Internet Access and Training Program (IATP)

The round table participants discuss
necessity of establishing informational
network in helping disabled residents of
Kazakhstan at the Renaissance Hotel in
Atyrau, Kazakhstan

IATP centers in Kyrgyzstan hosted a series of online discussions in May to address the issues surrounding labor emigration from the country. Between 350,000 to 500,000 Kyrgyz nationals, out of an overall population of roughly 6 million, work either seasonally or full-time in foreign countries, according to some estimates. While labor migration brings money into the economy from abroad, some leaving the country are well-educated, energetic, and experienced people who often take their families with them. In other cases, male Kyrgyz residents are lured and promised well-paid labor jobs in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine. After working for several months, they are usually tricked, threatened, and forced to work for a salary that will remain inadequate to return home. Employers in these countries often pay bribes to law enforcement officials and hold the workers' passports, entrapping them abroad. IATP staff in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan empowered victims of trafficking in persons with new computer and Internet skills and that helped them apply for new jobs in Kyrgyzstan. Journalists of Kara-Balta, Kyrgyzstan learned how to cover the issue sensitively.

Aida Arykbaeva, a project
social worker of Resource
Center for Elderly, a nonprofit
organization in Balykchy,
Kyrgyzstan posts her comments
on labor emigration at the IATP
center in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan.

• Over 30 Kyrgyzstanis learned about services available to labor migrants during an online discussion on May 31 entitled “Labor Emigration: Legal Support and Economic Benefits.” Leaders from local NGOs and government agencies joined labor migrants and youth groups in the forum, organized by IATP projects coordinator Elgiza Bekenova. Their discussion covered the reasons for rapidly growing labor emigration, legal support options for migrants, and the economic benefits of the eight IATP centers across the country. “Our residents usually look for jobs via the old standby, the Internet, which leads to many cases of slave trafficking to neighboring Kazakhstan and Russia along with Arab countries,” remarked Almaz Arinov, the director of the Regional State Department of Employment and Migration Policy in Nookat, Kyrgyzstan. “I highly recommend people leaving to foreign countries for employment opportunities to consult with specialists of nation-wide Migration Hot Line Service supported by the International Migration Organization (IOM). The service provides legal and other support to Kyrgyzstan’s labor emigrants.” Aida Arykbaeva, a project social worker of Resource Center for Elderly a nonprofit organization in Balykchy, commented, “Unfortunately, one of the main reasons for labor emigration is the unfavorable labor market conditions in this country. Resource Center staff often support Kyrgyz citizens working in Russia and Kazakhstan who fell victim to labor trafficking by providing legal and registration support. The registration obstacles migrants encounter in most cases emerge due to the lack of knowledge of regulation system peculiarities of foreign countries.” The IATP discussion united experts and raised awareness of Kyrgyz labor migration issues.

• Journalists increased their professional skills by learning online techniques and tips on covering sensitive social issues thanks to a colleague’s workshop, hosted by a sustainable IATP partner. On May 14, Roman Milovatskiy, director of radio station Tatina and producer of the nation-wide radio program Asman, introduced eight journalists to online techniques and resources for covering issues such as human trafficking during a workshop at the IIC in Kara-Balta, Kyrgyzstan. Milovatskiy discussed how to find reliable information sources and techniques for investigative reporting, which requires cross-checking, synthesis of information, analysis, and objectivity. “While covering issues like human trafficking, journalists need to learn to dig to the problem's roots, avoid being biased, and try to write informational and analytical articles that are accessible for ordinary citizens,” remarked Milovatskiy. “Journalists also need to follow journalists’ professional etiquette by not casting blame, but rather to recommend solutions or prepare ready-to-use analysis for decision makers.” The group browsed online resources, including the World of Regional Journalism and Transparency-Kazakhstan’s article on investigative journalism. By the end of workshop, journalists had prepared draft articles dedicated to human trafficking in Kyrgyzstan. Asel Arginbaeva, a freelance journalist, commented, “Information technology has been developing for years, but social problems remain in the society and are even getting worse. Roman trained us to use new technologies to help solve [them].”

