Trafficking in Human Beings in Southeastern Europe - Iom

Trafficking in Human Beingsin Southeastern EuropeRepublic ofMoldovaand support – a place to stay, psychological and social support, such as housing,a job, professional training or schooling.A basic service that was offered by Save the Children included assistance fromthe airport to the shelter, voluntary STI and HIV/AIDS tests and financialassistance to some returned trafficked persons in the amount of US$ 150 perperson. Longer term help was offered by Save the Children to 25 percent ofthe returned trafficked persons, but there were no reintegration programmesand the support was very limited – a temporary place in a shelter, help withlooking for a job and arranging medical treatment.According to NGOs, it is estimated that up to 50 percent of trafficked womenwho are returned, leave Moldova shortly after their arrival and are re-trafficked.Without any prospect of a job or means to support themselves andtheir families at home, some women believe that the next time will be betterand that they will be able to work abroad on their own and keep the money,while others simply do not see any other choice.In the second half of 2001, IOM in co-operation with a network of local NGOsthroughout Moldova, started a reintegration programme that would provideshelter, social and psychological counselling, medical services and vocationtraining opportunities for returning trafficked persons. The programme wassupposed to be implemented by La Strada, which opened its chapter in Moldovain May 2001, but in the event La Strada had no capacity to manage it.Since the programme only started in September 2001, it is too early to evaluateits effectiveness, although to date, this is one of the few examples ofreintegration programmes in the region.1.4. HIV/AIDS and STIsLike other countries in Eastern Europe, Moldova has witnessed a significantincrease in sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS in the last few years.The predominant means of HIV/AIDS transmission in Moldova is intravenousdrug injection, but there may be a shift towards more sexual transmission inthe near future. The UN “Common Country Assessment” Report, 46 points tothe presence of the following negative factors, which will contribute to thespread of HIV/AIDS:• High and increasing rate of illicit drug use;• Consistently high rates of sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis;• Growing unemployment, worsening standards of living and moral values,and prostitution;• High rate of migration of people of reproductive age in search of jobsand commercial sex into other countries, especially those with a highprevalence of HIV/AIDS;• Possible growth of the number of HIV-positive children.In 2001, 50 percent of returned trafficked women and girls volunteered tohave STI tests, which were positive in 85 percent of cases. Only a quarter ofSTI positive women completed the treatment. There was one positive HIVtest, which has to be repeated.There are no programmes addressing the health, including HIV/AIDS/STI preventionand treatment, of potential or returned trafficked persons. In 2001 theUN Development programme (UNDP) and the UN Joint Programme on HIV/2846.Common Country Assessment, UN in Moldova, December 2000, p.64-67.