TURKEY: COUNTER-TRAFFICKING UPDATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000628

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD PREF TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: COUNTER-TRAFFICKING UPDATE

REF: ANKARA 6303


1. SUMMARY: Counter-trafficking efforts remain strong in
Turkey with the kick-off of the USG-funded, International
Office for Migration (IOM)-implemented and GoT-coordinated
public awareness campaign, as well as the start of the
EU-funded Twinning Project to strengthen institutions in the
fight against TIP. Victims of trafficking (VOTs) who have
stayed at the Ankara shelter have expressed a desire to stay
longer, and to even bring their children there. Inquisitive
neighbors and the Ministry of Health's stinginess with
medications remain problems for the shelter. END SUMMARY.

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Have You Seen My Mother?
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2. The IOM on January 31 rolled out its USG-funded
nationwide public information campaign to raise awareness of
the impact of human trafficking on children and families,
with hopes of appealing to the strong Turkish sense of
family. According to IOM statistics, one out of three women
trafficked to Turkey is a mother.


3. The centerpiece of the campaign is a television
commercial entitled, "Have You Seen My Mother?" Twenty-six
private and public television channels will air the
advertisement starting in mid-February. Film distributor
FIDA Film and cinema company Sinefekt will also show the
commercial at movie theaters throughout the country.


4. IOM filmed the 30-second commercial in a village in
Moldova, a top source country, and cast four Moldovan
children, aged 4-14. The children, in Turkish, say "I miss
her," "I do not know where she is," "We needed to eat," "One
of us needed to work and my mother went," and "Have you seen
my mother?" Municipalities in Ankara, Istanbul, Antalya,
Izmir and Trabzon have displayed posters at bus stops, and
airport authorities in Istanbul, Trabzon and Antalya have
donated billboard space to advertise the campaign. There has
been wide media coverage of the start of the campaign, both
on television and in print.

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EU Twinning Project Rolled Out
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5. Within the EU candidacy process and under the EU 2003
Pre-accession Financial Assistance Program, Turkey, Germany
and Austria developed a Twinning Project on "Strengthening
Institutions in the Fight Against Trafficking in Human
Beings." The program, officially slated to have begun at the
end of November 2005, actually started on the 6th of January,
2006 with a short ceremony and reception hosted by GOT
Security Director Gokhan Aydiner. The 18-month program will
conclude on May 30, 2007.


6. The project aims to strengthen the capacity of Turkish
authorities to combat TIP and to improve Turkish
anti-trafficking structures and legislation. Implementing
partners are the Berlin Criminal Police Agency, the Ludwig
Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights (Austrian),and the
Turkish National Police.


7. Seven components make up the project: development of a
national anti-trafficking strategy, awareness raising,
development of a comprehensive system of victim assistance,
development of return and reintegration, legislative review,
training of law enforcement, and fostering international
cooperation in the investigation and prosecuting of
trafficking cases. Throughout the week of February 6,
representatives from Germany and Austria interviewed Turkish
stakeholders and experts to analyze strengths, gaps and needs
with regard to existing victim assistance and support in
Turkey. The ensuing report will be shared with relevant
Turkish officials and NGO representatives and will also serve
as a basis for the development and implementation of further
project activities.

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Ankara Shelter: Good Reviews and Nosy Neighbors
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8. The Women's Solidarity Foundation (WSF) which runs the
Ankara shelter (see reftel) reported that they have housed
five VOTs, all of whom commented on how nice the facilities
are. Several of them wished that they could have their
children with them and never have to leave. Sadly, those
women said that they had come to Turkey in hopes of providing
just such housing for their children.


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9. Though the WSF has generally been satisfied with the
healthcare provided its guests, one complaint is that the
Ministry of Health does not supply medications for the VOTs
other than single doses given at the hospital. Most of the
women have gynecological problems which require longer
courses of medication.


10. Several shelter neighbors have inquired as to why
foreign women are being taken in and out of the house. The
WSF has successfully dodged questions, but plans to ask the
municipality if it has any creative answers. Winter has
brought a reprieve to the inquisition, but WSF anticipates a
resurgence as the weather turns warmer.


11. COMMENT: It is too early to see results on the
effectiveness of the public awareness campaign, but the media
has reacted positively. IOM has cleverly found a soft spot
in Turkish society -- its love of children. The Turks will
endeavor to work with the Twinning Project team, but it will
be interesting to note their reaction to the report findings,
which may not be as they expect. WSF seems, so far, to be
doing a good job with running the shelter. We will need to
give them more time before we can make an accurate
evaluation. END COMMENT.
WILSON