 beneficiaries were involved as assistant cooks at three different restaurants; 1 beneficiary as office assistant at a Christian Association, 1 beneficiary in an enterprise for gypsum crafts; 1 beneficiary as an assistant hairdresser and 1 in agriculture work.
Support to Children of Victims of Trafficking /Financial and Long-Term Assistance
A total of 99 beneficiaries and 73 children were assisted by “Different & Equal” organization, with community services in the second and third phase of the reintegration program. Of these:
• 63 beneficiaries and 55 children were assisted in apartments; • 31 beneficiaries and 16 children were supported in their families; • 9beneficiaries and 2 children were assisted in other alternative places; • 23 new beneficiaries and their 32 children entered the program, receiving help directly in the apartment; • 10 beneficiaries and their 4 children entered the program and received help directly in the family; • 2 beneficiaries and 1 child were assisted in another alternative place; • 7 beneficiaries were transferred out of the shelter to be supported in arented apartment, and 6 others and 1 child were transferred out of the shelter to be supported in the family of origin; • 1 beneficiary and 1 child of her were transferred out of the shelter to be given support in an alternative place.
Different & Equal” provided financial support to the beneficiaries by covering the rent of the apartments during the second phase of the reintegration program, which is a very important tool for empowering the beneficiaries in view of their successful reintegration in the Albanian society.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 36 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Mediation to the Beneficiary to Contact his/her Family
One of the important services provided by the shelter is also the mediation of beneficiaries so that they can establish contacts with their families, and also family counselling. The shelters reported that this service is one of the biggest challenges in working with victims of trafficking. Cases where the beneficiaries have good relations and enjoy the support of their families result in successful reintegration, whereas cases where the victims have no support from their family the former are more exposed to re-trafficking risks. Mediation with the family of origin is considered since the first two weeks of accommodation in the shelter and involvement into the program.
“Different & Equal” organization case managers organized counselling sessions not only for the people accommodated in the center, but also for their parents and siblings.31 beneficiaries were assisted in their families of origin; during this period, 10 new cases
in the program were directly assisted in their families; 4 beneficiarieswere united with their REPORT families during this period, and continue to receive assistance from “Different & Equal” organization. Most of the beneficiaries accommodated in the shelter are supported by the staff of “Different & Equal” in settling their relations with their families. These people are accompanied by social workers and psychologists to meetings with their family members in Tirana, but are also when they travel to see their relatives in other towns or villages, where they reside: such as Kucova, Skrapar, Lezha, Durres, Vlora, Fier, Berat, Pogradec, Korca, etc. Also, a good job is done in terms of cooperation with the police or other local organizations for facilitating the establishment of family contacts, also by having the meetings at the Directorate of Police premises, especially for those beneficiaries with security concerns.
Family mediation and work for the restoration and strengthening the relationships of the beneficiaries with their families continue to remain challenging for “Vatra” staff. At the end of the first phase of the program, in cases where beneficiaries had the support of their family, they returned to their families, while the service support of “Vatra” continued in their families, thus empowering the families in this case too. During 2015, 54 meetings were realized with family members, in the place of origin, but also in the meeting premises of the shelter, where improvement of family relations was enabled; 8 beneficiaries returned to their families, 4 of which after completing the first phase, still continue to receive support in their families of origin, from “Vatra” with services, under the second phase of the program.
Besides the establishment of contacts and strengthening the relations with family, “Vatra” staff provided services also to the family members of the beneficiaries, in view of their socio- economic empowerment. Thus, during this period, 2 parents of minor victims were supported through vocational training, 4 families were supported with economic aid and mediation for the parents employment.
A constant problem identified is also the lack of possibility for family reunification, in some cases of minor beneficiaries, who due to the impossibility to return to their family, continue to remain in the shelter for a longer time.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 37 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 For 2015, the NCRVT referred a total of 10 cases to the family, among which, 3 cases in Shkodra, 1 case in Pogradec, 1 case in Kukes, 2 cases in Greece, to the family members, 1 case in Kucova, 1 case in Zarr Herr-Tirana, 1 case in Berat. Cases are monitored by the Regional Offices of the State Social Service and by“Different & Equal” organization.
Developing, Rehabilitating and Reintegration Activities
The NGOs enabled the implementation of various activities of social, entertainment, development, awareness, festive, creative, rehabilitative, therapeutic and sportive nature. “Tjeter Vizion”, “Vatra” and “Different and Equal” organization, and the NCRVT report that they conduct various creative activities, such as making artistic works with various materials, work in embroidery, needle and spear works, practice in tailoring, hairdressing, secretary, creative activities with open or selected topic in prose, poetry, painting etc.. During 2015, victims/ potential victims of trafficking participated in activities outside the center, like walks at touristic and historical sites, activities during the “Anti-Trafficking Month”, and the summer campaign4.
III. PREVENTION
Prevention is one of the pillars of high importance of the Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and Action Plan 2014-2017, given that it is the ground where the anti-trafficking policies and measures are based. This pillar incorporates all the goals, specific objectives, and activities in its essence, which aim at: increasing public awareness on all forms of trafficking in persons (domestic trafficking, labor exploitation, child begging), raising the awareness of state and non-state actors working with the vulnerable groups, including health and education services staff, ensuring preventive and protective mechanisms and providing assistance to persons/victims/potential victims of trafficking, putting in place functional local mechanisms, preventive and supportive interventions, guaranteeing services for crisis prevention, facilitating the use of social services, as well as disseminating information to groups and individuals in need.
Preventive activity during 2015 is focused mainly on:
Improving the Legal and Institutional Framework
During the period January-December, the structures in support of the fight against trafficking in persons collaborated with each other, by coordinating their activities through the implementation of work plans, periodic meetings, information sharing, monitoring and signing documents to enable their proper functioning and finalization of objectives with concrete results.
4 You will find more detailed information under the Coordination pillar
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 38 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Based on the joint Guideline of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth, no. 3799 Protocol, dated 08.07.2014, on 19 June 2015, a Regulation on the Organization and Functioning of the Responsible Authority for the Identification, Referral, Protection and Reintegration of Victims /Potential Victims of Trafficking,was signed.
In order to strengthen the capacity of police officers and improve the system of protection of victims/potential victims of trafficking in Albania, on the 13th of July 2015, a Cooperation Agreement was signed among the Office of the National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, Albanian State Police, and Albanian Caritas on “Strengthening the State Structures in order to Protect Victims of Trafficking”.
Pursuant to the Action Plan (drawn up pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding between MSWY and MIA, signed on the 17th of September, 2014), as regards domestic
trafficking of children, and addressing other issues of children in street situations, the National REPORT Anti-Trafficking Coordinator together with the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth set up a Task Force and conducted regular meetings, where specific cases were analyzed and priorities for the period ahead were set.
awareness raising on trafficking in persons
Children and adults in Europe and beyond it are trafficked for various criminal or exploitation purposes. They are trafficked within and outside their country. Trafficking in persons hinders, especially in children, their development, while the damage they suffer is permanent.
Awareness raising among vulnerable groups, state and non-state agencies, law enforcement agencies, and civil society, is one of the key measures of preventive policies on trafficking in persons, pursued by the Government of Albania. Awareness raising campaigns serve and help to make the target groups of trafficking in persons aware of this phenomenon, inform the citizens about the existence of it and prevent it.
The National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, supported by national and international partners, ran a national summer campaign during July-August 2015, with the aim or preventing trafficking in persons, where the governmental and nongovernmental organizations organized various awareness raising activities. More specifically:
• 13 awareness raising activities in cities, high and 9- year schools, and community centers of Tirana, Dibra, Kukes, Korca, Durres, Lezha, Berat, Elbasan and Fier; • 11 discussion forums at local level on issues of trafficking in persons, trafficking in children in particular, with members of the Regional Anti-trafficking Committee, the community, students of high schools of Gjirokastra, Elbasan, Korca, Kukes, Vlora, Dibra; • 13 awareness raising meetings and psycho-social activities with participation of young people, mainly of the Roma and Egyptian communities, and a significant participation of women and girls specifically form the rural areas; • 11 forums and round tables held in Fier, Vlora, Shkodra and Berat; • 4 conferences and seminars organized with the participation of the staff of the Illicit
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 39 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Trafficking Sector, border officers, community policing officers, regional State Social Service in Vlora, Shkodra, Dibra, Elbasan, etc.; • 2 information sessions and training courses conducted in Shkodra and Durres, where over 41 women coming from isolated families and young people of the Roma and Egyptian communities attended; • 2 programs and TV programs(Shkodra and Kukes) gave the necessary air time to the local experts to discuss bout the measures that have been undertaken and future projects related to prevention and fight against trafficking in persons; • 5 trainings and workshops conducted by the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committees of Durres, Dibra, Vlora and Elbasan during the summer campaign; • 2 competitions held in Vlora, and over 480 pieces of awareness materials, such as leaflets, brochures and photo novellas were distributed in schools, port, barsand restaurants; • 10 summer camps were set up in major cities, such as Elbasan, Durres, Tirana, Dibra, Berat, Fier, etc., where over 230 students of 9-year and high schools of these cities participated; • 3 awareness raising marches accompanied this summer campaign, one in Durres on 30 July as part of the World Day against Trafficking, and one march in Kukes, during which awareness messages on trafficking, its forms, and measures for its prevention were lunched; • 21 multidisciplinary tables were organized in different regions of the country, such as Kukes, Durres, Korca, Lezha, Elbasan, Vlore, Tirana, etc. th • In the framework of the European Day against Trafficking in Persons, on the 18 of October 2015, unlike 2014, when in the same period a trafficking week was organized, the National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator launched the “National Anti-trafficking Month”, with the slogan “Together against Trafficking in Persons!”. During this month, a wide range of awareness-raising activities were organized, across the country, at national level. This month had a wide media coverage on national and local television.
The awareness month against the phenomenon of trafficking in persons was accompanied by a campaign in the print and audio-visual media across the country. During this awareness raising month, the Ministry of Internal Affairs in cooperation with UN Women Albania enabled the preparation and publication of 3 informative and awareness articles in two newspapers with national coverage (“Dita” and “Shekulli” newspapers).
Also, the realization of 6 television programs was coordinated, where representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth, SSS, public institutions and non-profit organizations working to prevent and combat trafficking in persons in our country, participated.
With the initiative of ONAC, and with the support of national and international organizations, 4 information tents were installed in Tirana, where volunteers from the Faculty of Law, Faculty of Social Sciences, and Vocational Schools, spread awareness and information materials on trafficking in persons.
Awareness materials were distributed in the 12 regions every day during the month of October 2015, so that the reach out of awareness could cover all the country. Below, there is a list the materials distributed in the 12 regions:
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 40 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 3000 photo novellas: “A broken Dream “ and “A New Beginning”. Over 5000 T-shirts and same number of caps with “Report!-Save!” Application logo. Over 3000 leafletsof the National Anti-trafficking Coordinator Office. About 2000 leaflets on the National Hotline 116006. Over 500 notebooks with awareness message “Stop Child Trafficking” 300 pens with the number of National Hotline number 116006 500 ecological bags with the number of the National Hotline 116006.
During October 2015, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and UN Women Albania implemented a new TV spot against trafficking in women and girls, prepared within the “Preventing and Addressing Violence against Women and Girls in Albania” Project, supported by the European Union. The 40-second TV spot was broadcast during the month of October on several national
television (National Radio Television, Top Channel). This spot, through strong images and audio REPORT messages, informed and raised awareness about multiple methods of recruitment used by traffickers, encouraging victims/ potential victims of trafficking to report this serious crime to the National Hotline 116006 and to the “Report! –Save!” Application in android.
The spot was launched nationally, and through YouTube and Google as well, where an audience of 33,154 people was reached. To increase the audience, the spot was shared also through Facebook, where the total number of people who saw the video in Albania reached 139 062.
Awareness through Information Technology
The Office of the National Coordinator continued to work intensively on citizens’ awareness about the phenomenon of trafficking in persons, by making use of the mobile telephone technology.
Citizens can anonymously send short via the “Report! Save!” application, which goes immediately and simultaneously to 6 various public officials, who are members of the Responsible Authority for the identification, referral, and protection of victims/potential victims of trafficking or can call the free hotline number 116006. The National Hotline for victims of trafficking 116006, serves for the referral of cases or suspicions of trafficking, is provided free of charge and can be dialed from any landline or mobile phone, while the “Report! Save! Application can be downloaded free from the Google Play Store. Also work is being done on the possibility of downloading the app from the iOS (Apple). From January 2015 to December 2015, a total of 84 text messages and 492 calls were recorded. Of these calls, 11 of them concern the issue of trafficking in persons.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 41 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 ONAC, in cooperation with the partners, has included the promotion of the hotline and of the Application in any activity conducted within the awareness raising of the citizens or the anti-trafficking actors, since the when they were launched until now.
Awareness Raising Activities Conducted by the Centers And Partner Organizations
A national campaign entitled “Informing the Community about Trafficking of Women and Girls and Alternative Solutions” was organized by “Different & Equal” organization and other members of the NCAS, with the financial support of UN Women. During the conduct of the awareness sessions in schools and youth forums, information was provided on the trafficking in persons, forms of exploitation, ways of recruitment of victims, countries they come from and where they are exploited, and also the services provided to women and girls, who are victims of trafficking. During the activities “A new Beginning” and “A Broken Dream” photo novellas produced by the International Organization for Migration, within the “Preventing and Addressing Violence against of Women in Albania” Project, funded by the European Union and implemented by UN Women and IOM Albania, were also presented.
During this period, “Different & Equal” organization performed a series of activities to increase wide public awareness about the prevention of trafficking in persons.
A considerable number of activities were conducted within this Project:
• “Community Education on Issues of Trafficking in Persons” financed by the Program of Democracy Grants, of the US Embassy in Tirana.
Within this project, “Different & Equal” in cooperation with the Office of the National Coordinator for Issues of Fight against Trafficking in Persons and the Peace Corps, held on 11th-12th of February 2015 a Training of Trainers (ToT), with the participation of 48local practitioners from different cities of Albania. The objective of this two- day ToT training was to train the practitioners on raising the awareness of the community regarding the phenomenon, forms and causes and consequences of trafficking, risk factors and systems built in order to provide protection and services for victims of trafficking, presentation of Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and Action Plan, where a special room was dedicated to the area of prevention, as a guide for the identification and referral of victims and potential victims of trafficking.
After the ToT, each participant drew up a plan for the organization of a least one educational activity in the community where they live or work, in order to increase public awareness about the phenomenon of trafficking in persons.
In the framework of this Project a “Guide - Keeping Children Safe from Trafficking” was prepared and published: “A Guide for Practitioners Working with Young People and Mentor Peers in Albania.” This guide was developed with the aim to provide young people with information and skills that they need in order to be safe and active members of their community.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 42 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 During the period January - December 2015, “Different & Equal”, through its group of trainers, organized a total of 47 educational activities in all regions of the country.
“Different & Equal” was actively involved in all awareness raising campaigns initiated by the Office of the National Coordinator for Issues of the Fight against Trafficking in Persons:
On 30th of July, the International Day against Trafficking in Persons, “Different & Equal” organization joined the activity “Speak for Those Who Cannot! Report the Trafficking! Call Free at 116006! “. Exhibition of paintings during the Month against Trafficking in Persons Awareness marching in the European Day Against Trafficking in Persons REPORT Awareness campaigns through Facebook
“Different &Equal” organization is active on its official Facebook page, where it continuously shares awareness information on human rights, trafficking, slavery and violence. The organization joins awareness campaigns on social networks, on the remembrance of European and world days, related to human rights and awareness of them, in the indirect involvement of the beneficiaries in these campaigns, in sharing the assistance activities that the organization provides, in the reflection of activities and community activities organized.
Involving the Beneficiaries in Sensitization and Awareness Raising on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons
On 30July, the World Day against Trafficking, beneficiaries became part of #igivehope campaign in the social networks. This poster is realized by victims of trafficking to support victims of trafficking worldwide. “HOPE, for all those whose freedom has been stolen, like ours...” was their message.
Meanwhile, within the “Informing the Community about the Trafficking of Women and Girls and Alternative Solutions” Project, implemented by “Different & Equal” and other members of the NCAS, with the financial support of UN Women, other activities were organized, focusing on three main target-groups: high school students, university students and vulnerable girls and women.
The Psycho-Social “Vatra” Centre in the context of the community and victims/ potential victims of trafficking awareness on the prevention and fight against trafficking in persons, conducted awareness raising activities through the implementation of projects. In this context, a project was implemented on “Increasing the Level of Information and Awareness of the Community and State and Non-State Anti-Trafficking Structures”, (Project period September 2014-September 2015), financed by the US Embassy in Tirana.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 43 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 During the period January-December 2015, this project continued to be implemented in cooperation with the Educational Directorate of Vlora and managements of high and 9 - year schools, in the area where the project is implemented. Specifically, during the January to December 2015,a total of 30 trainings were provided (5 training for each school), with support groups established from the month of November 2014, in the 9-year and high schools in Vlora,namely,”24 May”, “Lef Sallata”, “ Ismail Qemali”,” Jani Minga “,”Ali Demi”, and “Independence”.
The materials used during the trainings included the Manual on “Trafficking in Persons: A Set of Topics for High School Students”. This manual has been prepared by experts of “Vatra” organization in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Manual includes a total of10 topics, through which information is provided on the national and international legislation, on measures against trafficking in persons, forms of trafficking, recruitment methods, modes of transportation, media in addressing the issue of trafficking, services for victims of trafficking, etc.
The students participating in the training were informed about these topics and were guided by the experts of “Vatra” on the way haw they should treat them with their peers in school. Overall, a total of 48 youngsters were trained.
The youth of the support groups held a total of 105 information sessions in schools. In these sessions a total of 769 students from the 6 schools mentioned above were informed. The experts of “Vatra” together with the social courses teachers of the respective school, attended the information sessions, to monitor and support the youngsters while they were sharing information with their peers.
Distribution of information materials in schools: During the project implementation, the staff of “Vatra” organization distributed leaflets, brochures, posters, etc., produced not only by the “Vatra” but also other national and international organizations, to young people of the schools involved in the project, and of other schools in the districts. It is worth mentioning that, the photo novellas produced by IOM and UN Women within the “Preventing and Addressing Violence against Women and Girls in Albania” Project, were received with a great interest by the students, and were subject to discussions during the information sessions. Likewise, a Manual on “Trafficking in Persons: A Set of Topics for High Schools Students” was distributed in all schools, and made part of their libraries, and evaluated as an information tool for the students during their free schools hours. The publication of this manual was financially supported by the Swedish Postcodce Foundation.
