ASTANA. February 22. KAZINFORM /Rizvana Sadykova/ Non-governmental organizations play an active and important role in the field of combating trafficking in persons, first of all in the prevention of victimization and re-victimization, and direct assistance to trafficking survivors; President of the Association of NGOs Against Trafficking in Persons in Central Asia Yelena Badikova has said it today at the international research conference "OSCE Human Dimension: General and Topical Priorities in 2010" in Astana.

Historically, NGOs in Kazakhstan had become the first institutions that faced trafficking in persons. Donor agencies appreciated the NGOs' capacity and experience in direct assistance to victims. In 2006, USAID (www.usaid.gov) granted funds for the establishment of shelter for victims of trafficking in Almaty, at the premises of NGO Rodnik and with the support of IOM (www.iom.int). The shelter has been operating to date. In 2008, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Kazakhstan granted funds for the establishment of similar shelter in Kokshetau, in the premises of NGO Feminist league.

Moreover, shelters for victims of domestic violence operated by NGOs in Taldykorgan and Karaganda also provide services for victims of trafficking on as-needed basis.

As noted in the analysis of experience of NGOs in the establishment of shelters for victims of trafficking (Badikova, 2008), shelters operated by NGOs and supported by the government are the most appropriate for the assistance to victims of trafficking. The fact that shelter of such kind was established in Astana last year shall be highly appreciated.

Moreover, NGO members of the Association of NGOs Against Trafficking in Persons in Central Asia (AATIPCA) provide assistance for victims of trafficking in nine oblasts of Kazakhstan. The assistance package includes temporary shelters (if funds available), food, warm clothes (in necessity), medicines, and, upon the agreement with the AATIPCA, support in vocational training (usually, hairdressers', cooks', accounting and similar courses).

 In recent years, NGOs have been often invited to participate in the development and discussing of draft laws. In particular, NGOs participated in the development and discussing of the national anti-trafficking and related legislation of Kazakhstan, draft law on migration, the legislation aimed at elimination of gender discrimination, and other laws.

However, taking in account observations and feedback from NGOs, she concludes, that NGOs' opinions and proposals sometimes have been treated inappropriately as the final versions of the draft laws do not reflect the NGOs' proposals. With this regard, it is purposeful to give NGOs an opportunity to explain their position regarding draft laws directly to law makers.

 NGOs play an active and important role in the field of combating trafficking in persons, first of all in the prevention of victimization and re-victimization, and direct assistance to trafficking survivors. However, the situation requires its further development on the following directions.

It is necessary to move from the prevention of victimization to the prevention of deviant behavior and awareness raising campaigns aimed at the demand reduction (in particular, reduction of the demand in free or enormously cheap labor, demand in prostitution, etc.) and creation of zero tolerance to individuals who employ forced labor and sexual services.

Law enforcement is strongly recommended to take in account the NGOs' opinion when working with victims of trafficking. NGOs, in their turn, are strongly recommended to continue their activities in the field of training of and building cooperation with law enforcement in order to develop sustainable patterns of full respect of the victims' rights and interests.

Law makers are recommended to pay more attention to NGOs' proposals regarding draft laws under discussion. It is purposeful to offer NGOs an opportunity to explain their suggestions regarding the draft laws, similarly to the practice of presentation at the Parliament of draft law proposals made by a ministry or agency developed the initial text of the law. 

It is necessary to change the criteria of selection of applicants on the social projects in general and especially on anti-trafficking projects. The main criteria of the selection shall be the quality of the submitted project rather than the lowest budget. The prove of successful experience of the applicant NGOs in the same or similar projects shall be the required selection criteria as well.

Governmental funding of NGOs' anti-trafficking projects shall be planned in a way that allows adequate financing of real costs of labor and materials resources to be spent to insure the high quality of each project. It is also necessary to allow adequate terms of the projects' lifetime, in order to move from one-time actions to planned and sustainable activities in the field of combating trafficking in persons and assistance and protection of victims of trafficking.