SYRIA: ANTI-TRAFFICKING PROJECT PROPOSAL

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000417

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

G/TIP FOR SHEREEN FARAJ AND JANE SIGNON, NEA/ELA FOR SITA
SONTY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KWMN KCRM ASEC ELAB SMIG
SUBJECT: SYRIA: ANTI-TRAFFICKING PROJECT PROPOSAL

REF: SECSTATE 28151


1. (U) Post is submitting one project for the ESF
Anti-Trafficking in Persons Projects from the International
Office for Migration (IOM).


2. (SBU) The project is as follows:


A. Title: Capacity Building on Identifying and Assessing
Human Trafficking and Providing Protection to Victims of
Trafficking (VOT) in Syria


B. Recipient Organization: IOM.


C. Cost: USD 250,000


D. Duration: One year.


E. Description: The project aims to increase the capacity
of the Syrian authorities to identify and assess human
trafficking to identify VOTs and provide protection, in
addition to running an awareness raising campaign on human
trafficking among Syrian decision-makers and law enforcement
agents/officials. Activities would include:

-- Training courses for law enforcement and border officials
or any newly established counter-trafficking specialized
units;
-- Police academy counter-trafficking curriculum development;
and
-- An information campaign among the key decision-makers and
law enforcement.


F. Justification: The Syrian Ministry of Interior
co-sponsored with the IOM in 2005 and 2007 two
counter-trafficking workshops, including one on drafting
comprehensive counter-trafficking legislation. In addition,
the Syrian government set up in late 2005 a multi-ministry
counter-trafficking commission, which took a lead role in the
2007 workshop on drafting counter-trafficking legislation.
Syria, nevertheless, remains on the USG's Tier 3 TIP
watchlist because of the country's failure to take concrete
steps to staunch what is seen as a growing trafficking
problem from the Middle East, East Europe and Asian countries
through and to Syria for domestic work and prostitution.
The IOM has a professional relationship with the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Interior, which is key to
conducting discussions in Syria about sensitive issues such
as trafficking in persons. More specifically, in November
2006, the IOM signed an agreement with the Syrian government
in which IOM agrees to provide support to the government to
create the most effective legal grounds to strengthen the
capacity of law enforcement officials in Syria.


G. Project performance Indicators include:

-- Number of Syrian law enforcement and border officials
trained on detection and investigation of TIP;
-- Number of Police Academy trainers trained to train the
Police Academy students on the newly introduced CT section;
-- Number of Syrian policy and law makers attending a
workshop;
-- Number of law enforcement and border officials covered by
the awareness-raising campaign;
-- Number of VOTs identified, counseled and protected; and
-- Number of traffickers arrested/prosecuted.


3. (SBU) Comment: While this appear to be a costly project,
the supporting documentation details a range of projects that
directly address TIP issues in Syria and Iraq. Post strongly
supports IOM Damascus because it has a proven record of being
the sole entity capable of organizing TIP events and has the
organization and relative freedom to operate here.


4. (U) Post will pouch a copy of the proposal to Shereen
Faraj in G/TIP for further consideration.
CORBIN