PARAGUAY: INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE NOMINATION

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000876 SIPDIS SIPDIS PASS TO WHA/BSC, G/IWI BOTTNER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWMN PREL KPAO PHUM PA SUBJECT: PARAGUAY: INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE NOMINATION REF: A. SECSTATE 126072 ¶B. BA 1921 ¶1. (U) Post nominates Ms. Cynthia Bendlin, Consultant to the International Organization for Migration (IOM),to serve as our nominee for the 2008 Secretary's Award for International Women of Courage. Ms. Bendlin's personal information requested in reftel is as follows: -- Full legal name of nominee: Cynthia Carolina Bendlin Fernandez -- Job title / association: Consultant, International Organization for Migration -- Date of birth: January 26, 1964 -- Place of birth: Asuncion, Paraguay -- Citizenship: Paraguay -- Address: International Organization for Migration, Iturbe 730 casi Luis Alberto de Herrera, Asuncion, Paraguay -- Telephone: (595-21) 495-870, extension 26 -- E-mail: cynthiabendlin@sinergica.com.py -- Passport number: 436.393 Paraguay ¶2. (U) Post requests your consideration of Ms. Bendlin for this honor. Ms. Bendlin demonstrated outstanding courage and leadership in combatting the trafficking of women and promoting women's rights through the IOM's "Prevention of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) in the Tri-Border Area" project in Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina. Her efforts contribute to the President's Freedom Agenda; in fact, Ms. Bendlin received G/TIP funding in 2006 to finance phase one of the projects. Ms. Bendlin is a leader in women's rights in the TBA -- a center for international commerce in female prostitution and trafficking of women -- and has defied threats of violence in her effort to combat trafficking. Following repeated and direct serious threats to herself and her family by criminal mafia elements controlling the trade in the TBA, Ms Bendlin was forced to relocate for her own safety. She nonetheless has returned to the project and has refused to be coerced. She has done more than persevered. Though shunning press attention herself, she actually campaigns on behalf of antitrafficking efforts and has successfully completed phase I of the TIP project. ¶3. (U) The TIP prevention project featured seminars in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay (November 2006),Foz do Iguasu, Brazil (February 2007),and Porto Iguasu, Argentina (June 2007). Seminar attendees learned about trafficking in persons in the TBA, methods for combatting trafficking, and how to work together to combat TIP. Embassy officials, local leaders, and government officials from Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil attended the seminars. (NOTE: Embassy Buenos Aires recognized Ms. Bendlin's efforts in reftel. Her efforts have not been recognized by the governments of Paraguay, Brazil, or Argentina or by international organizations. END NOTE.) An anti-TIP campaign broadcast by local radio and television stations in all three countries accompanying each seminar raised local awareness of trafficking and prostitution. Ms. Bendlin plans to capitalize on the progress made at these seminars by launching phase two of the project, which will focus on increasing multi-national, inter-agency coordination and fostering greater awareness of the rights of women and children. ¶4. (U) Mr. Michael Edwards is the POC for women's issues. His contact information is as follows: edwardsmg@state.gov or 595-21-213-715 extension 2129. Please visit us at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/asuncion CASON