Minsk - IOM Belarus has just completed a series of nationwide training sessions for local labour and social protection authorities. Over 100 people were trained in  identification, referral and reintegration of victims of human trafficking, in particular those trafficked for labour exploitation.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Belarus is a key government institution responsible for reintegration of the victims of human trafficking. Its staff is often addressed by various vulnerable groups, including potential victims of trafficking. However, they do not always possess specific knowledge of the issue.

By building their capacity and providing a platform for networking, IOM Belarus has strengthened the referral mechanism of victims of human trafficking, improved the overall response of national authorities and ensured an interagency approach is in place.

“While identifying victims of trafficking, providing them with further rehabilitation and reintegration assistance, such an approach is crucial” noted IOM Belarus Chief of Mission Mahym Orazmuhammedova.

The events included interactive discussions among the participants, group work, and Q&A sessions. Post-training evaluations showed participants had increased their knowledge of the issue of human trafficking by 34 per cent on average.

For more information, please contact IOM Belarus Public Information Specialist Hanna Kalichava, hkalichava@iom.int. You can see a video aboutthe training initiative here