LATVIA NOMINEE FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE 2008.

UNCLAS RIGA 000657 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWMN PREL KPAO PHUM LG SUBJECT: LATVIA NOMINEE FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE 2008. REF: STATE 099729 ¶1. Embassy Riga nominates Iluta Lace, founder of the Marta Resource Center for Women, for the Secretary's 2009 International Women of Courage Award. ¶2. Biographical information: -- Full legal name: Iluta Lace -- Job title/association: Chairwoman of the Board, Marta Resource Center for Women -- Date of birth: October 26, 1975 -- Country of birth: Latvia -- Citizenship: Latvia -- Address: 34, Cesu iela 4, LV-4000, Limbazi, Latvia -- Telephone: +371 29264898 -- E-mail: iluta@marta.lv -- Passport number: LK0625823 ¶3. Iluta Lace is founder and Chairwoman of the Board for the Marta Resource Center for Women. The Marta Center is the leading local non-governmental organizations involved in the fight against human trafficking. Combating trafficking in persons remains a significant challenge in Latvia, which is a source country for victims trafficked to other countries in Europe for the commercial sex trade. ¶4. Over the past years, the Marta Center has carried out several human trafficking prevention projects targeting potential trafficking victims. It has provided education and training for staff members of many Latvia government institutions of Latvian government about dangers of trafficking and how to respond to instances of trafficking. The Marta Center also provides assistance and rehabilitation services to victims of trafficking, and has been actively involved in drafting the current Latvia's National Program to Fight Human Trafficking. ¶5. Iluta Lace has succeeded in establishing an efficient and well motivated team at the Marta Center, with expertise frequently called upon by GOL officials. Ms. Lace has also become known throughout Europe as one of the leading Latvian experts on gender equality issues, and was worked on international efforts to study and fight trafficking. ¶6. Ms. Lace has also worked to raise awareness of issues affecting women more broadly. She organized a women's party and a women's list to the Parliament elections in 1998 when only few women were on the election lists of the political parties. She has also facilitated the creation of a network of Latvian NGOs to collaborate on women's issues. LARSON