A total of 8 information sessions were conducted with 15 women and girls from vulnerable groups. During these sessions “Vatra” experts provided information on the topics of trafficking in persons referred to above. I addition, not only women and girls, but also young people participating in information activities of the Project, were provided with information on how and where to report cases of trafficking (in the Hotline 116006 as well as how to use and download the “Report! Save!” Application).
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 44 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Radio talks: On the 14thand 29th of May 2015, two radio talk shows were broadcasted in the “Blue Wave” radio of Vlora District. An expert from the Child Protection Unit of the Municipality of Vlora, Director of the High School “Ali Demi”,a psychologist from the 9-year school “Lef Sallata”, and social workers of “Vatra” organization, participated in this radio talk show. During the talk, issues of exploitation and trafficking of children and women and girls, existing services for victims of trafficking in Albania, and methods for preventing trafficking in human beings, were discussed.
On the 30th of July 2015, in the context of the International Day against Trafficking in Persons, “Vatra” organization, in cooperation with the Municipality of Vlora-Child Protection Unit, and Regional Police Directorate-Anti-Trafficking Department, organized in two main points of Vlora-Skelë Boulevard, setting of tables and information materials for the community outreach. The staff of the three institutions was also supported by volunteers and youngsters of the support groups of the schools involved in the aforementioned Project, who joined to
distribute materials in the street. REPORT
During the entire anti-trafficking month, under the Informing“ the Community about Trafficking of Women and Girls and Alternative Solutions” Project, implemented by NCAS, financed by UN Women, experts of “Vatra” organization conducted information sessions with 176 high school students in the districts of Vlora, Fier and Berat. During the conduct of these interactive sessions, information on trafficking in persons, forms of exploitation, ways of victim recruitment, countries where they come from and where they are exploited, and the services provided to women and girls that are victims of trafficking, were discussed. During the activities, also “A new Beginning” and “A Broken Dream” photo novellas, produced by the International Organization for Migration, under the “Preventing and Addressing Violence of Women in Albania” Project, financed by the European Union, implemented by UN Women and IOM, were presented. In addition, “Vatra” experts organized the presentation of the tele novellas involving the students in the “role play”. Young people showed enough interest to get information about trafficking in persons in general, and addressed various questions to the expert.
“Tjetër Vizion” organization implemented several projects focusing on the victims of trafficking, but also awareness of young people about issues of trafficking in persons. Some of the activities carried out by this organization include the following:
Activities within the Project on “Proactive Enhancement of the Identification System of VoT and their Referral to the Protection Services”. (Small Grants, US Embassy); Period September 2014 - April 2015 “Cooperate with Police –Report! Save!” Project, funded by the Swedish program (November 2014 - January 2015) “Social Networks - Reporting and Salvation” information sessions “Together Against Child Exploitation” project funded by the Czech Embassy (March 2014 - September 2015) Proactive identification ofVoT/PVoT and other children in need, through the activities of Mobile Unit in the Region of Elbasan.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 45 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Trainings with the medical staff; NGOs; inspectors of the employment office, school psychologists, etc. on issues of trafficking. Visits to families of children identified as VoT and PVoT. Summer Camp 2015, held from the 06th-24th of July for 3weeks, Monday-Friday, Saturday and Sunday off, with the participation of 35 children.
UN Women, in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth, and the European Commission, began in March a joint program “On the Prevention and Handling of Violence against Women and Girls”. The program funded by the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) contributes to the overall goal of preventing and reducing violence against women and girls, with special focus on girls and women who are victims/potential victims of trafficking.
Project duration is from February 2014-February 2016 and supports the provision of services for the social integration of women survivors of violence and/or trafficking, mainly through increasing their knowledge and awareness about opportunities to become independent, develop their employment and self-employment skills, and through providing limited support for them to open new businesses.
In the context of strengthening the partnership with civil society, UN Women has enabled the preparation of a monitoring report of the print media on the reporting of cases of trafficking. Media is the most important tool in raising awareness of the public on the issue of trafficking, and as such, it should be made aware so that its practitioners report cases of trafficking and violence against girls and women properly and professionally, in order to contribute to increased knowledge on this issue among members of society. The report was published in February 2015, and served as a main source for selecting the best media articles for 2014, for which UN Women Albania and the Ministry of Internal Affairs awarded some recognition prices.
IOM undertook several projects to identify the various forms of exploitation, including trafficking in males and children, as well as practices of prevention and protection of exploited victims, one of which is also the TACT Project “Transnational Action –Safe and Sustainable Return and Reintegration for the Trafficking Victims returning from France, Italy, Greece, Poland and Spain to priority countries: Albania, Morocco and Ukraine”, funded by the European Union Fund for Asylum, Migration and Integration, and supported by Organization for Migration.
The project is implemented within the European Union Strategy for the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings (2012-2016), and aims to address, within a common framework, knowledge gaps and training needs, reinforcing international cooperation between EU countries and priority countries, as a way to better combat the phenomenon of trafficking in persons. The overall objective of the project is to contribute to improving the return and reintegration, by providing optimal conditions for victims of trafficking returning from France, Greece, Italy, Poland and Spain in three priority countries: Albania, Morocco and Ukraine.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 46 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 During the reporting period, World Vision continued its awareness activities and provided support to children, families, and community in the 10 areas where it works, in order to increase the life skills of children, strengthen the mechanisms for their protection, and increase the knowledge of the community on issues of child protection, trafficking in persons, violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
In terms of strengthening the child protection system, World Vision Albania worked closely with the State Agency for the Protection of Child Rights to strengthen the child protection system and its structures at the local level like the CPUs, schools, Regional Office of the State Social Service, etc.
In the framework of the International Day against Trafficking,World Vision Albania engaged with offices in the areas of Elbasan, Korca, Vlora and Librazhd in various awareness activities, like the marching organized on the 30th of July 2015, in Durres, preparation of discussion
forums with children on child exploitation for labor or sexual purposes, as well as promotion REPORT of “Report! Save!” Application in the local media with the goal of increasing citizens’ proactive identification and referral of potential trafficking cases.
In addition, World Vision Albania worked to adapt the “Report! Save! Application to make it operational also for the Apple technology mobile phones, a service which is expected to be possible for the public within this year.
The main goal of Terre Des Hommes in its efforts during 2015 was to consolidate the capacities of existing structures and institutions responsible for the identification, management, and referral of vulnerable children and victims of trafficking. This includes strengthening the preventive work through empowerment of communities and vulnerable children; and work to mobilize and enhance coordination and cooperation between formal and informal mechanisms, beyond the provision of community-based services. Terre des Hommes has been working in partnership with central and local authorities in Albania, and in close cooperation with civil society organizations.
Efforts were structured around three main areas: Prevention, capacity building and evidence based advocacy. All three areas are important and necessary to meet the objective of having a functional system of institutional and informal actors, working together to provide improved and more accessible services for vulnerable children, or victims of trafficking, and other forms of exploitation. Preventive and community services of Terre Des Hommes organization can be found in the table below:
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 47 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 PREVENTIVE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES Adults volunteers and Tirana, Durrës, Number of community 5 groups activist of vulnerable Elbasan, Fier counselling group communities in focus Korça
Number of groups Targeted children of Tirana, Durrës, of peer educators 10 groups 9-year schools (2 per Elbasan, Fier 145 established each city) Korça
Targeted children of Number of awareness 9-year schools, staff Tirana, Durrës, activities (PE) conducted 30 and parents of these Elbasan, Fier by peer educators schools (2 per each Korça city)
Vulnerable and in need children Organized in cooperation with the community centers in Durrës and Elbasan Tirana, Durrës, Summer camps (coordinated by CPU 6 Elbasan, Fier, Korça 430 in Elbasan), Center of Emergencies in Tirana, Embroiderers in Korca and Association for the Benefit of the Albanian Woman in Durrës, CPU Fier
Small grants allocated for the empowerment Locally based Tirana, Durrës, and support to the locally 10 mini – organizations (2 per Elbasan, Fier N/A based organizations projects each city) Korça in the prevention of trafficking in children
In cooperation with the Number of children in Child protection units, Tirana, Durrës, emergency situation 400 community centers, Elbasan, Fier supported with direct state social service, Korça assistance CPU, etc..
Number of families supported for the Tirana, Durrës, establishment of an 46 Elbasan, Fier activity that generates Korça income
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 48 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Education Regarding the implementation of DoCM “On Some Amendments and Addenda to the DoCM No. 107, dated 10.2.2010,”On the Publication, Printing, Distribution and Sale of Textbooks of Pre-university Education System”, as amended, which foresees the provision of free textbooks to children who are victims of trafficking, the Office of the National Coordinator, after organizing meetings with the Responsible Authority, drew up a list with the names of children victims of trafficking, which was sent by official letter to the Ministry of Education and Sports, and thus, the free distribution of schools textbooks to victims of trafficking was enabled.
Registration
The problem of unregistered children in the civil registry offices is still present in Albania. The reasons why this problem has and continues to exist are various, but the effects are too complex, minimally a denial of fundamental rights of these children. This problem has been, and REPORT is known to the state, but access to and comprehensive solution of complex problems of civil registration is done also by non-profit organizations.
Cooperation with the General Directorate of Civil Registry and civil registry offices in the field, has been very important and inevitable. Coordination and finalization of cases for the same purpose is worth mentioning, because only in this way poor families without the ability to follow the procedures and cover the costs of the case can register their children.
Settlement of legal issues related to birth registration of children is often associated with solving a series of other intermediary problems requiring not only free legal aid by a lawyer, but also of other experts like psychologists, medical tests provided by scientific laboratories, legalization of documents in our consulates abroad, and many others. All these actions need to be assisted both professionally and financially, since they cannot be covered by the category of individuals who actually have this problem.
The cooperation agreement, between the TLAS and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed in 2011, worked very positively, meaning that hundreds of children were registered with the support of the Consular Directorate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. TLAS covered all the financial costs related to the procedures.
Full legal aid for vulnerable groups, and which for more than 15 years had been provided free of charge by TLAS for civil registration issues, was realized in the framework of various projects financed by foreign donors, such as UNICEF, UNDP, CRD, etc..TLAS has a professional customer data base operational since 1999, in which monthly or yearly, data on civil registration of individuals in need and unregistered children can be found, but not only.
Registration of children, only as one part of the statistics5that the database of TLAS reflects for the period January 2015 – December 2015
5 For the period January- June 2015, the TLAS database, counts 857 clients provide with free legal aid, of which 672 cases are directly linked to the birth registration of children.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 49 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Solution in administrative Type of legal issue Solution in judicial way Total way
Birth registrations 299 216 515 Motherhood, Motherhood, 64 191 255 Guardianship
Total 363 407 770
The diagram also includes other family situation, which significantly condition the birth registration of the children. But if we talk only about the registration of children, for 2015,a total of 512 children unregistered for various reasons, were referred by the registry offices across the country, the Child Protection Units, and other actors, such as NGOs that work with children, state social service, courts, etc., as per the following:
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 50 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Working roundtables, TLAS and Civil Registry Office experts, for 2015 have identified the following cases: Cases that are resolved in Cases that are Presented Country administrative way (births resolved in judicial cases in total abroad) way 1 Fier 37 24 13 2 Vlora 14 8 6 3 Saranda 12 6 6 4 Gjirokastra 82 54 28 5 Elbasan 53 31 22 6 Korça 38 22 16 7 Shkodra 45 33 12 8 F- Kruja 21 5 16 9 Dibra 11 5 6 10 Lezha 6 3 3 11 Tirana 19 14 5 REPORT 12 Berati 59 41 18 Total 397 246 151
Awareness activities to minimize the phenomenon of statelessness and non- registration of births, organized by the General Directorate of Civil Registry Office and TLAS, are as follows:
Meetings and visits in communities and schools: Distributions of publications Nr. Date Place Beneficiaries such as, leaflets, brochures, information 1 13.01.2015 Durrës 50 100 2 24.02.2015 Durrës 68 120 3 10.02.2015 Tirana 50 80 4 11.03.2015 Fushë-Kruja 120 150 5 05.03.2015 Shkodra 100 120 6 06.03.2015 Durrës 50 120 7 28.04.2015 Elbasan 120 200 8 29.04.2015 Fier 50 90 9 18.05.2015 Kavaja 100 150 10 24.11.2015 Elbasan 100 200 11 04.12.2015 Durrës 50 100 12 16.12.2015 Tirana 100 150 12 958
research and data collection
One of the most important activities in the prevention of trafficking in persons is research, data collection, and preparation of action plans for a proactive, comprehensive, and integrated response to the phenomenon of trafficking. Knowledge of the reality in the country, establishment of effective anti-trafficking policies, addressing of the needs, and periodic assessment of measures against trafficking in persons, is possible only by having a clear picture of this phenomenon.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 51 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 IOM organization has undertaken several projects to identify various forms of exploitation, including trafficking in males and children, as well as practices of prevention and protection of victims exploited:
Within the Project “Support of the United Nations for Social Inclusion in Albania” UNSSIA program - funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and implemented by the UN Office in Albania, a “National Assessment Report - Coordination of Referral Synergies of Existing Mechanisms for Women Victims of Trafficking and Violence” was developed by IOM with the support of the ONAC and United Nations for Social Inclusion in Albania, UNSSIA Program. Two roundtables (20th of January 2015 and 17thFebruary 2015) were organized in a focus group format, to collect information from interested parties. At the roundtable of the 20th of January, 34 people participated, while at in the roundtable of 17th of February, 33 people participated. The National Assessment Report - Coordination of Referral Synergies of Existing Mechanisms for Women Victims of Trafficking and Violence”- was published in August of 2015. In the framework of the implementation of this project, during the period January-March 2015, in cooperation with ONAC, a “Profile of Victims of Trafficking and Social Exclusion” was prepared and published and distributed to relevant stakeholders, with the support of the United Nations for Social Inclusion in Albania UNSSIA program.
IV. COORDINATION
Coordination of anti-trafficking efforts between state and non-state actors is not just one of the main pillars of the Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and Action Plan 2014- 2017 (approved by DoCM No. 814, dated 26.11.2014), but also an important component of the implementation of this Strategy in other pillars of prevention, prosecution, and protection of victims of trafficking. The Strategy Action Plan requires and mobilizes in a specific and detailed way many structures and agencies, which operate directly in the fight against trafficking. During the reporting period, the Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons (ONAC) was fully committed, not only in supporting and coordinating the work of the Action Plan actors, but also in activating other resources, i.e. state or non-state agencies, which have the capacity to affect the prevention of trafficking and assistance to victims of trafficking. ONAC also supported the assessments and recommendations of national and international institutions, and the area of coordination.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons estimates that during the reporting period there has been a significant improvement in the coordination of anti-trafficking actions, which was mainly due to improved reporting and information sharing among stakeholders. ONAC observed an increase both in number and quality of the reporting of the institutions and implementing agencies, both at central and local level. Besides the state institutions reports, thanks to a very good cooperation established with the civil society (IOs and NGOs), the latter informed ONAC about their actions and activities conducted mainly in terms of prevention and protection of victims of trafficking.
During the period January-December 2015, ONAC conducted and lead a series of activities, with main focus on the improvement of coordination and cooperation between government and non-governmental agencies involved in the fight against trafficking in persons.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 52 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Below is detailed information on the coordination pillar for the period January-December 2015, based on the coordination of state and non-state institutions, partners in the anti- trafficking issues.
COORDINATION OF ANTI-TRAFFICKING ACTORS WITHIN THE COUNTRY
Coordination with the Members of the State Anti-Trafficking Committee
The State Anti-trafficking Committee was extended by Order of the Prime Minister no. 179, dated 17.07.2014 “On the Establishment of the State Committee against Trafficking in Persons”, thus responding to new challenges in the fight against trafficking in persons, through the provision of necessary capacities, commitment, and willingness to fight trafficking in persons. REPORT The State Committee on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons has overall responsibility for the response to trafficking through the National Task Force on Trafficking in Persons (including all state or non-state stakeholders in relation to anti-trafficking), under the coordination of the Office of National Anti-trafficking Coordinator. All state actors are responsible for the implementation of their respective activities according to the Action Plan. Local government bodies have taken an important role in strengthening the response to trafficking at central and local level, by ensuring the availability of support and assistance measures provided for in this NAP (through regional planning and action plans on trafficking in persons), and by ensuring that trafficked persons are identified, assisted, protected, and receive support which enables their reintegration into society.
Coordination with the Members of the National Referral Mechanism
The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is monitored by the NRM Task Force, which activates all the mechanism by ensuring its implementation and coordination of inter-institutional action of the NRM members. During the reporting period, the NRM and the Task Force held regular meetings in which they discussed about identifying the issues and addressing the needs to enable appropriate interventions.
During 2015, more specifically, on the 15th of January, 16th of July, and 24th of December 2015,a meeting of the Members of the National Referral Mechanism was held. The scope of the meetings was the progress of the Agreement on the Functioning of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), the institutional commitment of each NRM member in a coordinated manner to increase the efforts and anti-trafficking results, identification and referral of victims/ potential victims of trafficking, coordination of anti-trafficking actions of all state andnon- state institutions for the identification, referral, and protection of victims/potential victims of trafficking and for the implementation of Standard Operation Procedures for the identification and referral of victims/potential victims of trafficking, implementation of the MU between the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, State Inspectorate for Labor and Social Services, and the State Police “On the identification of cases of forced labor and trafficking, aimed at labor exploitation purposes”, problems regarding the equipment of the victims with
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 53 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 health cards, progress of the implementation of DoCM no. 707 “On Some Amendments and Addenda to DoCM No. 107 dated 10.2.2010,”On the Publication, Printing, Distribution and Sale of Textbooks of Pre-University Education System” as amended, which foresees the provision of free textbooks to children victims of trafficking, as well as raising public awareness on trafficking in persons through the development of action plans and awareness campaigns.
