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
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