On the 7th of December 2007 MIGS organised a seminar and training workshop entitled “Combating Trafficking in Women in Cyprus” where 40 people from NGOs, the government and other interested parties participated.Keynote speaker of the seminar was Ms Irina Todorova, Protection/Direct Assistance Program Coordinator, and International Organization for Migration, IOM. One of the issues addressed during the seminar was the importance of trafficking in women for sexual exploitation in Cyprus for the US Embassy and how the US Government is trying to prevent trafficking.

The representatives of the US Embassy, Dr Juliette Dickstein and Amy Dahm explained that Cyprus is the only European Country categorized in the TIER 2 Watch List. Further, Ms Irina Todorova, IOM, gave examples of best practices related to the protection of the rights of trafficked persons in the Republic of Moldova as key element of prevention and combating trafficking in human beings. Ms Todorova analyzed the methods and means of combating trafficking in human beings in Moldova as well as the evaluation and monitoring process of their efforts to combat the phenomenon. During the training session, Ms Todorova explained the identification procedure and profiling of a victim of trafficking and emphasized the importance of the cooperation between civil society and NGOs.

Josie Christodoulou, Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies presented the results of the project “Mapping the Realities of Trafficking in Women for the Purpose of Sexual Exploitation in the Republic of Cyprus”. She especially focused on the increase of demand for sexual services which results in the increase of “high risk establishments” and vice versa as well as and the need for abolition of “artiste visas” issued by the government which at the moment, result in the promotion and tolerance of trafficking in women in Cyprus.

Mine Yugel, Prologue Consulting presented the situation of trafficking in women in the Turkish Cypriot community who explained in detail the procedure that currently takes place in the north as well as the attitudes of traffickers and owners of clubs, bars that recruit these women.

View the Workshop Agenda in PDF.

This workshop was organised within the framework of the project “Anti-Trafficking Capacity Building for NGO’s” with funding by the United States Embassy.