Coordination with the Responsible Authority
For a more proactive identification and referral of victims/potential victims of trafficking, the Ministers of the Internal Affairs, Education and Sports, Health, Foreign Affairs, and the National Coalition of Anti-trafficking Shelters, by a Joint Guideline No.3799 dated 08.07.2014 reorganized the Responsible Authority, by adapting its roles and duties with the SOPs, the NRM, revised in 2012, and the current situation of trafficking. Under this Joint Guideline, on the19th of June 2015, a Regulation “On the Organization and Functioning of the Responsible Authority” for the identification, referral, protection, and reintegration of victims / potential victims of trafficking, was signed. During the reporting period, the Responsible Authority gathered periodically:
th o On the 25 of May 2015, a meeting of the members of the Responsible Authority was held. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss about a case referred by a representative of the State Social Service, and to approve the Regulation of the Responsible Authority.
th o On the 19 of June, 2015, the next meeting of the Responsible Authority was held. The purpose of this meeting was the signing of the draft Regulation on the Functioning of the Responsible Authority. This regulation was drafted with the support the OSCE and consulted with all members of the RA and: NCRVT, “Tjetër Vizion”, “Vatra” and “Different and Equal” organizations. The draft Regulation is not yet signed by the representative of the Ministry of Education and Sports and the representative of the State Police, so it is not yet published.
rd o On the 3 of September 2015, the Responsible Authority held the next meeting. At this meeting the issues identified in relation to the management of specific cases were discussed; the implementation of the DoCM “On Some Amendments to the DoCM No. 107, dated 10.2.2010, “On the Publication, Printing, Distribution and Sale of Textbooks of the Pre-university Education System” as amended. Also, there were discussions about the implementation of the RA Regulation and its implementation by the members of the Responsible Authority.
th o On the 18 of September 2015, the Responsible Authority held the next meeting with the Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, and partner organizations, in order to discuss the draft-calendar of activities planned for the Anti-Trafficking Month, which was presented by the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons. The meeting was attended by 13 representatives from various state institutions and partner organizations.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 54 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 rd o On the 23 of November2015, the next meeting of the Responsible Authority was held, where there were discussions on issues encountered in some referred cases. Problems raised by the four reception centers on the issue of providing the VoT/PVoT with health cards were also discussed.
During the reporting period, January-December 2015, a total of 109 persons (38 VoT; 71PVoT; 61 adults, 48 minors, 87 females; 22 males; 4 foreigners) were examined by the RA for formal identification.
Coordination with the Regional Anti-trafficking Committees
During the reporting period, there have been improvements in the work of the Regional Anti- trafficking Committees. The number of actors involved in combating trafficking in persons increased, by including more local government actors and civil society in the Committees, while also more frequent meetings of the members of the Regional Anti-trafficking Committees and Technical Anti-trafficking Roundtables were held in all regions of the country. In implementing the recommendations of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, more room for the civil society at local and central level was created, while the attention of anti- trafficking actors on specific issues, such as: child protection, focusing on internal trafficking, referral and solving cases within the capacities of district, increased. However, actors at local level have not yet unified the practices and procedures applied for the fight against trafficking in persons. Some committees have shown delays in sending the reports in the context of the6-month and annual reporting. It was found that the Regional Anti-trafficking Committees became more active after the trainings on the fight against trafficking in persons6.
COORDINATION AND STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS, ESPECIALLY WITH CIVIL SOCIETY
ONAC paid special attention also to the cooperation and coordination with civil society at national level. During 2015, in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and academic staff, student forums, meetings with civil society representatives were consistently organized.
. On the 15th of May 2015, a forum was organized with students of the Faculty of Law and Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Tirana, where representatives from state agencies, State Police, and non-profit organizations, shared with them information on efforts to address this phenomenon in Albania, and also anti-trafficking mechanisms, existing legislation and services, and brainstormed on contemporary ways of treating victims of trafficking7.
6 Detailed information on the activity of the RAC can be found in Annex 1 7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgvjaOp1xpI; http://www.punetebrendshme.gov.al/al/k-k-a-t/aktivitete-te-njesise-antitrafik/se-bashku-kunder-trafikimit-te- personave-14-maj-2015-video)
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 55 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 . On 18th of May, a forum was organized with students of the “Luigi Gurakuqi” University in Shkodra. Students, professors, representatives of state structures operating in Shkodra Region, and members of the RAC, participated in the meeting. Some of the students of the two universities established the network of anti-trafficking volunteers, and got involved in summer campaign activities and in the Anti-trafficking month.
. On the 5th of June 2015, in Vlora, the 3rd meeting of the Advisory Media Forum took place, within the Project on “Preventing and Addressing Violence against Women and Girls in Albania”, implemented by UN Women Albania, in close partnership with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Representatives of the printed and visual media, as well as representatives of state structures and NGOs, participated in the meeting. The participants emphasized the fact that trafficking in women and girls is essentially a human rights issue, and not simply an order and security issue. During the meeting, more frequent mistakes made during the reporting of the trafficking cases were also analyzed, and most common mistakes made in reporting of trafficking cases were discussed. Through concrete examples, basic criteria for a correct reporting were highlighted, in view of respecting the rights of girls and women.
. On the 15th of July 2015, a meeting was held between the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons and partners, such as: representatives of UNICEF, Save the Children, UN Women, IOM, World Vision, Terre des Hommes, OSCE, ‘Different and Equal’ organization, the Albanian Caritas, and ICMPD, to discuss about the calendar of the anti-trafficking activities, planned to be implemented during the period July - September 2015. During the meeting, the ways and opportunities for partners to support ONAC in these initiatives, as well as production of awareness materials that would be used in these activities, were discussed.
. Within the joint project of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and UN Women Albania “EIDHR / 2013/335-757 “Preventing and Addressing Violence against Women and Girls in Albania”, on the 29thof September, the IV meeting of the Advisory Media Forum, established since September 2014, was organized. The topic of the meeting was “October 2015, The Month of Awareness against Trafficking in People: The Role of Media as a Partner”. The roundtable was attended by media practitioners from several local and national media in the country, representatives of the ONAC, representatives from MSWY, representatives from the shelters for victims of trafficking and violence, part of the Albanian Network for Women Empowerment of (AWEN), representatives of IOM, UNDP and UN Women. Some of the topics that were discussed with journalists included the intensive one-month campaign and the nature of the activities to be performed; importance of sound management of information received from journalists on the victims of trafficking and violence, eliminating unnecessary details that may also have a domino effect on the public; need for more investigative and informative articles especially with regard to the reintegration of survivors; considering the media as indispensable partner in the efforts against trafficking in persons; the need for restoration of trust between shelters and media by setting positive cooperation models; use of legal penalizing tools for the media that violate the code of ethics; etc..
. On 28th of October 2015, the Minister of Internal Affairs Mr. Saimir Tahiri held a
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 56 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 meeting with representatives of civil society organizations that work directly with the issue of trafficking in persons in our country. During the meeting they discussed the issues, challenges, and progress made in recent years, thanks to the support and hard work done by these organizations. Attention was paid to the challenge of identifying trafficking cases, which appear in various forms. Mr. Minister praised the work and efforts of civil society as an important partner of the state in the fight against trafficking in persons.
REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION AND COOPERATION
Regional and international cooperation has taken a new dimension with meetings with counterparts from Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, Italy, Germany, etc. to intensify efforts in the fight against trafficking in persons, since this is not an Albanian or regional phenomenon, but rather a global one, it requires tackling of crime and coordinated action among countries.
. In the framework of inter-state institutional cooperation for the protection of children on the move, with the support of international organizations, namely, Terre des Hommes and Save the Children, on the 19th-21st of January 2015, in Pristina, Kosovo, a study tour was organized to enable a close exchange of work experiences among professionals from key sectors of child protection, and to determine the modalities of strengthening the cooperation between the countries for the protection of children on the move. The purpose of this study visit was to harmonize actions between Albania and Kosovo in addressing the issue of child begging, timely exchange of information on the cases identified, specification of the procedures and timelines regarding the notification and exchange of information, and the identification of sustainable solutions, with specific responsibility for each actor and creating a platform for cooperation and communication on specific cases from the two countries.
. On the 13th of February, the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, held a high-level meeting with Mr. Anthony Steen, Special Delegate at the Secretary for Home Affairs for the Fight against Modern Slavery and Chairman of the on Foundation on Trafficking in Persons in the UK. In the meeting, opportunities were discussed for drafting and reaching a cooperation agreement to intensify cooperation in combating trafficking in persons and identifying, referring and assisting the VoT/ PVoT return.
. In the framework of a regional IOM Project (funded by the IOM and co-financed by the Government of Italy) on “Strengthening the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in the Western Balkans”, from the 4thto the 6th of March 2015, a workshop “On Strengthening the Fight against Trafficking in persons and Smuggling of Migrants in the Western Balkans”, was organized. The three-day seminar in Tirana was organized with the participation of 24 representatives from Albania, Macedonia, and Kosovo, responsible for identifying cases of human trafficking and smuggling, and for conducting investigations regarding such cases. During the meeting, cross-border cooperation between actors of the Western Balkans was analyzed, including the fight against trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, identification and design of measures to be adopted by countries to strengthen regional cooperation.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 57 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 . On the 4th-6th of March 2015, the delegation of the Ad Hoc Committee of Experts on Roma and Traveler Issues (CAHROM) of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg organized meetings with the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Ms. Elona Gjebrea, the Anti-Trafficking Directorate, and senior officials of other institutions, suchas the Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Youth and Social Welfare, etc.. the CAHROM delegation consisted of representatives from partner countries, such as Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and Romania. . On the 5th of March, ONAC organized a roundtable with experts dealing with street children issues, representatives of state institutions, such as, the Agency for the Protection of the Rights of the Child, social service, police, and representatives of international and national organizations dealing with the children issues, mainly Roma children.
. On the 6th of March, a closing meeting was held at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where the conclusions of the meetings were discussed, and recommendations for the following period were given.
. In the framework of cross-border institutional cooperation for the protection of children on the move, with the support of international organizations, namely, Terre des Hommes, and Save the Children, on 16th-17th of March 2015, in Athens, Greece, a cross-border meeting between Greece, Albania, Bulgaria and Romania was organized. The purpose of this meeting was to enable the close exchange of working experience between practitioners from key sectors of child protection, and to determine the modalities of strengthening cooperation between the countries for the protection of children on the move.
. On 25th of March 2015, in Santiago, Spain, “The Convention of the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs” was signed. This Convention was signed by 11 EU countries and Albania is one of 14 countries that signed it. The Convention of the Council of Europe against Trafficking in Human Organs is conceived as a joint international act in the fight against Trafficking in Human Organs in respect of the Fundamental Rights, to protect the rights of the victims of the offenses, specified in this Convention. The Convention aims at preventing and fighting Trafficking in Human Organs and has at its center the protection of the rights of the victims of the offense of trafficking in human organs, which will be achieved through international cooperation. After passing in the relevant committees and the Laws’ Committee, the Albanian Parliament adopted the Law no. 150/2015 “On the Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Organs.” The Government of Albania is taking the necessary legislative measures to foresee that the removal and use of human organs from living or dead donors, when made intentionally, constitutes as a criminal offence under its domestic legislation.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 58 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 . In the framework of international cooperation, on the 29thMarch-4th April, Ms. Danielle Johnson from the Global Green Line Program “Polaris - Freedom Happens Now”, held several meetings with partners and stakeholders in the area of anti-trafficking in the country, in order to discuss the functioning of the National free hotline 116006, designed to be of help to the victims of trafficking, as well as the role of the Responsible Authority for the management and resolution of the cases, the collection of data and analysis systems.
o On the 30.03.2015, a meeting was held between expert Ms. Danielle Johnson, 1 representative from the Responsible Authority, representatives of the NCAS, and the Office of the National Anti-trafficking Coordinator. The meeting focused on details regarding the functioning of the National Free Hotline 116006, as well as its progress including the operational situation of the “Report! Save!” Application. At the meeting, experiences were shared by the expert on the methods used in her organization.
. On the 30th -31st of March 2015, in Pristina, a trilateral meeting was held with representatives of state institutions and non-governmental organizations from Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo. At the meeting, which took place following previous meetings with the Kosovo side, aiming at strengthening the Transnational Referral Mechanism for children on the move, and at intensifying regional cooperation, Macedonia participated too. The purpose of the meeting was to share experiences and expertise among participating countries, and with regard to the implementation of agreements and protocols with the two respective countries.
. On the 26th of May 2015, the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, attended the meeting of the OSCE Security Committee, in Vienna, where it informed the states participating at the meeting on the progress and steps made by the Government of Albanian in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism and on the implementation of the 5/14 Declaration of the Basel Ministerial, in the context of the implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions. The OSCE participating states, specially the EU and US, in their interventions, appreciated Albania’s contribution in the fight against violent extremism and the organization of the Regional Summit, and the support and cooperation it has offered in the fight against terrorism.
. Within the implementation of the TACT Project, Transnational Action - Safe and Sustainable Return and Reintegration for the Trafficking Victims, Returning from France, Italy, Greece, Poland and Spain to priority countries: Albania, Morocco and Ukraine, financed by the EU Fund on Asylum, Migration and Integration, and supported by Migration Organization in France, on 2nd-3rdJuly, in Paris, a two-day activity was held with French state and non- state representatives, who are involved in the fight against trafficking in persons, where the project in question was presented too. The project is being implemented within the European Union Strategy for the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings (2012-2016) and aims to address, within a common framework, knowledge gaps and training needs, by reinforcing international cooperation between EU countries and priority countries, as a way to better combat the phenomenon of trafficking in persons. The overall objective of the project is to contribute to improving the return and reintegration by providing optimal conditions for victims of trafficking returning from France, Greece, Italy, Poland
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 59 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 and Spain in three priority countries: Albania, Morocco and Ukraine. The project will increase the capacity of the authorities of the priority countries in the field of protection and assistance, with special focus on the return and reintegration of victims of trafficking, and will support the process of strengthening the capacity to improve international cooperation and exchange of information between responsible authorities, in strategic partnership with civil society.
. On the 6th-7th of July 2015, the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons and the OSCE Presence in Albania participated in the 15th high-level Conference of Alliance against Trafficking in Persons, held in Vienna, organized by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The conference theme was “People at Risk - The Fight against Human Trafficking on the Way to Migration”. The purpose of this meeting was to promote international cooperation to treat anti-trafficking issues, in the context of migration processes. Representatives of participating States, international organizations and civil society, stressed the need for awareness of the migration authorities, of the diplomatic and consular staff, and persons who migrate, as regards human trafficking issues. The National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, met during the conference, the Special OSCE Representative on the Fight against Trafficking in Human Beings, Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova, to whom she expressed her interest for further cooperation and invited her for a visit Albania to get closely familiarized with the achievements and challenges of the fight against trafficking in persons in Albania, and of migration.
. On the 10th of September 2015, a regional workshop was held in Tirana under the Project on “Support of the Western Balkan Countries for an Effective Response to the Challenges Posed by the Migration of Unaccompanied Minors”, funded by IOM Development Fund, and implemented by IOM missions in the Western Balkan countries, in partnership with government authorities in these countries. Reflecting on the experience of IOM in the past three years, and based on research findings on the situation of unaccompanied minors, IOM Tirana took the initiative to gather all the Western Balkan countries, to discuss on joint approaches and actions against challenges posed by the migration of unaccompanied minors, in accordance with the priorities and activities of the EU in the region. The event was attended by senior representatives of the respective Ministries of Internal Affairs (departments of asylum, migration and border), and the ministries responsible for child protection, as well as several civil society organizations working with unaccompanied minors.
. The regional Project “Fight against Trafficking in Persons” THB/IFS phase 2 of ICMPD, which includes 6 beneficiary countries, funded by the European Union, continued to be implemented during 2015, focusing mainly on the analysis and evaluation of the enforcement of the National Referral Mechanism and Transnational Referral Mechanism procedures. As a result of it, at the conclusion of this study, an evaluation report of these mechanisms was produced, with specific recommendations with the view of improving the operation of these mechanisms. In this context, a 2-days training was held through the 21st-22nd of September 2015, on the “Fight against Human Trafficking and Organized Crime”. At this meeting, they explained the objectives and expectations of the training; the difference between trafficking and trafficked persons; trafficking and trafficking
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 60 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 indicators; etc.. Furthermore there were evaluations and presentations of the groups participating in the training, as well as risks, referral, and mechanisms of cooperation between the responsible agencies.
. In the framework of Government of Albania efforts to raise the awareness of employees, who are key stakeholders in the fight against trafficking in persons, and in the context of improving the methods for collecting and handling data collected from the calls received at the National Free Hotline 116006, in help of the victims of trafficking, the Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, with the support of the international organization “POLARIS”, organized, from 23rd-25th of September 2015, a 3-day training on “ The National Free Hotline 116006 and Discussions on the Assessment of Data”, at the operational room of the Directorate of State Police, with police officers, part of this sector. The training was focused on improving the methods and ways of entering the data from the free hotline 116006 designed to be of help to victims of trafficking , as well as evaluating the current system for collecting data at the Directorate of State Police. This training provided a consultation on the assessment of data and presentation of the most effective methods in their collection and handling. During the training, discussions were conducted with the staff on how to respond to the calls, the protocol and support that they should give to callers, and on how to fulfill to needs of the latter in an appropriate manner.
. On the 28th-29th of September, an International Conference on “Strengthening the System of Protection of Children against Trafficking in Euro-Mediterranean Area”, was organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in cooperation with the Albanian Caritas and the State Agency for the Protection of Rights of the Child in Albania, with the financial and technical support of the Secours Catholique–Caritas France, where partners and representatives of institutions in the area of trafficking and protection of children from Lebanon, Armenia, Slovenia, France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Turkey, participated. The conference enabled the project partners to discuss current challenges and trends of trafficking, identified in these countries. During the conference, future strategic plans for coordinating joint activities, and factors that put children at risk of being trafficked, such as socio-economic factors, domestic abuse, neglect, or lack of care and protection, were discussed. During the meeting, also the importance of cooperation between state institutions at central and local level, and between them and the civil society, for the implementation of the Action Plans, was highlighted.
. Under the Project on “Preventing and Addressing Violence against Women and Girls in Albania”, its component-Empowering the Shelter for Victims of Trafficking and Domestic Violence, a study visit was organized to Kiev, Ukraine, from the 2nd to the 5th of November, where representatives of the Anti-trafficking Directorate, the State Police, MSWY, State Social Service, representatives of shelters for the reintegration of victims of trafficking and domestic violence, journalists, etc., participated. The purpose of this visit was to increase knowledge of the project partners and key stakeholders in the fight against trafficking, and gain knowledge about economic empowerment activities to support sustainable reintegration of victims of trafficking.
