GSI-2016-Full-Report

VULNERABILITY
Country
Civil & political
protections
Social, health, &
economic rights
Personal security
Refugees &
conflict
Mean
Armenia 53.66 27.38 42.63 24.90 37.14
Azerbaijan 68.90 28.23 28.17 23.05 37.09
Belarus 58.41 20.48 35.88 23.80 34.64
Georgia 51.00 28.43 35.95 24.42 34.95
Kazakhstan 59.05 22.08 28.19 22.12 32.86
Kyrgyzstan 54.16 28.33 36.37 21.88 35.18
Moldova 47.52 28.20 38.04 14.41 32.04
Russia 57.21 18.47 40.66 57.47 43.45
Tajikistan 62.85 37.62 41.68 27.53 42.42
Turkmenistan 68.14 28.65 43.34 9.22 37.34
Ukraine 61.97 21.39 35.80 43.41 40.64
Uzbekistan 74.62 28.35 32.09 12.14 36.80
Given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, forced migration
remains a significant trend. The Ukrainian civil conflict led
to the displacement of at least one million people. [31] Most
were women and children fleeing from Crimea, Donetsk and
other eastern regions. [32] Upon arrival in the West, they lacked
employment prospects, financial resources and social services. [33]
Indeed, many health services were closed due to the war effort
and no department has taken clear responsibility for protecting
the displaced. [34] The men who stayed behind to defend their
property were also vulnerable to forced military service [35] and
forced labour to support the war efforts of pro-Russian rebels. [36]
There are also extensive labour migration movements both from
and within this region. Kazakhstan is a popular destination for
labour migrants particularly from Uzbekistan, as it offers higher
wages than neighbouring countries, visa-free entry and has a
similar language. [37]
It is reported that labour migrants
experience routinely poor
living and working conditions in
Kazakhstan, with an estimated 20
percent of workplaces having no
amenities such as drinking water,
toilets or a place to eat.
Accommodation provided or found by employers or recruiters is
overcrowded, averaging 5.6 people per room but sometimes up
to 40 people per room. [38] Russia is the second largest destination
country for migrants in the world, hosting more than 11 million
migrants. [39] Many migrants continue onto Russia as it offers
higher wages than Kazakhstan.
With high levels of unskilled labour migration to the Russian
Federation comes accompanying vulnerability to exploitation. [40]
High population growth and limited job opportunities [41] in
former Soviet states such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the
Kyrgyz Republic [42] encouraged migrants to emigrate. [43] Such
migrants are known to work in the shadow economy, [44] which is
concerning yet unsurprising given tighter immigration restrictions
in the Russian Federation. [45] Approximately 40 percent of the
migrants lived in overcrowded, poorly maintained residences
such as trailers and abandoned factories, [46] exacerbating preexisting
ethnic conflicts. [47]
There have been widespread reports of public and institutional
xenophobia from within the Russian Federation. [48] These attitudes
have manifested in the form of illegal (yet administratively
endorsed) 'volunteer squads' to track down illegal migrants, [49]
anti-foreigner riots [50] and allegations of beatings orchestrated
by police and extremist members of the public. [51] Such abuses
were alleged to be met with impunity by the legal system,
owing to both a fear of reprisal [52] and an absence of effective
prosecution. [53]
Despite their desire to create a better life for their families,
currency instability led to economic uncertainty in Central Asian
countries of origin. Remittances sent to families were typically
transferred in small denominations of rubles. [54] Since the ruble
exchange rate was less stable than other currencies during the
reporting period, [55] the remittance system adversely affected
the economic outlook of some countries, such as the Kyrgyz
Republic and Tajikistan. [56]
68 | GLOBAL SLAVERY INDEX 2016