Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 22 July 2024 – Under the EU-funded GLO.ACT (PROTECT) project, a consultative meeting on the coordination of activities to combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) was convened in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on 22 July 2024. The meeting brought together representatives from the Supreme Court, the General Prosecutor’s Office, and various ministries of Tajikistan, along with UNODC staff, to discuss the country’s needs and priorities.
Human trafficking and migrant smuggling are transnational crimes affecting every region and community. Although distinct, these crimes often intersect within mixed migration flows and are linked to other illegal activities. With evolving threats such as cyber-based recruitment and cross-border illicit financial flows, new strategies are essential. To more effectively respond to these global challenges, Tajikistan joined the GLO.ACT (PROTECT), with this consultative meeting identifying priorities to ensure effective implementation of project activities.
The meeting was opened by Firdavs Odinaev, GLO.ACT (PROTECT) National Project Officer, who emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in combating human trafficking. He further outlined the objectives of the GLO.ACT (PROTECT) project as well as priority activities for Tajikistan, with a strong focus on strengthening collaboration with national and international partners, including IOM and OSCE.
The discussion touched on several key activities, including capacity building, public awareness-raising campaigns, victim support services, data collection, and monitoring. Updating the Manual on the Adjudication of Trafficking in Persons, originally developed in 2020, to reflect new trends and changes in anti-trafficking laws was also identified as a key priority.
Participants also stressed the need to enhance public awareness, particularly in remote areas with high migration outflows. The Ministry of Labour, with support from UNODC under GLO.ACT (PROTECT), will lead on these efforts. Moreover, the shortage of psychologists in Tajikistan was identified as a critical challenge to providing trauma-informed care for trafficking victims.
Considering how current limitation in real-time data analysis undermine effective responses to trafficking cases, efficient data collection was another key topic, with discussions around how to improve the country’s capacity to collect, store and utilize data in the fight against TIP and SOM. Participants agreed that by improving these systems, Tajikistan can make significant progress in its counter-trafficking efforts.
Finally, the importance of interagency collaboration was repeatedly emphasized. Stakeholders agreed that to respond to the complex and multifaceted needs of victims of trafficking, coordinated efforts across multiple organizations are essential. Especially properly coordinated referral mechanisms are crucial to ensure that victims receive the comprehensive assistance they need.
The meeting laid the groundwork for fruitful collaboration in the fight against TIP and SOM, identifying several areas for immediate intervention and long-term cooperation.
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PROTECT: Improving Migration Management & Migrant Protection in Selected Silk Route Countries
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is implementing the European Union-(EU) funded PROTECT initiative within the framework of GLO.ACT across Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. This initiative also addresses challenges in the broader Central Asia region, including the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, with a primary focus on enhancing the effectiveness of responses to trafficking in persons (TIP) and smuggling of migrants (SOM), particularly in relation to criminal justice. Meanwhile, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) is responsible for implementing the PROTECT initiative in Afghanistan (specifically through virtual MRC Afghanistan), Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Their primary objectives include improving gender-sensitive and rights-based migration governance at the national level and establishing Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs).
The project is funded by the European Union.
For more information, please contact:
Martin Reeve (Mr.), Coordinator, GLO.ACT, Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section, UNODC
Email: martin.reeve@un.org
Golda Myra ROMA (Ms.), Senior Project Manager, ICMPD Silk Routes Region – Budapest Process
Email: Golda.Roma@icmpd.org