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REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 61 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 . On the initiative and support of the Administrative Board of Stockholm County, from the 3rd to the 4th of November, in Stockholm, ICMPD organized the meeting of the National Anti-Trafficking Coordinators of Eastern Europe and Sweden. At this meeting, the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons was invited to attend, to discuss the present and future challenges for an efficient fight against the phenomenon of trafficking in persons, taking into account, in particular, the impact that the present refugee crisis may have, and the challenges expected in the future for regional policies in the fight against trafficking in persons and the vulnerability of people forcibly displaced vis-à-vis the risk of being trafficked and exploited. One of the most important topics that were highlighted specifically in this meeting was the need for activation and/or reactivation of communication networks between higher authorities/national coordinators engaged in the fight against trafficking in persons, which is an integral part of organized crime. The National Coordinator shared with the meeting participants the policies and practices followed by the Republic of Albania, and the measures taken to deal with these challenge, and to embrace the best practices of the region and the European Union, as well as invited the Swedish National Coordinator to visit Albania soon.
. The Council of Europe, in cooperation with the Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons of Albania and Montenegro,on 15th-16th of December organized a 2-day workshop in Budva, to address issues related to improving access of victims of trafficking, regarding compensation, as well effective implementation of the provisions on non-punishment of the Council of Europe Convention “On Action against Trafficking in Persons”. The workshop aimed at bringing together employees from the Western Balkan countries to discuss best practices and problems they have encountered in their work related to the above issues.
. On the 23rd of December 2015, pursuant to the Additional Protocol “On Intensifying Cooperation in Combating Trafficking in Persons, to Improve Identification, Referral and Assisted Voluntary Return of Victims/Potential Victims of Trafficking”, a bilateral meeting was held between the Anti-trafficking Coordinator for Montenegro, Mr. Zoran Ulama, and the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons of Albania, Mrs. E. Gjebrea, where representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prosecution Office, Police, etc. from both countries participated too. The meeting focused on concrete measures that have been taken and will be taken in the implementation of this Protocol on combating trafficking in persons between Albania and Montenegro.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 62 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 V. RECOMMENDATIONS
Some directions we think the work should be focused on for the upcoming period include:
1. Identification of victims and potential victims of trafficking, their referral based on the SOPs, and increase in the number of registered criminal proceedings in this regard.
2. Regarding the initial identification and referral, no case has been reported yet, which reinforces the need for training in the area of trafficking in persons, to clarify the role and function of health service staff for the operations and support provided to the TV/VMT.
3. Increasing cooperation with the Serious Crimes Prosecution Office and the District
Prosecution Offices for the investigation of criminal offences, and follow-up of delegated REPORT tasks in connection to registered criminal proceedings.
4. Increasing cooperation with international partners in order to exchange information about criminal activity exercised in destination countries where Albanian citizens are victimized or subjected to such offense. This cooperation should consist in initiating joint investigations and registration of criminal proceedings for criminal offenses subject to work of anti-trafficking structures.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 63 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Annex 1
Analysis of the activity of the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committees (RAC) for 2015
During 2015, in order to guarantee the fulfilment of the role and functions of the Regional Anti-trafficking Committees (RAC), as the main local structures for the identification of potential victims of trafficking, primary problems at regional level, assessing the situation, and determining specific regional needs, the Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, participated in and initiated regular periodic and guiding meetings with prefects of the Regions (Qarks) and members of the Technical Roundtables.
The annual activity of the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committees and of the Technical Roundtables focused on:
• Getting familiar with the orders, guidelines, and documentation received from the Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings; • Exchanging and evaluating the information of the Committee members and experts of the Technical Roundtable, on the cases identified and measures taken; • Active organization and participation in awareness activities; • Organizing the work in collaboration with the families, community and school principals, on awareness about and prevention of trafficking cases; • Informing and taking preventive measures of trafficking cases; • Cooperating with local government structures, civil society and NGOs, operating in their respective regions.
From the activity of the Regional Anti-trafficking Committees
In the framework of implementing the Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and Action Plan 2014-2017, the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committee of Tirana, for the period January-December 2015, organized its activities according to the approved Regulation and Action Plan 2015, and calendar of activities for this period.
The activity of this Committee on the fight against trafficking in persons is mainly focused in the area of prevention through awareness raising campaigns and activities in the main schools of the capital city, both 9- year schools and high schools, as the most risked target group of this phenomenon. During May-June 2015, 3 meetings were held in high schools of “Vasil Shanto”, “Peter Budi” and “Petro Nini Luarasi”, to distribute awareness materials, while the expert sent by “Different Equal” organization, with experience in this area, had a conversation with the participating students in these schools, where she explained to them the signals of various cases, the risk of uncontrolled internet use, and how they can report possible cases of trafficking.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 64 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 During October, which was declared as the Month of the Fight against Trafficking in Persons, the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committee of Tirana coordinated with the Regional Education Directorate for the collection of paintings, works, and drawings of students and their display at the National Exhibition on “Trafficking in Children’s Eyes”, which was opened on the 26th-27th of October, at the Tirana Youth Centre.
Identified cases of trafficking in persons in 2015were strictly and intensively investigated. During 2015, the Local Directorate of Police of Tirana tried to refer materials to the Serious Crimes Prosecution Office in a proactive way. Out of 5 proactive referrals, 1 of them was tried, and 4 offenders were convicted, while 4 cases that involve 4 defendants who are being prosecuted as criminals at large, but are being monitored with the use of special investigation methods. Whereas, for 13 other cases referrals were made by the victims of trafficking.
In the cases followed reactively (referrals) for 2 proceedings, the trial has started including
7 defendants, for 1 of which the security measures of detention on remand in absentia has REPORT been ordered, for 4 defendants dentition on remand, and 2 of them are wanted. Among other proceedings initiated based on the referrals, 1 has been suspended, 6 are under investigation, and 4 have been dismissed.
Trafficking in Adult Persons,Article 110/a
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 65 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Trafficking in Minors,Article 128/b
Offenders Wanted
Arrested/det.
Tried Under investigation
According to interviews carried out, a total of 15 girls and 1 boy were identified as victims or potential victims of trafficking, who were referred to shelters.
Out of the examination of the cases, its results that the majority of trafficked victims have significant social problems, with the most important one being cases of divorce of parents of victims, economic scarcity, lack of social belonging, and vulnerable situation. The perpetrators of these crimes have taken advantage of the above situations of the victims and have used them. In most cases, trafficking has been cross-border and with the purpose of exploitation for prostitution. In fewer cases it has been domestic trafficking, and this also mostly for exploitation of prostitution, whereas 1 case was for exploitation for begging.
Objective of the Tirana RAC for 2016:
1. Close cooperation among all local units, updated according to the new administrative-territorial division - based on this reform undertaken by the Government of Albania.
2. Strengthening the national mechanism for the proactive prevention and identification of all potential victims of trafficking in persons.
3. Strengthening the cooperation with NGOs which operate in Tirana Region and cover mainly the protection of women from violence, protect the rights of children, etc.
4. Development of multi –sectorial Action Plan at local level on the victims of trafficking and their re-integrating into social life and its strict implementation.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 66 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 5. Conducting awareness raising activities in Tirana District schools for the prevention of trafficking in persons, with the participation of students and pedagogical staff of the schools of this district.
During the period January - December 2015, the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committee of Elbasan Region operated normally, holding periodic meetings of the Technical Roundtable members, namely, every 3 months. At the first meeting of the RAC, in January, the Regional Action Plan 2015 for Elbasan District was adopted.
During the reporting period, the activity of the RAC Elbasan was characterized by a good inter-institutional cooperation and interaction and with the civil society in implementing the Action Plan, inter alia. All actors carried out awareness activities, to raise the level of knowledge in the area of trafficking. Here we can mention:
• Awareness modules conducted by the “Tjetër Vizion” organization during June 2015; REPORT • Awareness meetings conducted by staff of the Local Police Directorate in cooperation with RED during the period March – May in all 9-year and high schools of the city of Elbasan and ex – municipalities, where their trafficking issues and methods were discussed. • On the 23rd of April, Municipality of Elbasan, in collaboration with non-governmental organizations, the Police Directorate of the Region, and the Educational Directorate, conducted an awareness activity under the slogan “Street is not the Place where Children should grow”, The awareness campaign brought hundreds of students in the street who staged a massive parade in the city’s main boulevard delivering awareness messages designed to protect every child from exploitation. • On the 1st of June –the Children Day, and on the 12th of June - International Day against Child Labor, in cooperation with the Child Protection Unit of Elbasan Municipality, local organizations, and RED, conducted awareness activities on child rights. • On the 24th of June, the children of the “Tjetër Vizion” shelter prepared and brought up at an artistic scene, a diversified program (song, dance, theatre, characters, etc.). This event, titled “Charity Show” aimed at sensitizing the community to help poor children and their families. During June and July 2015, Elbasan Municipality and “Tjetër Vizion” organization set up summer camps for children. • RAC Elbasan paid special attention to activities carried out in October, which are detailed in Annex 3. In December, the Anti-Trafficking Roundtable was convened to discuss the Action Plan for 2016, which is in the process approval.
Statistical data:
The Local Police Directorate reports that there was a total 19 cases referred (9 are VoT and 10 are PVoT) in the Region of Elbasan. Regarding gender division, it is observed that most of the cases belong to females, with 7 cases, whereas males are only 2. According to the categorization: 6 cases are women, 5 cases are girls and 7 cases are children. Meanwhile, the Regional Directorate of the State Social Service reported 15 cases in its Annual Report (9 VoT and 6 PVoT). Various statistics reported by the Police Directorate and Regional Directorate of SSS are a result of refusal of the PVoT to have the interview.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 67 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 During 2015, “Tjetër Vizion” organization with its Mobile Unit reported 10 potential cases of trafficking of children, which were referred to the Responsible Authority. These children (2 girls and 8 boys) were found in street situation (5 begging or forced labor and 5 begging). At the residential center of “Tjetër Vizion” for 2015 (January - December 2015) a total of 7 VoT (3 F 4 M), of which 2 on the age group 25-26 years old, and 5 of the age group 10- 14 years old, and 25 PVoT (13F - 12M) of age group 5- 17 years old, 2 of them belong to the age group 26-30 years old, benefited residential services.
For 2015, the activity of Regional Anti-Trafficking Committee of Durres was based on the Action Plan, drafted at the beginning of the year, based on proposals made by all structures members of the RAC and Technical Roundtable. Thanks to the close cooperation of all stakeholders, as well as the assistance provided by ONAC and Albanian Caritas, the activity of RAC has been intensive and consisted mainly in preventing the phenomenon through awareness, setting up the Technical Roundtable in Kruja, strengthening state capacities in the protection of victims of trafficking and their rehabilitation, as well as close cooperation with all NGOs working on the area of trafficking. This activity has given its significant results in the fight against criminal activity, protection and rehabilitation of victims of trafficking.
Data of the Local Directorate of Police and Regional Directorate of State Social Service show that for 2015, in Durres Region, a total of 4 trafficking cases for exploitation of prostitution were identified, among which 3 cases were identified as victims of trafficking and were accommodated in the reception center of “Different and Equal”, and 1 case was identified as a possible victim of trafficking and was accommodated in the reception center of “Linza” in Tirana. These 4 citizens agreed to cooperate with police, by making referrals, while the materials were referred to the Serious Crime Prospection Office in Tirana, and to the Prosecution Office of Durres. In addition, a re-interviewing process was conducted for the integration of a trafficking victim in the socio-economic life. Comparedto 2014, where there were 13 victims /potential victims of trafficking, in 2015 there were only 4 cases, meaning that there is a significant reduction in the number of identified victims.
One of the challenges of the RAC for 2015 was also the one related to children in street situation. Cooperation of almost all actors of the Technical Roundtable, especially of the Municipality of Durres with its Child Protection Unit, the Regional Council, and the State Agency, Terre des Hommes, RED, SSS, RHD (Regional Health Directorate), and all non-governmental organizations operating in Durres and working in the area of trafficking in persons, made possible the implementation of the Action Plan for Children in Street Situation. During the summer time, the situation of these children in Durres is problematic, and that is why the Municipality has paid special attention to it, by organizing activities to raise funds for children and their families, and by coordinating the activities of the subordinated centers such as: the Orphanage; Home for the Elderly, “Nish Tulla” Community Centre, and also collaborating with SSS for their settlement in the care centers. In the framework of the Action Plan for Children in Street Situation for 2015, in Durres, a total of 82 children were identified. Most of the cases are from the districts, who were referred to the Child Protection Units of their cities of origin, whereas the rest who are from Durres, received the following services: 15 children were integrated into school in first grade; 4 children were included in the institution; 20 children and their families were granted economic aid and were referred to the aid scheme.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 68 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 During the summer, 60 children were involved in the summer camp supported by Terre des Hommes, and in other activities with their families. Also cases that have experienced violence, were managed together with the unit for gender equality and domestic violence. Activities focusing on child protection were conducted in cooperation and support of local, national, and international NGOs, as well as institutions providing services for these vulnerable groups throughout the year.
One of the issues faced by the RAC and Technical Roundtable of Durres is the one concerning the vulnerable part of Roma children of “Nish Tulla” community center. The staff of this center in collaboration with other stakeholders of the Technical Roundtable, was part of field teams for the identification and interviewing of children in street situations, in different and hot areas of the city, such as: the beach area, the main promenade, the center of the city, or parks, train and bus station areas, “Plepat” overpass area, port entrances and exits, bridge of “Dajlani”. The persons identified, which are from “Nish Tulla” area, received support in food aid, and
according to the needs, the possibility for mediation for employment and housing will be REPORT considered.
One of the priorities of the activity of RAC Durres was the awareness raising of children on trafficking issues, working with vulnerable groups. For 2015, in the educational institutions of Durres District, there was a total of 133 students who had dropped out school, of whom 41 were Roma children. These figures have been declining compared to 2014, where about 200 dropping out students were recorded. Among most risked groups, which are also considered as a potential for trafficking, mainly for prostitution, are the violated women, who quite frequently became the main topics of the meetings of the Technical Roundtable. Cases of domestic violence victims handled through legal and psychological support are 49 in total. Of these, 13 cases were provided with a protection order, and were presented to the center to benefit free psychological support in order to improve and rehabilitate their aggravated psychosocial situation as a result of domestic violence. An important focus in the rehabilitation of survivors of violence has been the support of other family members, such as parents or their children, in order to overcome and treat emotional and social difficulties caused as a result of the violence experienced. A total of 24 girls and women received psychological counselling.
During 2015, RAC of Durres paid a close attention to promotion of employment and training of those categories with socioeconomic problems (mainly divorced, violated women etc.). Thus, in order to support people at risk of trafficking: a total of 7 people were including in trainings that take place in the Office of Youth Counselling (YES), and 5 people in the “counselling cycle”; a total of 21 attended free of charge vocational training course at the Public Vocational Training Centre; a total of 30 jobseekers at risk of trafficking applied, and9 of them were employed; a total of 11 unemployed women at risk of trafficking were included in the employment promotion programs.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 69 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Main Awareness Activities
On the 25th of February 2015, with the support of the Office of the National Anti-trafficking Coordinator, a workshop was held on: “Strengthening the Capacity of the State to Protect Victims of Trafficking”. During the workshop, the National Strategy and Action Plan on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons 2014-2017, were presented, and teamwork was conducted for drafting the Action Plan of the RAC. Also, activities that RAC would conduct during that period were discussed, as well as the duties and responsibilities of the institutions and stakeholders at regional level, as regards the trafficking cases.
On the 17th of April, 2015, following the strengthening of the capacities of state structures to protect victims of trafficking a meeting took place in Kruja between representatives of the Technical Roundtable, with the support of the Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons and Albanian Caritas. During the meeting, they discussed the need to strengthen local structures and build the capacity of these structures for handling anti-trafficking issues. To this end, during the meeting, it was suggested and then decided to set up a Technical Anti-Trafficking Roundtable in Kruja, to deal with handling of the cases or any other issue related to this area, and to monitor the implementation of the Anti-Trafficking Plan, in accordance with the National Action Plan. This Roundtable is chaired by the Vice Prefect of Durres Region.
During the summer months, the National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, in the framework of raising the public awareness on the fight against trafficking in persons, undertook an initiative to conduct a national campaign on the prevention of trafficking. To that end, the RAC of Durres compiled the calendar of activities to educate youth and the community. The campaign was characterized by numerous activities, which are reflected in the bulletins of the Office of the National Coordinator.
Issues identified during the year
1. Lack of a database in terms of recording and reporting the causes that can lead to trafficking. These statistics should contain data from different institutions, members of RAC, such as data on children with social, economic problems, failure to attend school continuously, data on the number of divorced, homeless, unemployed, violated women, etc. These data will serve to better guide the work and activity of the RAC institutions in preventing and combating trafficking in persons. 2. Lack of social workers in health centers, which will serve as a bridge connecting very well with social services. 3. Lack of budgets or implementing strategies and action plans, not only in terms of awareness, but also in undertaking concrete initiatives from the RAC structures, particularly in suburban areas with socioeconomic problems. 4. Set up of emergency center for trafficked cases or cases at risk. The city has no reception or emergency point for trafficking cases, to create a sense of trust in the harsh socio-psychological conditions in which the victim can be; 5. Increasing the human resources operating in the field, in order to facilitate identification of cases of trafficking, or those at risk of trafficking.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 70 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 During 2015, the Regional Anti-trafficking Committee of Korca coordinated its activity, relying on the Regional Plan on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons, developed by members of the RAC, based on the Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and Action Plan 2014-2017. Below, it is presented the work performed during 2015, referring to the key points set in the National Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons, as well as in the Standard Operating Procedures.
Prosecution:
During January - December 2015, a total of 32 criminal offenses, in 27 criminal events occurring, were identified and recorded, from the procedural and legal aspect. These offence were all discovered at 100% rate. REPORT
• On “Trafficking in Minors” provided by Article 128/b of the Criminal Code, a total of 5 criminal offenses were identified. • On “Trafficking in adults”, provided by Article 110/a of the Criminal Code, a total of 3 criminal offences were identified; • On “Exploitation of prostitution in aggravating circumstances” provided by Article 114/2 of the Criminal Code, 1 criminal offence was identified. • On “Trafficking in motor vehicles” provided by Article 141/a of the Criminal Code, a total of 9 criminal offences were identified; • On “Aid to illegal border crossing” provided by Article 298 of the Criminal Code, a total of 3 criminal offences were identified; • On “Exploitation of prostitution” provided by Article 114 of the Criminal Code, a total of 4criminal offences were identified; • On “Using premises for prostitution” s provided by Article 115 of the Criminal Code, a total of 5 criminal offences were identified; • On “Trafficking of art and culture works” provided by Article 138/a of the Criminal Code, a total of 2 criminal offences were identified;
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 71 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 A total of 2 offenders were arrested on the spot, and 28 offenders were subjected to proceedings while free; Police operations coded as “Apellas”, “the Model” and “the Dancer” were carried out in collaboration with the State Police Sector, as well as joint police operations with district commissariats, border and customs coded as “HIT 2” for trafficked vehicles, and “Blue Amber -Sirocco” for illegal emigrants. The plan of “MIRAGE 2015” operation was carried out, with searches by the services at the custom cross-points of Kapshtica and Qafthana, and in road lines in the green border, for the prevention and suppression of smuggling activities of illegal emigrants. A citizen, Z.Gj., from city of Mat was interviewed and collaborated with, after she had left her home without the knowledge of her family, and was directed to Greece. Her companion, Sh.K, was interviewed too. After the interview and communication with the Police Commissariat of Mat and Illicit Trafficking Section of the Police Directorate of Dibra, and notification of family members, the citizen in question was set free since she was above the age of 18 years. In cooperation with the Regional State Social Service of Korca and “Kennedy” Foundation of Korca, work has been done for finding and settling at this center the minor L.Sh., 7 years old, abandoned by the parents, for whom criminal proceedings was initiated by Police the Commissariat of Korca. A total of 202 deported people were interviewed, of which 114 female and 88 minor males.