Ainura Kabylova, the coordinator of
Hot Line Service Project in Karakol,
Kyrgyzstan funded by the International
Organization for Migration (IOM), shares
her project activities and achievement
online at the IATP center in Karakol,
Kyrgyzstan

• Throughout May, leaders of NGO and government officials, and youth shared their achievements, project activities, and recommendations on preventing trafficking in persons in Kyrgyzstan with a US expert. Andrea Bertone, the guest expert, is the director of the US-based Research Center designed to address preventing trafficking in humans, helping victims as well as supporting organizations from Southeast Asia. The Research Center is a project of the Academy for Educational Development (AED) with funding provided by the US State Department. Bertone expressed her intention to research current projects in Kyrgyzstan designed to prevent human trafficking, the primary recruitment methods used to attract Kyrgyz women, and the level of cooperation between civil society and the government in Kyrgyzstan. Ainura Kabylova, coordinator of the Hot Line Service Project in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan, funded by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), remarked, “For over a year we have been operating the 'Hot Line Service 198' for preventing the slave trade in Karakol. Two operators and a lawyer work for the Hot Line Service. Since its founding, over 700 people have accessed free consultation about job placements in foreign countries. The service revealed 12 victims of the slave trade, nine of which recieved rehabilitation and reintegration assistance.” Almaz Arinov, the director of Employment and Migration Policy of City Administration in Nookat, Kyrgyzstan recommended, “Before you leave Kyrgyzstan for employment, you need to contact the migration service’s hot line designed especially for local labor migrants so they could help you to prepare. At this moment, there are three approved private firms, such as Altyn Adam in Kazakhstan, helping citizens to find legitimate work, thanks to which 1,177 Kyrgyz residents have found safe jobs abroad. Another is Open Asia, which helped 101 job seekers, and the third one is Egemiyar, which already helped 447 local residents to find jobs in first quarter of 2007.” According to IOM, roughly over 4,000 residents of Kyrgyzstan are trafficked every year. Illegally trafficked Kyrgyz men mostly work on tobacco plantations, private farms, and construction sites in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. Young Kyrgyz girls and women mainly under the age of 25 work as prostitutes in Turkey, Greece, South Korea, and United Arab Emirates, among others. The forum helped the participants to exchange information on endeavors and projects they undertake to prevent human trafficking, their achievements, and possible solutions and recommendations in order to increase public’s and government’s awareness of the problem, unite anti-trafficking activities for more effectiveness, and help victims integrate into their communities and find legal jobs. The participants will continue exchanging experience and materials on preventing human trafficking in Kyrgyzstan online until August.

The tafficking victims browse online
employment resources to find new and
legal jobs in Kyrgyzstan at the IATP
center in Karakol

• Victims of human trafficking in Kyrgyzstan acquired computer and Internet skills to integrate into their societies and find jobs. On May 25, seven men, who have fallen victims of labor trafficking, completed a two-week course in computer and Internet basics to develop their resumes and apply to legal jobs at the IATP center in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan. Led by the IATP Administrator Kubatbek Osmonov, the workshop equipped the participants with skills in text and spreadsheet editor software, e-mail services, use of online educational and professional materials, including free online resource with resume writing tips and online home business opportunities. Having developed their resumes, two participants applied to human construction site positions in Bishkek, three applied to seller vacancies, and two expressed interest in cell phone company positions using Kyrgyzstan’s two free online employment resources such as http://www.job.kg/ and http://www.rabota.kg/. The workshop helped the men to acquire new computer skills which will help them effectively hunt for legal and well-paid jobs and successfully integrate into society after several months of exploitation in plantations and construction sites in Kazakhstan and Russia. The course was possible thanks to the staff of Leader’s, a local nonprofit organization, and the Hot Line Service Project funded by International Organization for Migration (IOM).