Moldovan church leaders participating in counter-trafficking advocacy training

Church leaders in Moldova are participating during February 25-27 in a training seminar meant to teach them how to use advocacy techniques in the fight against trafficking, Info-Prim Neo reports, citing a press release from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Moldova. The advocacy training is organised by the IOM Mission to Moldova, in partnership with the Moldovan Christian Aid and the Inter-Denominational Coalition for Prevention of Trafficking in Human Beings. This event is aimed at strengthening and consolidating their role in this field. The modules will focus on the best use of advocacy mechanisms in the fight against human trafficking. The training will be conducted by Torsten Moritz, from the Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME), Brussels, and HR Father Savvas Michaelides, from the Russian Orthodox Church of Saint Stilianos, Cyprus. The participants will exercise advocacy strategies in the light of the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings which in Moldova entered into force on February 1, 2008. According to the International Organization for Migration trafficking in human beings continues to be a serious problem for the Republic of Moldova. In 2007, 273 victims have been assisted by the Chisinau based Rehabilitation Centre (295 in 2006; 265 in 2005). Because of the hidden nature of the crime and because of the stigma attached to victims by their communities, the real figure of victims is hard to estimate. Nonetheless, IOM believes that the situation is gradually improving and that trafficking is being fought successfully through a number of measures and activities. Particular mention needs to be made of the improved cooperation among anti-trafficking partners and the heightened awareness among social actors, leading to better identification of victims and of the many vulnerable women still at risk of being trafficked. As part of this programme, more than 700 priests and pastors were trained to use trafficking prevention techniques, and the trainees have implemented 18 prevention projects in their communities so far. A National Day of Prayer was organised on December 2, 2007 and a compilation of sermons was widely distributed. This programme is implemented with the financial support of the Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) of the US State Department as part of the President’s initiative to combat Trafficking in Persons. The Inter-Denominational Coalition for Prevention of Trafficking in Human Beings includes the Moldovan Orthodox Churches from both Patriarchates, the Union of Christian Evangelical Baptist Churches and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Moldova (ELCRM).