Protection During the reported period, the Regional Directorate of the State Social Service, in collaboration with other institutions and civil society, managed a total of 17 cases of victims/ potential victims of trafficking.
“Help for Children” Foundation, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, and MSWY, the Regional Social Services, Municipalities, Regional Educational Directorates of Korca, Elbasan, Berat and Tirana), and directorates of some 9-year-shcools, worked primarily in three main directions: education, vocational training, and support of social, cultural, and economic initiatives for communities in need (Roma/Egyptian). Through CEFA Project (Class for Vocational Education and Training) in the field of education of children with acute socio- economic problems, mainly from Egyptian and Roma communities, working mainly in three main aspects: prevention, protection, and reintegration. CEFA Project, funded by the Swiss Government, since 1998, supports children in need of ages 7-16 years old, integrated in public 9-year and high schools.
During the period January- December 2015, 80 children in this category, girls and boys mainly form the Roma and Egyptian communities, continued to be supported in the city of Korca. Throughout the year, all these children were provided educational materials (textbooks and teaching materials). On the occasion of the end of the year holidays, 72 eligible families of the communities in need, benefited a food package, in order to not feel discriminated compared to the rest of the population. During 2015, about 18 children were supported with the payment of kindergarten fees, so that the mothers could work to generate income for their families. Children, who reached the age of compulsory education, were integrated in
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 72 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 vocational training at the Vocational Training Centre of Korca. The social workers of the NPF Foundation also supported teachers of the school by following the social problems of the children and their families. Their main task is to maintain ties with families, social work with the community, by organizing various activities with educational, social, and cultural character, and providing psycho-social support. The relations established with the families are considered crucial because the success of the work of the foundation depends on these relations. The Social workers also follow-up the school progress of all school-aged children of the family.
Vocational training: 15 young men and women, belonging to the Roma and Egyptian communities, attended the counselling towards employment cycle, and completed or are attending vocational courses at the Vocational Training Centre in Korca. In these courses, young people are provided with practical skills and knowledge in crafts, such as: tailoring, cooking, repairing electro -domestics,
hairdressing, plumbing and carpentry, stone working, etc. The purpose of these courses is to REPORT prepare young people as future workforce, and parents who are capable to integrate into society, to avoid the phenomenon of trafficking and irregular migration, and to enhance the welfare of their family. Following the successful conduct of the training courses, these young people are provided with a vocational certificate, in order to be able to be employed or self- employed, and implement the knowledge they received in these courses, and help families and themselves, by generating income. During 2015, 2 young people were provided with vocational certificate, as they completed the courses, and were certified as plumbers, while other young people are under the process to be certified too.
Economic support: During 2015, a total of 6 Roma and Egyptian families received financial support, at an average value of about 80,000 ALL per family. This support was intended for the start –up and development of efficient private businesses according to the demand, desire, skills, experience, and management capacity, (mainly wholesale buying and retail selling of clothing).
Employment Office (Directorate of the National Employment Service) In the framework of the Regional Plan for the Fight against Trafficking in Human Beings and the its implementation Action Plan, the Employment Office Korca, for the period January- December 2015, periodically followed-up the progress of the labor market, of registered unemployment, and of the services it provides for its unemployed jobseeker clients. Regarding unemployment the situation for the district of Korca for this period is as follows:
- Total number of registered unemployed 6330 persons - Part of the unemployment payment scheme 243 persons - Part of the Economic Aid Scheme 2162persons - Other unemployed 3925 persons
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 73 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 If we would refer to specific groups, the following are registered:
-3370 long-term unemployed persons -1349 unemployed persons belonging to the Roma and Egyptian communities
All unemployed persons, who have sought the services of the Employment Office, were informed by the service specialists on the job vacancies available, types of vocational courses provided by the Regional Directorate of Vocational Training of Korca, and types of employment promotion programs. Special attention was paid to attendance of professional courses by disadvantaged groups, including also women from the Roma and Egyptian communities. 77% the jobseekers, part of the employment promotion programs are women, while 59% are young jobseekers. At the Directorate of National Employment Service of Korca, a Migration Service Window is also operational, where information is provided to all people who would like to emigrate according to the rules, by presenting them also information packages of different countries, where to they want to emigrate. Also, emigrants finally returning to our country, who often have social problems, are also received at these service windows. They receive support with various services in accordance with their needs. For 2015, a total 69 people, returning from different countries due to the loss of jobs in neighboring countries, seeking to be reintegrated into the Albanian market, were received. 2015, compared to 2014, had a decreasing influx of returned emigrants, who were presented at the Regional Directorate of National Employment Service of Korca. Services rendered during 2015 are:
10 people were sent to vocational training at Regional Directorate of Vocational Training in existing vocational courses such as: solar cells, tailoring, cooking, plumbing, electrical, as well as new vocational courses, which were introduced during 2015 such as: social operator, babysitter, hairdresser, welder, and all were given information about the labor market. 67 people were provided with job counselling
All unemployed people, who were newly registered, and beneficiaries of economic scheme, who are regarded as groups in need, and regularly get in contact, every 3 months, with the service specialists in the NES Regional Directorate of Korca, were informed by the specialists with regard to the vocational training courses that are available for their qualification.
Prevention During the reporting period, the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committee, for the implementation of its main objective, namely, the prevention of trafficking in persons, coordinated its work mainly with the Regional Educational Directorate of Korca, and the Public Health Directorate. Thus, the Regional Educational Directorate of Korca, in implementing the Work Plan of the National Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons for 2015, organized the work to follow-up this phenomenon with priority, by cooperating and coordinating with schools in the Region. The Educational Directorate recorded and identified all dropout students of Korca District for the school year 2014-2015. The 9-year school “Naim Frasheri” remain the problematic school in this regard, where the number of dropout students is 85, of whom
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 74 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 42 are female, a number greater than in other schools, but still all schools continuously face dropout trends, and therefore a doubled work is needed for the return of dropout students, but also a great and continuous work for the prevention of dropout. The phenomenon of emigration was one of the causes that led to higher school dropout. In schools with dropout students, plans have been developed for the next school year in order to reduce dropouts to zero. In these schools, cycle- based working groups have been established to raise awareness among parents. As a result of joint and continuous work, 2015 ended with the reduction in the number of dropout students in some schools such as:
• In the 9-year-school “Ismail Qemali” from 24 dropout students in June 2015, 6 students returned in December 2015 • In “Naim Frasheri” school, from 85 dropout students in June 2015, 3 students returned December 2015. • The RED of Korca will continue to collaborate with all stakeholders to reduce the number of children who dropout school.
During 2015, the Public Health Directorate, tried to address the cases referred for health care as quickly as possible. Such was also the case of D.H and E. H sisters, who were referred by an employee of the Social Service Department. At the beginning of the year, she got in contact with E.H who was pregnant, who after giving birth to her daughter on 21.12.2014, was advised to maintain constant contact with the child health counselling center, for a periodic follow-of the health of the baby girl. The newborn baby were subjected to health test and she resulted negative to syphilis (a disease from which her mother suffers). At the same time, the responsible personnel were recommended to pay attention to the periodical follow-up of the health and vaccination of the child. She was presented only for basic vaccines, and a few weeks later, E.H left to Elbasan to join her husband.
Coordination In the beginning of 2015, the Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons was distributed and Annual Action Plans for 2015 were drafted by each institution. With the support of RAC, Technical Roundtables were set up in the Region Sub-prefectures. During the summer campaign, and during the month of October, the RAC of Korca, in support of the initiative of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, conducted awareness activities with state and non-state structures, schools and the community. Likewise the activities of the other ARCs, these activities are included in Annex 2 and 38.
At the beginning of the year, the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committee of Fier changed its members with the current leaders and specialists of the participating institutions, and designed and implemented the Anti-trafficking Action Plan 2015-2016, and calendar of activities.
During 2015, several activities that had an impact on the prevention of trafficking phenomenon were conducted, such as: awareness activity on the day of orphans, awareness activity on child rights, promotion campaigns on combating violence against children and domestic violence,
8 Annex 2 and 3 contain Bulletin 7 with activities of the summer campaign, and the Special Bulletin of the Anti-trafficking Month
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 75 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 promotion activity on the fight against the exploitation of children for labor, or for begging, theft purposes, etc., meetings to identify children who are not registered in the civil registry offices and in the educational system, especially Roma children, activities in cooperation with NGOs, and “New Age” youth center, on human rights, xenophobia, anti-discrimination, anti- trafficking, etc.
Statistics
During 2015, according to information from the relevant sector in the Local Police Directorate of Fier, the following have been identified:
-10 criminal offences on “Trafficking in persons” were discovered, with 9 implicated offenders, 1 detained and 8 prosecuted as criminals at large.
-10 criminal offenses on “Exploitation of prostitution” were discovered, with 23 offenders, 7detained, and 16 prosecuted as criminals at large.
The following Table contains the indicators for the Region of Fier
No. of returnedtrafficked females females No. of returned females treated at the treatment centers The Anti-trafficking Committee of Fier should take immediately measures to coordinate the work between the structures, by handling the cases in the Technical Roundtable, and increasing the capacities of these structures for strict
No. of exploited females implementation of SOPs, during 2015, the Regional Directorate of the Social Services of Fier did not handle any case. No. of children trafficked per year No. children returned
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 76 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 No. of children returned and treated at the treatment centers During 2015, the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committee and Technical Roundtable of Vlora gathered periodically, but meetings were also held based on the needs of the Roundtable stakeholders. All members evaluated and were dedicated to provide a quick solution to the problems arising for the prevention, protection, and social reintegration of the victims of trafficking.
In March 2015, the RAC and the Technical Roundtable, organized a meeting to assess the situation created in connection with unusual influx of emigration of Albanian citizens (new families, mainly Roma people, young age groups), with destination the EU countries. In view of appreciating the potential risk of trafficking among these persons, it was agreed to communicate and discuss any potential case, in order to take the necessary measures.
On the 7th of May 2015, the RAC Vlora and Technical Roundtable, together with the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, made an analysis to the work,
in order to consider and to coordinate further work between the structures. The National REPORT Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons analyzed the activity and work of the RAC Vlora and Technical Roundtable, guaranteed her support, and assigned the tasks for the future (organization of the summer anti-trafficking campaign, completion of the tasks for this product, exchange of experience with other prefectures).
On 11th of May, the Technical Roundtable organized a meeting in order to draft the calendar of awareness activities, based on the initiative of the National Coordinator, and drew up the calendar of awareness activities for the summer campaign of 2015 against trafficking in persons. The plan of activities clearly defined the place, the actors, and date of conducting it. The Responsible institutions engaged with responsibility and seriousness for the best implementation of activities. Leaflets, brochures and photo novellas about trafficking in persons and services provided to the trafficking victims were distributed to the community, tourists, as well as travelers and migrants, in activities conduced in the Sea Port of Vlora. The responsible institutions,(“Vatra” center, Regional Police Directorate, Regional Directorate of the State Social Services, Regional Educational Directorate, Regional Employment Directorate, Regional Directorate of State Intelligence Service, and Child Protection Unit of Vlora Municipality, were committed with responsibility and seriousness for the best realization of the activities. The conduct of the activities was published also through photos in social networks.
The Regional Directorate of Border and Migration of Vlora developed an Action Plan “On Preventing the Massive Movement of Citizens towards Countries of the European Union”. The Regional Directorate of Border and Migration of Vlora has responsibly followed the situation every day, by updating the daily information, by acting step by step until the complete prevention of this phenomenon. Standard procedures and a more detailed control were applied by the controllers; professional interviewing of this category, and careful control of additional documentation, (in some cases resulted suspicious and their destination was not Italy, but Germany and France; some of them failed to justify the purpose of the trip, and their invitations were irregular and without trip tickets) for travelling to European Union countries. These categories of persons mainly originated form the cities of Fier, Vlora and Elbasan. RDBM of Vlora cooperated with organized crime structures and trafficking sector of the District Police Directorate of Vlora and Fier, and local government structures, in order to prevent this phenomenon. Passenger transport operators, with the tendency to organize mass
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 77 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 movement of citizens towards the EU countries, for profit purposes, were identified. Among them, the most problematic were: “AgimiTravel”; “Euro Lines”; “Arjan Travel”; “Jusi Travel”; and “Hermes” travel agencies. The Anti-Trafficking Sector at the Local Directorate of Police of Vlora collected the necessary statements in relation to the citizens who were refused to exit, in order to discover the persons organizing the massive movement of Albanian nationals towards countries of the EU, and the launch of criminal proceedings against the responsible persons.
During the period January-December 2015, the Section on the Fight against Trafficking worked for the accomplishment of the planned tasks and those arising in the work dynamics, aimed at preventing, identifying, detecting, and combating in time the criminal activity, as well as apprehension and arrest of offenders who had committed and were identified in the territory under the jurisdiction of the Regional Police Directorate of Vlora. A priority has been and continues to be the fight against exploitation of women for prostitution, trafficking in persons for profit purposes, giving assistance to illegal crossing of the state border, trafficking in motor vehicles, trafficking in weapons and ammunitions, etc.
Operations carried out during 2015, 7 in total
Plan –Operation “ HIT”; Plan- Operation “BLUE AMBER-SIROCCO”; Plan- Operation “RECEIVER”; Plan – Operation “THE BOSS”; Plan – Operation “BLU AMBER VULCAN”; Plan – Operation “DISASSEMBLER”; Plan –Operation ”Mirage”
During the period January–December 2015, the following were identified as criminal offences:
Exploitation of prostitution
Trafficking of minors
Ilegal border-crossing
Identified Discovered Not discovered Offenders Arrested Free Wanted Apprehended/ annulled
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 78 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Pursuant to Order of the Prime Minister No.19, dated 19.02.2006 “On Establishment of Regional Anti-Trafficking Committees” in the institution of the Prefect of the Region of Berat, the Regional Committee has been set up along with the Technical Roundtable on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons, which serves as technical secretariat of the Regional Committee.
The institution of the Prefect has seen the prevention and fight against trafficking in persons as one of the major and fundamental challenges in the human rights and law enforcement area, conceiving it, not just as a police duty, but as society-wide effort. The fight against trafficking in persons has already become an important priority, not of the law enforcement and education agencies, which have access in the fight against this social phenomenon, but also of a growing number of non-profit organizations.
For this year, meetings of the Regional Committee were held in February and August, under
the direction of the Prefect of the Region, and with the participation of not only the members REPORT of this Committee, but also invitees from the civil society, interest groups, associations, and representatives of the Educational Directorate, Public Health Directorate, and media. The Regional Technical Roundtable preceded the meetings of the Regional Committee. In this roundtable, discussions focused on factors of potential trafficking, such as: poverty, school dropouts, street children, especially uncontrolled clubs, and children not registered in the civil state registry, which are mainly from the Roma community and less from the emigrants. In this context, RAC had a fruitful cooperation with RED for the implementation of the project “Reducing Violence in School Premises with Models and Practices of Solutions and Negotiation”.
For the period January-December 2015, 7 criminal offenses were identified, 7 discovered, with 10 defendants, 5 arrested, 3 as criminals at large, and 1 wanted. Regarding the massive movement of Albanian citizens to emigrate to European Union countries to seek asylum, in Berat Region, there was no information or cases identified.
Goals of the Regional Anti-trafficking Committee of Berat Region:
- Sensitization and awareness of the structures on the importance of education in the field of trafficking in persons; - Making the local state organisms, local governments, and NGOs, familiar with the working models and coordination of activities in the fight against trafficking in persons, or that have an impact on its prevention; - Identification of socioeconomic problems of the community, and mapping the risk areas; - Conveying messages to the local authorities on how to help the community in need and at risk (women, girls, children) through periodic reports drawn up by institutions and NGOs that implement projects, focused on the fight against trafficking and violence.
During 2015, in implementing the National Strategy and Action Plan, pursuant to Order of the Prime Minister no. 139, and tasks assigned by Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Regional Anti- Trafficking Committee of Kukes Region carried out a series of tasks.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 79 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 The “Action Plan” of the Anti-Trafficking Committee of Kukes Region for increasing the perfection of the commitment of all the state structures, coordinating the government and non- governmental actions, and raising awareness of the community in the fight against trafficking in persons, was adopted. Pursuant to Guideline of the Minister of Internal Affairs No. 30, dated 05.02.2010, as a result of changes in management structures of institutions, the members of the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committee and Technical Roundtable were renewed. During 2015, 3 meetings were held at the RAC level, and 6 meetings with the Technical Roundtable with the involvement of all stakeholders assigned by law.
Some of the activities conducted:
On 11.03.2015, a workshop was held on “Development of Regional Anti-Trafficking Action Plan in Kukes Region”. This meeting was held in cooperation with the Albanian Caritas.
On 20.4.2015, a periodic meeting with members of the Regional Committee on the fight against Trafficking in Persons was held. The Committee and the Technical Roundtable, paid special attention to the eradication of the phenomenon of the school dropout, which was noted more during the second half of the year, which is the high season of people leaving towards western countries for asylum. The work of RAC and TR focused in meetings and contacts with the directorates of schools and dormitories operating in Kukes Region, and in conveying messages through the media, that the asylum seekers who will leave Albania will have very little chance of getting asylum in these countries.
On 20.05.2015, in cooperation with the Albanian Caritas, a meeting was organized where it was discussed about the drafting of the calendar of activities of the summer campaign.
