KAZAKHSTAN: NOMINATION FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMAN OF COURAGE

UNCLAS ASTANA 002098 SIPDIS STATE FOR INL/AAE, G/TIP, SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM SMIG SOCI KPAO KTIP KWMN KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: NOMINATION FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMAN OF COURAGE 2009 REF: A) STATE 111471 B) ASTANA 1206 ¶1. In response to ref A, Post submits the following nomination for the International Woman of Courage award: NAME: Galina Morozova TITLE: President ORAGANIZATION: NGO Feminist League DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: 15-Apr-1949, Russia ID NUMBER: 000813104 LANGUAGES: Russian ADDRESS: 107, Lubov Shevtsova Str., Kokshetau, Republic of Kazakhstan Tel.: +7-7162-262784 Cell: +7-701-662-1284 Email: galina_morozova@mail.ru ¶2. Galina Morozova is a tireless, compassionate, and effective advocate for victims of human trafficking in Kazakhstan. For the past 12 years, Morozova has devoted her life to the protection of others. When she formed her NGO in 1998, Kazakhstan was a Tier 3 country that did not yet recognize the seriousness of trafficking in persons. At that time, Galina was unable to afford the $200 fee to register her NGO. A grant from a Peace Corps volunteer allowed her to realize her dream. With no support from the government, she overcame obstacles and took substantial risks to provide assistance and protection to over 60 victims of trafficking in a make-shift shelter in her home. Despite threats to her life from traffickers, she refused to stop helping victims, continues to give them shelter, and fights for tougher sentences for traffickers. Recently, a trafficker threatened Galina's life in open court when she advocated for the victim at the trafficker's sentencing hearing. ¶3. After 10 years of determined effort, Galina was able to establish a safe, functioning shelter with funding from the Embassy of the Government of the Netherlands in 2008. Her shelter, which can house up to 15 victims, is in an unassuming house in the suburbs of the northern city of Kokshetau. It is protected by a high wall, locking gates, and video surveillance (septel). Since 2008, she has assisted 40 more victims, many of whom call to thank her or ask for advice. Galina's shelter not only provides immediate medical and psychological help, but also vocational training. Victims can stay in the shelter until they are ready to leave. Galina remembers every story and every face, which she collected in a book about victims of trafficking. She then persuaded a local playwright to create an anti-trafficking play of these stories. Hundreds of young people have seen that play, which continues to be performed in Kazakhstan to rave reviews and standing ovations (ref B). ¶4. Galina has cultivated the trust of not only the international community, but also government officials. Galina is a respected member of the Trafficking in Persons Commission of Akmolinskaya Oblast, which includes all aspects of the local government. She has also developed a strong relationship with other NGOs and relevant partners. The Feminist League is a member of three large anti-trafficking NGO networks. ¶5. Galina has implemented many U.S.-funded programs to fight trafficking both directly and through the NGO networks. In 2000, she received her first grant from the Embassy's Democracy Commission to train police officers in Uralsk, Kostanai, and Pavlodar. This year, she received an INL grant to train community police officers to identify victims of trafficking in Kokshetau and Astana. Galina operated a hotline and conducted a series of anti-trafficking information campaigns under a 2001-2008 USAID grant. ¶6. Galina organizes conferences, meetings, and workshops to raise awareness of human trafficking in the government and NGO community. In addition, she is creating sustained anti-trafficking information campaigns for students through the development of school curricula, extra-curricular activities, and summer camps for at-risk children. ¶7. Galina Morozova truly is an international woman of courage and deserves a large share of the credit for advancing Kazakhstan's efforts to fight every aspect of trafficking. Her creative public awareness campaigns, model shelter to protect victims and unyielding efforts to help the authorities find and prosecute traffickers make her an inspiration to potential victims, police officers and government officials alike. Despite the risks to her own life, Galina has brought justice and security to vulnerable women throughout Kazakhstan and saved the lives of many young girls and women. SPRATLEN