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CRISIS SITUATIONS ARE LABORATORIES FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKERS, says Ambassador William Lacy Swing, the Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

"When disaster strikes, the humanitarian community rushes to respond. We mobilize resources, activate response mechanisms, send doctors, search and rescue teams, logisticians, counsellors, engineers, equipment, tarpaulins, food, medicine and water. All the paraphernalia of an emergency response, swings into action, to conflict zones, natural calamities, or man-made disasters."

Geneva, July 30, 2015 – Citing a new study, “Addressing Human Trafficking and Exploitation in Times of Crisis”, International Organization for Migration Director General William Lacy Swing called the exploitation and trafficking of victims, a growing phenomenon in a world awash in conflict and natural disasters.  

“Trafficking in persons not only flourishes during a disaster, it is a direct result of disasters, every bit as much as the infrastructural damages, the loss of life or the food shortages which garner far more attention,” said Ambassador Swing.

From 2010 until May 2015, International Organization for Migration (IOM) delivered 24 trainings and 17 workshops for experts from the Slovak public administration institutions which provide services to third country nationals. More than 500 participants gained skills in intercultural communication and knowledge in the field of migration and migrant integration in Slovakia. The aim of the capacity building is to help improve the services for the migrants from non-EU countries as well as the cooperation of participating institutions. The participants of ten of the workshops were involved in the Information Days for Migrants. Migrants from 22 non-EU countries took advantage of this free counselling at one place. More information on the project and its results.

The Report provides information on development in legislation and policies in the field of migration and asylum, legal migration and mobility, international protection including asylum, unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable groups as well as irregular migration and smuggling in the Slovak Republic in 2014. Besides, it analyses the measures in countering human trafficking, migration and its impact on the development of countries and returns of third country nationals. Part of the report is a statistical overview of legal and irregular migration as well as unaccompanied minors. The Annual Report is available in Slovak and English language.

International Organization for Migration (IOM) continues to build capacities of employees of Slovak embassies and consular offices abroad who considerably help to identify victims of human trafficking and to provide assistance. As part of the pre-departure phase of the Slovak staff, IOM trained another 13 consular officers in May 2015. The trainings were conducted in cooperation with  the Information Centre for Counter-trafficking in Human Beings and Prevention of Criminality of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic. More information on IOM educational activities in the area of Counter-Trafficking in Human Beings is available here.

From January until the end of May 2015 IOM, together with its partners, gradually transferred 130 refugees of Somali and Ethiopian nationality from the Emergency Transit Centre (ETC) in Humenne to the country of their final resettlement – USA. During their 6-month-stay in ETC the refugees had security interviews, medical examinations and courses of cultural orientation that helped them prepare for life in their new home.

In 2014, Migration Information Centre IOM in Bratislava and Košice provided 4 754 consultations to 2 265 clients from more than 90 countries. 174 employees from public administration from all parts of Slovakia were trained by IOM staff on migration issues and further 48 social workers and consular employees received training in the area of countering trafficking in human beings. In addition, IOM supported 57 migrants in their return back home from Slovakia and transferred another 270 refugees under the protection of UNHCR to the Slovak Republic which offered them a temporary shelter.

Read the summary of other IOM results of the last year in the field of integration of migrants in Slovakia, assisted voluntary returns and reintegration of migrants, counter-trafficking, humanitarian transfers of refugees and within the frame of coordination of the European Migration Network activities.

The citizens of Prešov, Žilina, Banská Bystrica and Košice experienced a unique day in April and May 2015. Migrants from various countries met in these cities and performed at the multicultural events “We Are at Home Here” organized by the IOM Migration Information Centre. It was an opportunity for locals to meet interesting people, discover experiences of migrants for whom Slovakia became a new home and get to know more about various cultures and gastronomy. These events were really multiCOOLtural!

International Organization for Migration (IOM) as the coordinator of activities of the European Migration Network (EMN) prepared Slovak versions of several EMN Informs which summarise the main findings of the EMN reports, studies and Ad-Hoc Queries: The Use of Detention and Alternatives to Detention in the Context of Immigration Policies; Good Practices in Return and Reintegration of Irregular Migrants: Member States’ Entry Bans Policy and Use of Readmission Agreements between Member States and Third Countries; Addressing Facilitation of Irregular Migration by Boats Departing from North Africa; Practical Approaches and Good Practices in Return and Reintegration to Afghanistan and Pakistan; Challenges and Good Practices in Return and Reintegration of Irregular Migrants to Western Africa, and Overview: Incentives to Return to a Third-Country and Support Provided to Migrants for their Reintegration. The Informs were prepared by the European Commission, their Slovak versions are available on the EMN web site.

IOM Migration Information Centre (MIC) and representatives of migrant communities in Slovakia joined the 10th anniversary of the multicultural festival [fjúžn] in Bratislava on 26 April 2015 and together they welcomed the visitors of Sunday Parade in Stará Tržnica. Six migrant communities introduced themselves at the IOM Café section with delicious gastronomy and a colourful multicultural puzzle of musical, dance and singing performances on the main stage.