On 30.06.2015 at the Sub-prefecture of Has, and on 01.07.2015 at the Sub-prefecture of Tropoja, in cooperation with the Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons and Albanian Caritas, subcommittees were set up in both aforementioned sub- prefectures, where there were satisfactory participation by the side of representatives of these two districts.
On 20.07.2015 the 6-month analysis covering January-June 2015, was conducted, with the participation of members of the RAC and Technical Roundtable.
On 18.09.2015, the chair of RAC held a meeting to evaluate the work done by the Technical Anti-Trafficking Roundtable, the accomplishment of the summer campaign awareness activities planned for the period May - August 2015, and to plan activities for the future.
On 16.12.2014, a meeting was held with members of the Regional Committee and Technical Roundtable for the Fight against Trafficking in Persons in order to analyze the work for 2015.
The summer awareness activities and Anti-Trafficking Month, and activities within the framework of the approved plan, are contained in Annex 2 and 3.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 80 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 During 2015, the Local Police Directorate structures paid special attention to the prevention of the criminal activity in general, and the elimination of the trafficking phenomenon, especially during the tourist season when the entry and exit influx is higher at the border. Illegal Trafficking Sector at the Local Police Directorate of Kukes Region identified the following indicators:
Trafficking in adult persons, Article 110/a of the Criminal Code, 2 (two) cases were discovered, with 3 offenders implicated, and 3 declared wanted.
Providing assistance for illegal border crossing, Article 298 of the Criminal Code, 5 (five) cases, with 9 suspects, where: 2 arrested on the spot, 1 wanted, 6 prosecuted as criminals at large. In 4 cases, referrals were made to the Prosecution Office of Kukes, while 1 case was referred to the Serious Crimes Prosecution Office in Tirana, with 3 suspects, where special investigative methods were recommended.
Trafficking in minors, Article 128/b of the Criminal Code, 1 (one) event identified, with REPORT 4 offenders, 2 arrested on the spot, 2 wanted. Referring to the Serious Crimes Prosecution.
Use of premises for prostitution, Aarticle 115 of the Criminal Code, 1 (one) case, referred to the Prosecution Office of Kukes, discovered with 3 offenders, 2 arrested on the spot, 1 prosecuted while free.
Pursuant to the Order of the Prefect no. 26, dated 16.12.2014, “On the Establishment of the Regional Committee for the Fight against Trafficking in Persons” and the Anti- Regional Trafficking Technical Roundtable for the period January - December 2015, theRegional Anti- Trafficking Committee of Lezhaperformed a series of meetings and activities:
On the 3rd of March 2015, a meeting of the Regional Committee and the Technical Roundtable was held on the topic of “Development of Regional Anti-Trafficking Action Plan for Lezha Region”. In the meeting, the Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and Action Plan 2014-2017, was presented, and the Regional Anti-Trafficking Plan was drafted in accordance with the objectives of the National Strategy, which was adopted by the RAC, and duties and responsibilities per each institution pursuant to the Regional Anti-trafficking Plan were defined.
On the 16th of September 2015, the next meeting of the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committee was held, focusing on the discussion of the progress of summer activities and drafting the Anti-Trafficking Month Calendar.
On 16th of December 2015, a meeting of the Technical Roundtable was held, as requested by the Regional Directorate of the State Social Service of Lezha for the handling of one case, on which tasks and commitment were assumed both from World Vision Lezha, who provided support for the payment of the rent for housing for a period of 6 months, legal formalization in cooperation with Lezha Municipality, as well as aid by the Red Cross Lezha. Also, the Public Health Directorate was assigned with the task of following-up of the health care of that case. This example is a success story to be followed by other RACs on how to resolve the cases at ARCs or TR level.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 81 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 The Local Police Directorate of Lezha worked towards the prevention, detection, and striking the criminal activity of trafficking in persons, and for the identification of victims/ potential victims of trafficking, in cooperation with the Regional Directorate of the State Social Service. During 2015, the structures of the Local Police Directorate of Lezha identified2 cases of “Trafficking in Persons” (females),1 case of “Attempted trafficking in Minors (female)”, and 1 case of “Assistance for Illegal Border Crossing”, where 4 offenders were arrested, and 1 was declared wanted. The Border and Migration Police Directorate had no information about the recording and identification of cases of trafficking in persons.
In terms of development and participation of state structures in the prevention and fight against trafficking in persons, the Lezha Region has been fully committed to implement correctly the summer campaign activities, as well as the month of the Fight against Trafficking in Persons. So we can mention the many activities of the Regional Directorate of the State Social Service, both with the community, as well high school and 9 year-school students.
During the period January-June 2015, the Regional Educational Directorate (RED) organized workshops throughout the region, with the participation of the community, school principals, teachers, and employees of various zonal and regional Directorates, social services of municipalities and communes, etc. and also addressed problems of trafficking, prevention, cooperation, information, and referral when they are, or constitute a risk for trafficking. RED had no case identified as a possible victim of trafficking, but had been continuously correct, not only in identifying identify or researching through the psycho – social service, but in cooperating regularly for the awareness, counselling, prevention, and legal recognition, through anti-trafficking experts of the Local Police Directorate of Lezha. In addition, the RED conducted joint activities especially on Community Policing, where the participation of students in police premises, explanation on the way how community policing process works, has allowed the students to ask questions and get clear answers, and become aware also of their role in this regard. Likewise, it was cooperated with the Regional Directorate of the State Social Service of Lezha, who made themselves available to the school to introduce the legislation and the way of cooperation, and increase and strengthen social sensitivity among the people.
For the period January-December, the Public Health Directorate of Lezha conducted educational seminars with students from the age of 12- 18 of the schools of Lezha District (Zejmen, Spiten, Manati, Torovicë, Balldre, Dajc, Shengjin, Shënkoll, Rrile, Lezha), on topics such as, the diligence that teenagers should pay while selecting their friends, who may be from outside of their school and be significantly older than them, care in choosing the partner and engagements at young age, hanging out with unknown persons and with suspicious behavior, and on dressing ethics in school, etc.. Also, young people were informed on their rights, where they can go to get reliable information and where can they make their denunciations and reports in cases they feel threatened or endangered, likewise the National Hotline 116006 and “Report! Save!” Application. At the same time, meetings with health middle and higher personnel were held, on the implementation of Standard Operating Procedures to be followed in cases of victims of trafficking. No case a victim/potential victim of trafficking has been identified by the Public Health Directorate.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 82 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 At the institution of Prefect of Gjirokastra Region, pursuant to Law no. 8927, dated 25.07.2002 “On the Prefect”, by Order Nr. 3, dated 20.01.2015, the Regional Committee on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons for Gjirokastra Region,was re-established. Since the beginning, the RAC of Gjirokastra drafted the Action Plan for the period January - December 2015. The Action Plan defined all the duties and responsibilities of the relevant regional structures, the activities and commitments taken by the Committee and its members, in the framework of the prevention and fight against trafficking in persons. Also, other institutions, members of the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committee of Gjirokastra, drafted the relevant action plans. Thus:
Gjirokastra Municipality during the reporting period kept under monitoring the socio- economic situation of 55 families, with young girls or new mothers as family heads. In addition, subject to monitoring are also 16 women and girls who have received a protection order form the Court. REPORT During this period, the Public Health Directorate, under the 2015 Action Plan, promoted materials on the standard operating procedures protocols, identification and referral of potential victims of trafficking by the personnel and health institutions. During the analysis period, there has been no specific case form this institution declared by the health centers, that concerned a potential victim of trafficking. Also, there were not either documented cases of exploitation of women for prostitution.
The Regional Directorate of the National Employment Service, as part of the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committee was ready to provide employment, vocational training, counselling and orientation to the labor market for this category. An emigration service window is available within this directorate, through which job seekers are provided with information on emigration through an information package free of charge.
For 2015, number of trafficking in persons in the district of Gjirokastra is zero. Thus, during the period 1 January-31 December 2015 no case of trafficking in persons was identified. Meanwhile, from the police services of the Illicit Trafficking Section, pursuant to the Service Order of the General Director of State Police no. 865, dated 26.12.2007 “On Entering the Data in the Trafficking Victims Database” during the reporting in the Border Crossing Points o fKakavija and “Tri Urat”, a total of about 1,500 foreigners were deported, mostly of a Syrian origin, Middle East and African countries and, who, based on the interview with them, had crossed the green border on foot. In the district of Gjirokastra, main routes or points where trafficking is carried out include:
- Llongo - Katundë - Gjirokastër - Dritë - Kakavijë - Grykë e Bogazit - Peshkëpi e Sipërme- Nepravishtë - Gjirokastër - Gjirokastër - Delvinë - Vlorë - Gjirokastër - Sarandë - Vlorë
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 83 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 A concerning issue for the Region of Gjirokastra was the illegal border crossing by citizens of third countries or the Middle East and various African countries, due to the geographical proximity of Gjirokastra region with Greece. They have tried to enter and use our region as transit towards the European Union countries. According to reports of the Border and Migration Directorate, during 2015, was seen a significant decline in the number of emigrants. The structures of the Local Directorate of Police of the Region have continuously taken measures, according to the dynamics created, in order to tackle criminal activity in the field of trafficking in persons.
Another disturbing problem for Gjirokastra Region is the phenomenon of begging of minors, mainly in streets or other busy places in residential areas, a phenomenon which is related to trafficking in minors for begging. This situation can be evaluated as the most disturbing, given the fact that in the Region of Gjirokastra there is a considerable number of Roma and Egyptian communities, which represent the most vulnerable groups.
Based on the Action Plan of the Regional Committee on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons for the period January - December 2015, and on the calendar of activities for the month of the Fight against Trafficking in Persons, the relevant structures in the Region of Gjirokastra conducted a series of activities as follows:
The Regional Education Directorate, in cooperation with educational institutions took part as an important factor in the education of children and the prevention of trafficking in persons. During the year many activities were held, with the emphasis on:
• Raising the awareness of the children, parents and teaching staff about the risk posed by trafficking in persons, different forms it can take and how it and can be prevented. • Reducing school dropout and taking street children back to school. • Increase of cooperation with psychologists and social workers for all ages and especially for children coming from marginalized groups. • Organizing roundtables and awareness campaigns, not only during the month of October which is declared as the “Anti-Trafficking Month”, but throughout all the year. Such roundtables were conducted in schools such as, “Koto Hoxhi”, “Cajupi” Naim Frasheri”, etc. • “Asim Zeneli” High School, in cooperation with Psycho-social Service Unit, prepared leaflets, which covered in a combined way the issues of violence, trafficking, and how to protect against them. • Various art and sports activities were planed and performed, so that the children involved in these activities can stay as far away from the dangerous trafficking situations.
The Institution of Prefect of Gjirokastra Region took measures for the drafting of the Action Plan for the period January-December 2016, the renewal of the members of the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committee and Technical Roundtable, as well as developing the Regulation of RAC.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 84 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 The Regional Anti-trafficking Committee and Technical Roundtable of Shkodra were reorganized by order of the Prefect Nr. 9, dated 10.02.2015 ‘On the Reorganization of the Regional Anti-trafficking Committee, and Order Nr. 10 dated 10.02.2015 ‘On the Reorganization of Technical Roundtables against Trafficking in Human Beings’’, while also the Anti- trafficking Action Plan for the Region of Shkodra was drafted, which was distributed to all the structures responsible for its implementation. During 2015, work of RAC of Shkodra consisted in:
• Conduct of periodic meetings every 3 (three) months, and delivery of official information of the Regional Committee and Technical Roundtable to the Institution of Prefect of Shkodra Region, and its reporting to the Ministry of Internal Affairs;
• Increase of cooperation among institutions which are members of the Technical
Roundtable and Regional Committee, operating in the Region of Shkodra, who have REPORT done intensive work with reforms for the prevention, information, and awareness among people with social problems who can become a source of trafficking victims.
• Collaborating and reporting of members of the Regional Committee for denouncing and referring to relevant structures the cases identified, especially of maltreated categories which are mostly women and children.
• The institution of the Prefect of Shkodra Region paid special attention to the members of the Regional Committee and NGOs in the implementation of awareness and information campaigns on domestic violence and aspects of trafficking in children and adults. By conducting 22 awareness activities in schools, 2 (two) meetings at the border crossing point of Muriqan, 2 (two) informational tents near the Prefecture of Shkodra, 6 (six) meetings in health centers, and 1 (one) awareness meeting in 1 (one) fason in Puka, on the phenomenon of trafficking, distributed during the summer and during anti-trafficking month.
• The Regional Health Directorate conducted a training of 179 doctors of the health centers in rural areas, on the topic of “Importance of the Family Physician in Reporting Victims of Trafficking. ‘’
• The Directorate of State Social Services and the Regional Directorate of PublicVocational Training provided vocational training course to 24 women and girls from isolated families in Rrethina Commune, who also benefited psychological support from the Public Health Directorate of Shkodra.
• The Prefecture of Shkodra in cooperation with the State Social Service, Local Police Directorate and Regional Educational Directorate of Shkodra conducted 15 meetings in the schools of Shkodra Region. In these meetings 1823 students of ShkodraRegion of the 9-year schools, high schools and University of Educational Sciences at the University of Shkodra, of psychology and social work branched, benefited.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 85 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Some of the results achieved for 2015
1. 2 interview rooms were arranged and furnished with all the necessary equipment at the Border Crossing Point in Muriqan, within the implementation of the project of Albanian Caritas and CRS on “Strengthening the Capacities of the Albanian Governmental Institutions to Protect Victims of Trafficking”, funded by the Office on Trafficking in Persons (J-TIP) and the Department of State of the Government of the United States, which has helped to improve cross-border cooperation of cross-border police with their counterparts in Kosovo and Montenegro, and
2. In September 2015, a shelter was established to accommodate victims of domestic violence, for the 48 emergency hours. This service was made possible thanks to the cooperation of Shkodra Municipality with “Woman to Woman” organization.
Meetings of the Regional Committee and Technical Roundtables on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons were held at the Institution of Prefect of Shkodra Region, in Sub- prefecture “Malesia e Madhe”, at the premises of the border crossing point of Muriqan. During 2015, 5 meetings were held:
• On 10.02.2015, the first meeting was held for 2015, in order to reorganize the Regional Anti-trafficking Committee and suggestions were given for drafting the Anti- Trafficking Action Plan for 2015.
• On 18.02.2015, a workshop was organized on: “Strengthening the Capacity of State Structures to Protect Victims of Trafficking in Persons” with members of the Regional Committee, Technical Roundtable, Office of the National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, Albanian Caritas. On 21.07.2015, the Institution of Prefect, in collaboration with the Directorate of Border and Migration and Directorate of Police of Shkodra Region, held a meeting on: Cooperation with Structures of Regional Border and Migration Directorate and Police Directorate of Shkodra Region, to inform and raise awareness of the public opinion at the crossing point, on the phenomenon of trafficking in persons. It was discussed about the training of police officers on identifying people who are at risk of being trafficked, and on the plan of actions developed by the Border and Migration Directorate in relation to asylum seekers. After this meeting, awareness materials were distributed. (Photo novellas)
• In the period May-July, a Vocational Training course was delivered to 24 women and girls from isolated families in the Commune of Rrethina. Direct beneficiaries of this service were 24 girls and women who also received psychological support from the Public Health Directorate of Shkodra.
• On 23.09.2015, an initiative of awareness and prevention of irregular migration to the Belgian State was carried out at the European Union Information Office.
• On 28-29.09.2015, training was provided to the members of the RAC by the Albanian Caritas in Tirana.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 86 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 • In November 2015, at the Municipality of Shkodra, a meeting was organized to draft the Local Action Plan on the Identification and Protection of Children in Street Situation.
Reporting of the Local Police Directorate of Shkodra Region, on the number of victims of trafficking in Shkodra district, identified and handled by members of the RAC and TR, show1 victim of trafficking. The Regional Directorate of State Intelligence Service informed us that in connection to the identification of the number of trafficked persons and potential victims of trafficking for the period January-December 2015, no cases of trafficking victims or potential victims of trafficking were identified for Shkodra Region. In relation to the situation and the dangers posed by the uncontrolled movement of citizens, especially of unaccompanied minors to the EU countries, who can become a source of trafficking in persons, the Regional Directorate of State Intelligence Service treated the phenomenon in the cases it has identified in accordance with the SIS law.
The Regional Directorate of Public Vocational Training of Shkodra has made possible REPORT the inclusion in integrated groups of people from the Roma community in professional courses for plumbers, mechanical of industrial (sewing) machines, and gardener, whereas from the contacts of the Regional Directorate of NES, there are no persons from this community who were employed. 8 people from the Roma community continued the training course on welding, in order to negotiate for employment opportunities at the end of training at the beginning of 2016. A total of 9 (nine) people from the Roma community were included on a ‘wood carver’ training course. A total of 4 (four) people from this community completed the training in the respective profile. 1 (one) persons of the Roma community was employed, as a welders, and was also engaged by the Regional Public Vocational Centre of Shkodra as a part-time instructor. In collaboration with ‘I Care’ organization, orphan trainees were included in the patisserie training course. In addition, meetings were held with the ‘’Maltezer’’ association in order to include the mothers of children with disabilities. With regard to the attendance of the post-training of the vulnerable groups who have already received vocational training, through the tracking system, applied by this institution, sporadic cases of self-employment were identified.
In the period between April-June 2015, RAC Shkoder, in cooperation with the Regional Directorate of Public Health, conducted awareness meetings with 4 health centers of the city and the health center of Velipoja, where information was delivered to the following:
• 170 health employees; • 11 nurses of the schools of the dental service; • 10 employees of the Health center of the Velipoja Commune.
The Regional Education Directorate conducted regular meetings with all heads of schools of RED and school heads with their teaching staff, in order to recognize the risks presented by criminal groups interested in trafficking in persons. The Action Plan of RED of Shkodra has worked for enriching the teaching classes with topics on trafficking in persons, realized in cooperation between teacher and psychologist. Topics on trafficking have been discussed, debates were organized, drama playing, essays, and awareness activities, were conducted. The purpose of these educational activities is to serve as a reference and resource material in
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 87 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 activities conducted by and for the students, which are related to the prevention of some of the risks faced by them today. It is worth mentioning that, in cooperation with orphanages, integration of a group of orphaned children into “Salo Halili”, “Xheladin Fisher” and “Azem Hajdari” schools, was achieved. In addition, in cooperation with all institutions that provide service to the interest of the children, such as the Orphanage, the Regional Directorate of Social Services, the Local Police Directorate of Shkodra District, the Public Health Directorate, as well as educational institutions of Shkodra, work was done for the identification and update of the lists to enable the registration of all children in compulsory school age.
