TIP IN TURKEY: ANTI-TIP NGO HRDF BOARD CHAIRMAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004808

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, EUR/PGI, EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2005
TAGS: KCRM KWMN PGOV PHUM PREF SMIG TU TIP IN TURKEY
SUBJECT: TIP IN TURKEY: ANTI-TIP NGO HRDF BOARD CHAIRMAN
DISCUSSES VICTIMS SHELTER



1. (U) SUMMARY. In August meetings with Emboff, Human
Resources Development Foundation (HRDF) Board Chairman Turgut
Tokus outlined past and present progress to bring HRDF's TIP
victims shelter on-line. He characterized support from the
GOT, particularly the MOI and the MFA, as excellent and
thanked Secretary Powell for dedicating Turkey's first
shelter for victims of trafficking. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) HRDF Chairman Turgut Tokus told Emboff that officials
within the Istanbul Municipality had originally opposed the
establishment of a shelter facility for victims of
trafficking based on complaints from neighborhood residents.
Tokus said that residents, landlords and concerned citizens
complained to the municipality when HRDF first approached
them, opposed to the TIP shelter for various reasons
including religious, moral, and security concerns. According
to Tokus, the long search for a facility finally ended when
Tokus discussed the situation with Turkish Security
Directorate Foreigners Department Head Mehmet Terzioglu and
FonMin Abdullah Gul. Tokus characterized both officials as
extremely helpful and said Gul intervened with the Istanbul
mayor to make the shelter happen.


3. (U) With the shelter operational, Tokus said HRDF's next
goal is to find a permanent facility. The Istanbul
Municipality leases the current facility, an apartment in a
local housing complex, and provides it free of charge to
HRDF. Tokus repeated previous requests for donations of
household supplies to stock the shelter. Emboff later
delivered approximately 500 pounds of donated clothes and
some household supplies, increasing the total donations from
the Embassy Ankara community to more than 750 pounds of
clothes and household goods.


4. (U) Tokus asked Emboff to relay his appreciation to
Secretary Powell for congratulating HRDF for success in

SIPDIS
establishing a shelter for victims of trafficking. Tokus
noted that Secretary Powell's visit to Turkey for the June
NATO Summit played a critical role in focusing efforts to
establish the shelter.

HRDF CONTINUES TIP FOCUS



5. (U) The 2003 HRDF Annual Report contains the following
references to TIP:

"HRDF is a leading non-profit, non-governmental and
autonomous organization working in Turkey to promote
population and development education, information, training,
services, and women's empowerment. Since its establishment
in 1988 by 40 founding members, HRDF has developed, executed,
implemented, and also participated in a number of projects
and activities at national and international levels on a wide
and versatile range of issues such as STIs & HIV/AIDS
training and information, Education and Communication (IEC)
community development, community-based health services,
development of technical training materials for service
providers, promoting children's rights and improving the
socio-economic status of women. Since its establishment,
HRDF has served 400,000 women, 30,000 health service
providers, and 7,500 immigrants and refugees. Through these
projects and activities, HRDF has accumulated remarkable
experience and know-how in project development,
implementation and assessment, and also partnership and
coordination skills with various international organizations.
Since 1997, HRDF has been a internationally accredited UNFPA
executing agency. HRDF has a special consultative NGO status
with UN Economic and Social Council."

"In 2003, HRDF carried out activities on reproductive health,
sexual health, and community development for unprivileged
groups. This year, activities were mainly based on training;
approximately 700 people from various professional groups
were trained in reproductive health and rights, sexual
health, service provision and interpersonal communication,
etc. HRDF has also started activities on combating Human
Trafficking and made important steps in this field by signing
an agreement with the Ministry of Interior."

"COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING"

"Human Trafficking is a global issue of the recent years that
has both humane and criminal aspects. Besides to contribute
to the enduring international studies to prevent human
trafficking and to improve Turkey's national capacity on the
subject, the main objective of the program developed by the
HRDF is to raise the awareness of people living in Turkey on
human trafficking. The program involves opening a shelter
and counseling center and establishment of a wide network for
collaboration of the NGO's in the region. Moreover, the
program aims to carry out the training of the police and the
prosecutors/judges directly involved in the combat with human
trafficking. Within the scope of the Human Trafficking
program and with support of the Open Society Institute (OSI),
various NGOs in Moldova, Ukraine, Holland, and Austria have
been visited and the studies for establishing a network have
started. European Union and British Council are currently
providing the financial support for the training programs.
Attempts to find funds for the shelter and counseling center
are still underway. The Ministry of Interior gave
significant support to the activities that HRDF plans to
carry out on human trafficking."


6. (U) An HRDF brochure entitled: Resource: Human!
distributed by HRDF contains the following:

"PROBLEMS OF SEX WORKERS IN OUR COUNTRY"

"It appears that taboos in our minds and our inclination to
hide the truth are obstacles to solving the problems of sex
workers. HRDF sees assistance to all groups of human beings
as part of its mission and tries to reach out to people who
need help in every field. The Foundation works to provide
information and education on sexually transmitted diseases
and HIV/AIDS to sex workers who work under high risk. In
Turkey, a project was carried out to improve the level of
awareness and information of doctors and other health
personnel on this topic. A guidebook is also being prepared
for doctors in Azerbaijan."

"Sex workers are trained to help their co-workers. They
work, on a volunteer basis for 'Gaci', a bi-monthly bulletin
published as part of the project."

"THE WOMEN'S DOOR"

"Counseling services are provided to those with health and
social problems at a center called 'the Women's Door,'
established in a district where many sex workers live. The
center also provides assistance to drug addicts."
EDELMAN