KHOROG, November 13, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- A series of informational seminars and meetings on the subject of “Risks of Illegal Migration and Trafficking in Persons” were held in the Navobod jamoat of Shugnan district, Gorno Badakhshan on November 12.

The events were organized by the Khorog-based Civil Society Support Center, Kalam, in the framework of the Central Asia Counter-Trafficking Project, which is implemented under financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s Mission to Tajikistan.

According to the Kalam trainer Mahmadali Chorshanbiyev, participants in the events were students from School # 28 and Vocational and Training School # 77.

“Specialists from our Center and representatives from local authorities and Badakhshonkhorijakor (the GBAO enterprise for external labor migration) discussed with the students risks of illegal migration and measures to prevent human trafficking,” Chorshanbiyev said, noting that similar meetings and seminars were being held in other areas of Shugnan district and in Rushan district and the city of Khorog as well.

We will recall that the USAID Central Asia Counter-Trafficking Project was launched in Tajikistan on August 10, 2010.  The project addresses the issue of human trafficking through prevention and protection measures.  Prevention efforts include information campaigns with a particular focus on youth and vulnerable groups.  These will raise public awareness about the issue of human trafficking, and engage the public in the fight.  Protection activities will help repatriate, rehabilitate and reintegrate victims of trafficking.