For the year 2015, in the Employment Offices at Regional level a total of 11958 jobseekers were registered (5182 women and 6776 men) where no victim or potential victim of trafficking was identified. During the period October-December, currently and ongoing, there are employment opportunities in the fason sector (tailoring, shoes and fish processing) for 158 women and girls, especially aged 18-35 years old, and without a profession, but also up to 45 years old with profession of textile sewer and leather sewer. At the same time, at an ongoing basis, there are vacancies in the telemarketing sector, as currently there are about 130 job vacancies available. In each case, institutional cooperation and collaboration was requested for the preventive or rehabilitative measures for trafficked persons, in order to act with priority in terms of mediation for their employment and vocational training.
The Sub-prefecture of Puka, in collaboration with the Educational Office, the Public Health Directorate, and the local government, organized various meetings and awareness campaigns on the phenomenon of trafficking, its consequences, and the manners to report it. In cooperation with school psychologists, a joint Action Plan was developed with information on child protection issues, their rights, gender equality, domestic violence and the phenomenon of trafficking in persons. For each of these topics, a calendar of meetings with different schools was also determined. In this framework, the following were implemented:
1. Awareness meetings with high school students; 2. Awareness campaigns on the consequences of trafficking; 3. Roundtables with associations and institutions covering various social problems.
For the period January - December 2015, with regard to the identification of the number of trafficked persons and potential victims of trafficking, no trafficking case was identifiedthe in Sub- prefecture of Malësi e Madhe. In cooperation with Shkodra Prefecture, awareness and information campaigns on the phenomenon of trafficking and its consequences were conducted. Work focused also on meetings with school psychologists, developing a joint Action Plan with information measures on child protection issues, their rights, gender equality, domestic violence, and the phenomenon of trafficking in persons.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 88 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 In its analysis, the RAC of Shkodra, except the achievements in implementing the Strategy and Action Plan, during the reporting period also encountered some challenges, such as:
1. Lack of registration of Roma community;
2. In addition to the resistance that some potential victims of trafficking can show during the medical consultation, due to fear of reporting, doctors are reluctant to tell the truth due to lack of police offices in the health centers.
3. Establishment of Child Protection Unit in local government units and training of responsible persons.
4. Small number of children benefiting complementary education programs, for those who
have dropped out school through the ‘Second Chance’ model. REPORT
5. Relation between the psychologist and school children is not in balance. (A large number of children are managed by one psychologist).
At the beginning of the year, the Regional Anti-trafficking Committee of Diberdeveloped the Action Plan for 2015, and approved the Regulation “On the Organization and Functioning of the Regional Committee on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons”, which set out in detail the rules and tasks concerning the organization, functioning, and relations of the Committee with state and non-state institutions, actors for the prevention and fight against trafficking in persons at the regional level. The Institution of the Prefect participated in meetings organized by state structures and NGOs, on anti-trafficking situation in the Region and districts, discussing the situation and determining priorities for the upcoming period.
In the meetings of the Regional Committee and Anti-Trafficking Subcommittee, information on the identification of unemployed, uneducated women, and their children, who come from poor families and categories of population most in need was shared and reported. On 29.12.2015, a meeting of the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committee and Technical Anti-trafficking Roundtable was held the fifth meeting of the Subcommittees, in the districts of Mat and Bulqiza, where information was presented and discussions were held on the trafficking situation in the Region and districts for 2015, and priorities were defined for the upcoming period.
The activities under the Anti-Trafficking Month involved about 350 children of 9-year and secondary schools of Dibra Region, in the information meetings that were held regarding trafficking; causes, agencies to which you can report, discussion of specific cases, and getting familiar with the “Report! Save!” Application. The activities were monitored by the Regional Educational Directorate, its offices in the districts, as well as NGOs operating in the Diber Region. For the drawings made by students of some schools within the Anti- Trafficking month, certificates of appreciation were distributed by the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 89 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 The Regional Office of the State Social Service has made the socio-economic assessment for 6 cases of unaccompanied children, who have sought economic asylum in EU countries such as France, Norway, and Sweden. Per each case, a standard form was filled which has been reported to the General Directorate of the State Social Service Tirana. With regard to the Roma families in the Region of Dibra, 6 families were identified. Out of these, 2 are under the Municipality of Mat, and 4 under the Administrative Unit of Komsi. For other cases, the Roma families, are not registered in the respective civil registry office, but are staying temporary.
During 2015, the National Employment Service, the Regional Directorate of NES in Diber, received, counselled, and registered as total of 2110unemployed jobseekers. The largest share of unemployed jobseekers is composed by those under the economic aid scheme, namely, 1688, whereas a total of 233 jobseekers receive payment for unemployment. From the contacts of this office with private employers and NGOs, no case of child exploitation in forced labor or cases of trafficking in persons was identified.
During January-February-March, World Vision organization, together with CPUs in the Municipality of Peshkopi, focused its activity in the management of 3 cases. During October- November-December, World Vision conducted visits with 83 children from Brestvillage, administrative unit of Kastriot, to see the issues regarding their health. Activities with parents for positive discipline and vulnerability, where parents were made familiar with such concepts and techniques that they should use for disciplining their children. Likewise, it provided support to 17 kindergartens with stationery materials and carpets, chairs and shelves to one kindergarten, conducted activities with 300 children in need in the context of the end of year celebrations, and donated them gifts, and also provided food packages to 61 families in need that were identified by the teachers, schools students, and the community. Also, it donated 400 gifts for children of primary school, where World Vision works, namely, Cetush, Vrenjt, Obok, Kërçishtisipërm, Bllatë e poshtme, Dovolan, Selane, Staravec, Borovjan, Deshat), and supported and assisted health cases of 20 children with visits, consultations, medication and eyeglasses.
During January-February-March 2015, the Albanian Red Cross, branch of Diber, helped 30 families most in need, identified by the Institution of the Prefect and the municipality social worker. During the summer, in partnership with World Vision, they focused their activity in summer camps for children from Peshkopi city, ranging from 8 - to 14 years. These activities included children with disabilities of this age group of Municipalities of Sllovë, Muhurr and Peshkopi. These activities were conducted in four weeks, where every week (five days from Monday to Friday) 50 children were included.
“Partners for Children” organization, had meetings with parents, school boards, student governments, and school psychologists, to increase capacity and awareness to enable children with disabilities to increase their accessibility to education and other services eligible for the children.
During 20015, in the District of Mat, Save the Children organization performed activities mainly with schoolchildren, where continuous topics of training for children, regarding the methods of trafficking, were conducted. During the summer, children daily camps were organized, where activities were performed and stationary materials were provided. This foundation provided several schools with laboratory, didactic equipment, artistic books etc. Save the Children, in
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 90 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 cooperation with Project UNDE Radio and MDE PAK organization, through the computer network and media, deal with problems of the Roma, Egyptian communities, and children with disabilities. Training continues in the 9-year schools “31 Korriku” of administrative units of Komsi and Rrype in the area of education.
The Diber Educational Department cooperated with the Police Directorate of Diber, for the awareness of students to the potential risks of forms of crime (trafficking, drugs, etc.). It carried out several activities to educate the community on the prevention of violence, drugs and trafficking in children. Activities that promote quality education were conducted, with the slogan “an educated a child is less vulnerable”. The Educational Office of Mat, recorded 2 (two) cases of school dropout, specifically in Gurrë e Madhe High school, in the eighth grade and one in Ketevillage in the ninth grade.
The Municipality of Mat and UNDP (United Nations Development Program),in the framework
of handling domestic violence, in collaboration with the central institutions and National REPORT Association and the community, organized workshops (trainings),where mainly domestic violence and its causes were covered. During this year, a total of 30 cases of domestic violence were handled by the social services and the lawyer authorized by UNDP for the provision of free service.
During 2015, in the Municipality of Bulqiza, there were no cases of trafficking in persons, and work has been done for the identification of all families in need, as they may be at risk of trafficking in persons. A case involving a 3 year old girl, born in the hospital in Gjakova, was assisted, while in collaboration with ATLAS Tirana, her registration in the civil registry office of Municipality of Bulqiza was made possible.
The Regional Councilof Dibra Region, on 07.12.2015, gathered the Steering Committee to monitor cases, where a case involving a child with initials A.M. was handled. The child was born out of wedlock, and was not registered. The girl A.M. is 4 and a half years old and lives with her grandparents. As regards the registration, the steering committee decided to prepare the relevant documentation. Depending on the collected information, the next meeting of the Steering Committee will be held, where the progress on the solution of the problem will be reported.
During 2015, there was only one case of trafficking, and the offender of the criminal offences of “Trafficking in Adult Persons”, provided by Article 110/a 2, “Exploitation of Prostitution”, and “Sexual intercourse with Adult Females”, Article 102 of the Criminal Code was detained. The procedural materials were sent to the Serious Crimes Prosecution Office of Tirana, for further actions.
In cooperation with the Border and Migration Police Commissariat of Dibra, work continued for achieving the objectives on the prevention and tackling of the criminal activity intended to be carried out through the border in general, and trafficking in persons in particular. During 2015, according to the statistics recorded in the TIMS system, in BCP of Diber, the following were deported back from the Macedonian side: 150 people, of them 136 males, 14 females, 9 persons under 15 years old, 26 persons have crossed the border illegally. Divided by district, persons are: Tirana -13 persons, Diber, Bulqize- 15
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 91 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 persons, Fushe Kruja- 1 person, Kukes-8 person, Fier- 1 person, Elbasan -1 persons, Librazhd -4 persons, Korca – 1 person, Durres- 1 person. From the interviews and statements taken from deportees apprehended at the border, no case of trafficking in persons was identified.
Based on the analysis of all the activities undertaken by the RACs, the periodic reports, and on the participation of the Office of the National Coordinator in the meetings of RAC or Technical Roundtables, ONAC has come up with the following recommendations:
The work of the Committees should not be limited only in transmitting the information reported by institutions and agencies operating at local level, but they must become the core of the conception and anti-trafficking action, including here the prevention, fight against trafficking in persons, as well as protection of victims/ potential victims of trafficking. Reports should include analysis and recommendations to resolve the problems identified.It is worth noting the good work of the RACs of Kukes, Shkodra, Lezha, Dibra, Durres, Elbasan, Korca, hich not only sent out periodic reports, but also carried out an analysis of the situation based on the statistics.
The first priority should be to improve coordination between the structures at the local level, under the lead of the Anti-Trafficking Committee, through the creation and updating of a network of contacts with all institutions, including civil society. Strengthening the partnership with NGOs and local government structures at regional level must precede any development. At meetings of the RAC and of the Technical Roundtable specific issues should be addressed, analyzing them carefully and targeting their solution. For each meeting held, RAC should prepare information for National Coordinator’s Office.A good practice is to design calendars of actions in the Region of Lezha, Durres and Shkodra, which should be followed by other Regions too.
Another important direction where the work of RAC should focus is the development of action plans at the local level to prevent and combat trafficking in persons. The action plan should be based on a preliminary assessment of the needs and specificities of the Region, and should be harmonized with the National Action Plan on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons. To be mentioned positively is the Action Plan of RACs of Kukes, Lezha, Shkodra, Durres, and Dibra, with a detailed plan with specific objectives, deadlines, and concrete activities.
The RACs of Tirana, Fier and Berat should take measures to reorganize their work, specifying and updating contacts of the members, and to develop a concrete working plan with clearly defined deadlines, and prioritize key issues that require quick solutions.
Measures should be taken to protect individuals and groups at risk of trafficking, especially children. For this purpose, they should be supported and studies should be performed on the situation of trafficking at the regional level. Work should be done for the creation of a database for all categories and individuals risked of being trafficked, such as: families with low economic levels, children who have
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 92 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 dropped out of school, children who are not registered in the civil registry, single mothers, orphans, children of divorced parents, unemployed people, etc. Cooperation with NGOs and shelters of Tirana, Vlora and Elbasan (including MU) to be more fruitful, from the respective RACs, and should serve as a positive model, to be rolled out also in other regions.
Another very important priority is the creation and institutionalization of the Local Mechanisms for the Identification, Referral and Treatment of cases within the Region, based on the National Referral Mechanism, and the establishment of the Anti-Trafficking Sub-committees in sub- prefectures. The best practice regarding these sub-committees is the set up and functioning of the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committees of the Region of Kukes (Anti-Trafficking Subcommittees of Has and Tropoja), Durres (Anti-trafficking Sub-committee of Kruja), Lezha (Anti-trafficking Sub-committee of Kurbin), Diber (Anti-trafficking Sub-committee of Bulqiza, etc. .),
good practices to be followed by other RACs. REPORT
Improving cooperation between the structures at the local level, establishment of good practices of effective coordination among them, and focusing on the internal trafficking, especially trafficking in children for labor exploitation, begging and prostitution. A positive model is the handling of cases of domestic trafficking by the RACs of Kukes, Shkodra, Lezha, and Elbasan.
Organizing trainings and participation of the members of the RAC and TR that ensure a proactive implementation of the Standard Operating Procedures for the identification and referral of victims/potential victims of trafficking and best practices for the identification of victims of trafficking.Based on the monitoring of the RACs for 2015, only RACs of Lezha and Kukes supported by the non- profit organization swere able to organize themselves the trainings of the members of the RAC and of the Technical Roundtable.
There is a persistent need for a special item in the budget of the Prefecture for the financial and material needs of the RACs and for the involvement of several representatives of other structures of local government, and some independent institutions that can provide assistance in the prevention of the phenomenon of trafficking.
The meetings initiated/with participation of ONAC, for the reporting period, highlighted all the issues raised, which will be addressed in the upcoming period, in a series of awareness raising and capacity building activities for members of the RAC and TR.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 93 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Given the problems issues identified, ONAC, for 2016, will organize/facilitate the following:
• Regular meetings at the 12 RACs; • Coordination of the activity of the organizations/centers operating in Regions with RACs; • Trainings of the RAC and TR members in order to build their capacities in terms of initial identification; • Solving and coordinating difficult cases / that cannot be solved by the RACs; • Set up of the Anti-Trafficking Subcommittees in the Regions where they are missing; • Facilitation/assistance in the drafting of action plans, regulations, orders, and periodic reports.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 94 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 ANNEX 2
Capacity building of anti-trafficking structures / trainings & workshops
Capacity building is another crucial aspect in terms of preventing and fighting trafficking in persons. As such, ONAC gives a special attention to this issue. Consequently, during the reporting period, this Office, in collaboration with national and international organizations, and state structures, organized trainings, workshops, roundtables, or information and awareness sessions on various topics that address different interest groups, as follows:
During 2015, the Police, in cooperation with ONAC, the prosecution office, and civil society (NGOs and IOs) provided several trainings as follows:
Donors Place where REPORT Participants (if any) No. Title of training Duration it was from SKTP or conducted cooperation Cross-border 4 cooperation in the representative identification and 04- from 1 investigation of cases 06.03.2015 Hotel Tirana IOM Sector against of trafficking and Trafficking in smuggling of human Persons (SATP) beings. Improving the 1 identification of ASTANA IOM, UNDP 2 11.03.2015 representative trafficking victims in Kazakhstan and EIDHR from SATP Kazakhstan Action plan for the 11,18, 24- 1representative IOM, UNDP 3 re-integration of the Hotel Tirana 03.2015 from SATP and EIDHR trafficking victims Fight against violence 1 SAPRC and 4 against children in 26.03.2015 Hotel Tirana representative Council of Albania from SKTP Europe Use of joint investigative units (JIUs), in the fight 14 MoIA Slovenia 24- Hotel 5 against trafficking in representatives and OAC 26.03.2015 Sheraton human beings, in the from SATP Albania Western Balkans and at local level. Fight against trafficking of females Police 20 Illegal for prostitution. 06- 6 Training representatives Trafficking Procedures of 08.04.2015 Centre from SATP Sector. trafficking in human beings.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 95 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Donors Place where Participants (if any) No. Title of training Duration it was from SKTP or conducted cooperation
Topic of the training was “Improvement of the implementation of the National Referral Mechanism for the 5 identification and 7 28.04.2015 Shkodra representatives OSCE referral of victims/ from SATP potential victims of trafficking, in accordance with the Standard Operation Procedures”
Topic of the training was “Improvement of the implementation of the National Referral Mechanism for the identification and 8 15.05.2015 Kukës OSCE referral of victims/ potential victims of trafficking, in accordance with the Standard Operation Procedures”
Topic of the training was “Improvement of the implementation of the National Referral Mechanism for the identification and 9 27.05.2015 Dibra OSCE referral the victims/ potential victims of trafficking, in accordance with the Standard Operation Procedures”
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 96 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Donors Place where Participants (if any) No. Title of training Duration it was from SKTP or conducted cooperation
Topic of the training was “Improvement of the implementation of the National Referral Mechanism for the identification and 10 04.06.2015 Lezha OSCE referral of victims/ potential victims of trafficking, in accordance with the REPORT Standard Operation Procedures”
Topic of the training was “Improvement of the implementation of the National Referral Mechanism for the identification 11 11.06.2015 Elbasan OSBE and referral of victims/ potential victims of trafficking, in accordance with Standard Operation Procedures”
Participation in the closing conference for Council of the project on the use 2 Europe and of joint investigative 20- 12 Slovenia representatives the National units against trafficking 22.05.2015 from SATP Coordinator in human beings, in the of Slovenia. Western Balkans, at local level.
Participation in the 22ndmeeting of the Task 2 Bucharest / 13 Force against trafficking 18.06.2015 representatives SELEC Rumania in persons and illegal from SATP border crossing.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 97 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Donors Place where Participants (if any) No. Title of training Duration it was from SKTP or conducted cooperation
Participation in the Regional Meeting of the Working Groups of the Project IPA 2013- 1 15- Podgorica/ 14 Fight against Organized representative IPA 16.07.2015 Montenegro Crime in Criminal from SATP Justice where specialists from the State Police participated.
Participation in the training on: “Intelligence 13 03- Ankara/ 15 Service in Fight against representatives TIKA 07.08.2015 Turkey Organized Crime”, from SATP TADOC.
Participation in the Training on: “On providing skills on the Directorate 3 23- 16 national free hotline of State representatives POLARIS 25.09.2015 116006 and discussions Police Tirana from SATP on the assessment of the data”.
Participation in the training on: “Improvement of the implementation of the National Referral Directorate Mechanism for the 5 of Regional 17 identification and 22.09.2015 representatives ONAC Police (DRP) referral of victims/ from SATP of Fier potential victims of trafficking, in accordance with the Standard Operation Procedures”
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 98 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Donors Place where Participants (if any) No. Title of training Duration it was from SKTP or conducted cooperation
Participation in the training on: “Improvement of the implementation of the National Referral Mechanism for the 5 18 identification and 28.09.2015 DRP of Vlora representatives ONAC referral of victims/ from SATP potential victims of trafficking, in
accordance with the REPORT Standard Operation Procedures”
Participation in the training on: “Improvement of the implementation of the National Referral Mechanism for the 5 DRP of 19 identification and 06.10.2015 representatives ONAC Berat referral of victims/ from SATP potential victims of trafficking, in accordance with the Standard Operation Procedures”
Participation in the training on: “Improvement of the implementation of the National Referral Mechanism for the 5 DRP of 20 identification and 13.10.2015 representatives ONAC Korça referral of victims/ from SATP potential victims of trafficking, in accordance with the Standard Operation Procedures”
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 99 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Donors Place where Participants (if any) No. Title of training Duration it was from SKTP or conducted cooperation
Participation in the training on: “Improvement of the implementation of the National Referral Mechanism for the 5 DRP of 21 identification and 26.10.2015 representatives ONAC Tirana referral of victims/ from SATP potential victims of trafficking, in accordance with the Standard Operational Procedures”
Participation in the training on: “Improvement of the implementation of the National Referral Mechanism for the 5 DRP of 22 identification and 21.10.2015 representatives ONAC Gjirokastra referral of victims/ from SATP potential victims of trafficking, in accordance with the Standard Operation Procedures”
Participation in the training on: “Improvement of the implementation of the National Referral Mechanism for the 5 identification and DRP of 23 23.10.2015 representatives ONAC referral of victims/ Durrës from SATP potential victims of trafficking, in accordance with the Standard Operation Procedures”
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 100 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Donors Place where Participants (if any) No. Title of training Duration it was from SKTP or conducted cooperation
Participation in the conference on the project on the use of joint investigative 1 15- Bosnia & Council of 24 groups against representatives 17.09.2015 Herzegovina Europe trafficking in human from SATP beings in the Western Balkan, at local level. (Next meeting). REPORT
Participation in the training on 33 ”Investigation 21- Security ONAC and 25 representatives techniques of the 22.09.2015 Academy ICMPD from SATP criminal offenses of trafficking in persons”.
Participation in the Summit on 1 19- Budapest/ Hungarian 26 “Connections of representative 22.10.2015 Hungary Police Organized Crime in the from SATP Western Balkans”.
Participation in the regional meeting of the 1 working groups for the 29- Zagreb/ 27 representative IPA IPA Project 2013, “Fight 30.09.2015 Croatia from SATP against organized crime in criminal justice”.
Participation in the regional meeting of the 1 working groups for the 03- Skopje / 28 representative IPA IPA Project 2013, “Fight 04.12.2015 Macedonia from SATP against organized crime in criminal justice”.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 101 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 School of Magistrates:
As regards the strengthening of professional capacities, the School of Magistrates has organized some trainings in the area of trafficking in persons, amendments to the Criminal Code, trafficking in minors, protection of trafficked persons, exploitation of minors for prostitution, with the participation of judges, prosecutors, judicial police officers, candidates for magistrates, etc., specifically for the period January-December 2015:
• In cooperation with the Center of Training and Research for the judiciary in the Netherlands, the Centre for Legal Civic Initiatives, and Dutch Helsinki Committee, in the framework of the project “Promoting a Victim-Oriented Approach, in Issues of Trafficking of Human Beings in Albania &Bosnia & Herzegovina” organized in January 2015, a study tour on “Approach in cases of trafficking in Albania and Bosnia- Herzegovina”, where 4 prosecutors participated was organized.
• In February 2015, the novelties introduced by the new law on amendments and addenda to the Criminal Code. The understanding and interpretation of the new and changed rules, according to group of criminal offences, for their correct and effective implementation. The understanding, interpretation and application of the new provisions of the new Code of Criminal Procedure as amended. Number of Participants 11.
• On the 10th of March, 2015, training on victim assistance in criminal cases. Rights and services for victims. Number of participants 14.
• On the 12th of March 2015, training on victim assistance in criminal cases, rights and services for the victims. Number of participants 10.
• On the 27th of March 2015, on the novelties introduced by the new law on amendments and addenda to the Criminal Code. Understanding and interpretation of the new and amended norms, according to group of crimes, for their correct and effective implementation. Meaning, interpretation and implementation of the provisions of the new Code of Criminal Procedure as amended. Number of participants 29.
• March 2015, trafficking of persons and the role of joint investigative teams inthe investigation of these issues.
• December 2015, in Romania, training on trafficking in persons, compensation of victims of trafficking.
• In April 2015, in Strasbourg, Paris a training was held in order to promote the implementation of legal provisions for impunity of victims of trafficking in human beings.
• On the 11th -12th of May 2015, training on interviewing minors, victims of human trafficking. Number of participants 20.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 102 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 • On the 12th -13th of May 2015, training on the law “On Prevention and Fight against Organized Crime”. Understanding and application of new concepts. Investigation of criminal assets and reconciliation with the investigation of criminal offenses. Jurisprudence of the Supreme Court. Number of participants 21.
• September 2015, Bosnia &Herzegovina, training on joint investigative teams in the fight against trafficking in persons.
• 8-9th of October 2015, training on financial crime investigation in cases of trafficking in persons.
• November 2015, in Vienna, Austria, training on trafficking in persons.
• On the 26th-27th of November 2015, training on alternative punishment and probation. REPORT • On the 10th-11th of December 2015, evaluation of the highest interest of the child in cases with foreign elements. International standards and domestic experience. Special needs for protection at court of children victims of domestic violence, who face conflicts between parents, experiences with the implementation of orders of protection for children, providing psychological assistance for children in court.
• Further training on interviewing techniques/how to ensure the participation of children in court proceedings.
Restorative justice and mediation between the victim and offender for the minors.
Trainings in cooperation with national and international organizations:
On the 20th of January 20 and 17th of February 2015, ONAC in cooperation with IOM, organized two roundtables in focus group format, to gather input for the design of the National Assessment Report on the cooperation, coordination, and referral of existing mechanisms for women victims of trafficking and violence, with the support of the United Nations for social inclusion in Albania, UNSSIA program. A total of 34 people participated in the first meeting, and 33 people in the second.
Between the 11thto 12thof February, the Office of the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons, in cooperation with “Different and Equal” organization and the Peace Corps, held in Tirana, a training of trainers on “Community Education on Issues of Trafficking In Persons”. Experts in the area of anti-trafficking, professionals from state institutions, local government units, such as the social service, Child Protection Units, social administrators, experts, etc., participated in the training. The objective of the two-day training was to train practitioners on the community awareness regarding the phenomenon of trafficking, forms of trafficking, the causes and consequences of trafficking, risk factors and systems built in order to provide protection and services for victims of trafficking, introduction of the Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and Action Plan, where a special space was dedicated to the prevention, as a guide for the identification and referral of victims and potential victims
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 103 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 of trafficking. Participants brought concrete cases and best practices of their work and jointly laid the foundations for the design of their Action Plans to continue working with the training of community on anti-trafficking issues.
On the 18th, 25 th of February 2015, 3rd and 11th of March 2015, the Office of the National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, in cooperation with the Albanian Caritas, held in Shkodra, Durres, Lezha and Kukes, 3 workshops on: “Strengthening the Capacities of State Structures in the Protection of Victims of Trafficking in Persons”, funded by the Office on Trafficking in Persons (J-TIP) of the US Department of State, and CRS, in order to increase and improve cooperation between government bodies and civil society organizations in the identification and referral of victims of trafficking, with a focus on the victims/potential victims of trafficking. The National Strategy and Action Plan on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons 2014-2017 was presented in the workshop, and work was performed in working groups for drafting the Anti-Trafficking Action Plan of the respective Regions. Awareness activities to be performed by each Region, and the duties and responsibilities of institutions and stakeholders at regional level as regard to the issues of fight against trafficking in persons, were also discussed.
On 11th, 18 th and 24th of March 2015, in the context of drafting the Reintegration Plan for women and girls victims/potential victims of trafficking 2015-2017, 3 roundtables were organized for drafting the Reintegration Plan in accordance with the Strategy on the Fight of Trafficking in Persons and Action Plan 2014-2017.
In the framework of inter-institutional cooperation and implementation of the Work Plan of the Anti-Trafficking Directorate, the Office of the National Coordinator, in collaboration with the State Social Services and “Different and Equal” organization, on 18th of March 2014, organized in Lezha, a training on: “System of Protection and Services for Victims of Trafficking in Albania.” This activity took place following the “Training of Trainers” organized by the National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator on the 11-12th of February in Tirana with the participation of professionals in the field of anti-trafficking. The training was attended by 30 persons, which included representatives of psycho-social service in the high schools of the Region, employment directorate, public health, social administrators, and employees of the CPUs of Municipalities of Lac, Lezha, Rrëshen and Mamurras, as well as non-profit organizations operating in the Region. Throughout the training, the SOPs, forms of trafficking, proactive initial identification, referral and protection systems, as well as services for victims/potential victims of trafficking were presented.
During 2015, ONAC, in cooperation with the State Police and the OSCE, conducted, in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures, trainings on “Improving the implementation of the National Referral Mechanism for the Identification and Referral of Victims/Potential Victims of Trafficking” in the 12 regions of the country, respectively in Shkodra-28th of April; Kukes -15th of May; Diber 27th of May; Lezha-4th of June; Elbasan- 11th of June, Fier-22nd of September; Vlora- 28th of September; Berat- 6th of October; Korca- 13th of October; Tirana- 26th of October; Gjirokastra-21st of October; Durres- 21st of October.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 104 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 On the 7th, 8 th, 9 thand 21st, 22 nd and 23rd of April ONAC, in cooperation with IOM and UN Women, organized 2 three-day training sessions on “Improving the Skills for a Professional Assessment of the Beneficiaries, Skills and Interests, and Increase of Knowledge of the Service Providers about Existing Economic Empowerment Schemes in the Country”, with representatives of NCAS, state social service, non-profit organizations, etc. The trainings were held in the framework of the drafting of 2 training modules for capacity building of the Anti- Trafficking Shelter employees with regard to reintegration of women and girls in Albania.
In the framework of the implementation of the measures of Priority 4 “Decisive measures in the fight against organized crime shall be adopted, including the establishment of a solid track (track record) with investigations mainly, prosecutions and convictions,” measure 3.2.4 Organization of trainings with employees of the Child Protection Units on better identification of cases of internal trafficking in persons, on 29th of April 2015, in Korça, a training was held on “Children in Street Situation, Identification of Cases of Internal Trafficking
of Children, Challenges and Solutions”. The training was attended by 20 participants from REPORT Child Protection Units, the regional social service, the Municipality of Korca, the police, the Regional Educational Directorate, the Public Health, organizations that provide services to vulnerable groups, the Secretary General of the Prefecture of Korca, etc. The issue of the children in street situations in the region Korca was presented in the training, according to the National Survey on Children in Street Situation in Albania, the Procedural Guideline on identifying children in street situations was discussed, the Strategy on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and Action Plan 2014-2017 were presented, and the Standard Operating Procedures for victims of trafficking were presented too, by illustrating them with specific cases found in the Korca Region. The participants discussed about the challenges regarding the phenomenon of children on the move, and how to increase of the identification of potential victims of trafficking.
On the 8th of May, 2015, the National Agency for the Protection of Child Rights, in cooperation with ONAC, on the 8th of May, 2015, organized a workshop focused on the inter-institutional consultation of the “Action Plan on Identification and Protection for Children in Street Situation 2015-2016 (draft)” in the premises of the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth. In this workshop the draft Action Plan on the Identification and Protection for Children in Street Situation 2015-2016 was presented, and work was carried out in groups according to the objectives. There were discussions and comments from all the participants in order to improve the draft Action Plan, as well as reflection on measures to achieve the objectives.
On the 2nd-3rd of June 2015, in cooperation with IOM, a two-day training was held with the aim of piloting and consulting the training package based on the training module “On Case Management”, in the framework of the United Nations Program in Support of Social inclusion in Albania (UNSSIA). The training was attended by 32 participants, managers of trafficking cases from the State Social Service and the civil society.
On the 18th of June 2015, the meeting of the Steering Committee of the project implemented by IOM on “Prevention of Migration from Albania to Belgium” was organized. The Steering Committee consists of the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs; Representatives from the Migration Office; Managers of IOM Office; Director of Border and Migration; Director of the Anti-Trafficking Unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; Director of Asylum Directorate;
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 105 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 General Secretary of the Prefecture of Shkodra. The consultant contracted by IOM and IOM project coordinator also participated in the meeting. The ideas raised for discussion in the meeting were a good basis for the beginning of work by the consultant for drafting the campaign strategy and the promotional package.
In the framework of the implementation of the calendar of the summer campaign events, drafted by the proposals of the Regional Anti-trafficking Committees, and updated by the Office of the National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, on the24 th of June 2015, the Institution of the Prefect of Durres hosted a roundtable on “Prevention of Trafficking in Persons in Areas of High Risk, such as Nish Tulla, Sukth, Shijak, Rrashbull and referral of cases”. About 40 people attended the meeting, including: heads of health centers of the district, employees of the state social service, staff of the psycho- social service in high schools of the Region, from the Employment Directorate, Directorate of Economic Aid of the Municipality of Durres, social administrators and staff of the social CPUs of the Municipalities of Durres, Shijak, Sukth, etc., as well as non-profit organizations operating in the Region. Apart from discussions about the problems encountered and discussion on the possibilities of solving them, a video was presented in the meeting, which was prepared by the Directorate of Public Health, which included the anti-trafficking legal framework, the structures, the forms, the causes and consequences of trafficking, the activities conducted in Durres in the fight against trafficking in persons, the National free Hotline 116 006 and “Report! Save.”Application.
On the 7th of July 2015, a roundtable was conducted on “Planning the Actions for the Treatment of Unaccompanied and Separated Minors”. This roundtable was held within the project “Promoting Social Inclusion of Roma Community in Albania, through Special Interventions for Vulnerable Children”, which is funded by the European Union Delegation in Tirana, and implemented by “AmaroDrom” and IOM, with support of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth, and the Ombudsman Institution. Through this roundtable, it was intended to start a dialogue between governmental and non- governmental actors to create a unique platform for the treatment of unaccompanied minors both Albanian and foreign ones. Representatives of PAMECA IV, Delegation of the European Union, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Directorate of State Police, State Social Service, State Agency for the Protection of Child Rights, representatives from CPUs, Amarodrom Organization, IOM, UNICEF, SOS Children’s Village, Terre des Hommes, etc., participated in this roundtable.
On 30.10.2015, the General Directorate of Civil Registry in cooperation with TLAS, organized in Shkodra a workshop on “The Role of Local Structures and Community Organizations for the Protection of Children’s Rights” with the participation of 23 persons.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 106 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 On the 10th of November 2015, IOM in cooperation with ONAC, organized an activity on the presentation of the Final Report with the recommendations of the IOM project “Strengthening the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Emigrants in the Western Balkans.” IOM prepared and finalized a report with recommendations, which relate to the identification and investigation of the human trafficking processes and illegal emigration, as developed by the stakeholders (judiciary and law enforcement agencies) in technical meetings. These recommendations suggest the areas that need improvement, and present the lists of actions and measures suggested in order to strengthen cross-border cooperation between the Western Balkan countries. On 26.11.2015, the General Directorate of Civil Registry in cooperation with TLAS organized a workshop in Durres on the same topic, “The Role of Local Structures and Community Organizations on the Protection of Children’s Rights” with the participation of 29 persons.
On 27.11.2015, the General Directorate of Civil Registry in cooperation with TLAS, organized
in Elbasan a workshop on “The Role of Local Structures and Community Organizations for REPORT the Protection of Children’s Rights” with the participation of 25 persons.
On 11.12.2015, the General Directorate of Civil Registry in cooperation with TLAS organized in Kavaja a workshop on “The Role of Local Structures and Community Organizations on the Protection of Children’s Rights” with the participation of 22 persons.
In the framework of the implementation of the Action Plan “On the Identification and Protection of Children in Street Situation”, the State Police in Cooperation with the Agency for the Protection of the Rights of Children, Terre des Hommes and ARSIS, from 19-25 November 2015, organized a training on “The Role and Responsibilities of Police Officers in Child Protection; The Work of The Multi-Disciplinary Group for the Protection of Children”. The purpose of the training consisted on the presentation of the basic concepts of the system of protection of children’s Rights, the roles and responsibilities of the police and cooperation with the actors responsible for the protection of children.
Regarding the trainings conducted with the employees of the MP structures, the General Directorate of Border and Migration in cooperation with the Academy of Security, during 2015, conducted 2 one-month basic training of border police with 22 participants per each course. In these two courses, 4 topics on issues of fight against trafficking in persons (identification and referral of potential victims of trafficking; a topic on human rights; a topic on the identification of unaccompanied minors at airports and a topic on diversity issues, and treatment of women in Albania), were discussed.
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 107 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 Below is a table illustrating the list of trainings conducted by ONAC in cooperation with Terre Des Hommes in the context of prevention of trafficking in persons:
Number Number of Activity Participants Place of events participants TRAININGS Psycho-pedagogical Accredited training Tirana, Durrës, staff in 10 schools on psychosocial skills 5 trainings Elbasan, Fier 113 (out of 2 schools per program Korça city) Replication of the training by trained Peer educators of Tirana, Durrës, teachers with the 5 trainings 10 schools (out of 2 Elbasan, Fier 145 group of peer schools per city) Korça educators Psycho-pedagogical Accredited training Tirana, Durrës, staff in 10 schools on the protection of 5 trainings Elbasan, Fier 130 (out of 2 schools per children in schools Korça city) Trainings on identification and Various professionals 2 Tirana management of 3 trainings 85 in relevant institutions 1 Elbasan cases of trafficking in children Trainings of the work in the multi- Professionals from disciplinary team Tirana, Durrës, various sectors in the work against 7 trainings Elbasan, Fier 209 (social, educational, abuse, exploitation Korça health, etc.) and trafficking in children
Number of children Services at the and parents benefiting community from community center in Durrës, based services in Elbasan and 384 community centers national center of the state or of the of emergency of municipalities Tirana
Number of vulnerable children and members of the community made aware on 1660 the issues of abuse, exploitation and trafficking in children
. REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 108 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 REPORT
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 109 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017 REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY ON THE 110 FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND ACTION PLAN 2014-2017