e-Bulletin June 2015: News from our Member Organisations

Written on 12 June 2015.

La Strada International celebrates 20^th anniversary at annual NGO platform

La Strada International (LSI), Netherlands, brought together NGOs working on anti-trafficking, migrant rights and sex worker rights from across Europe at its NGO Platform meeting in May. Hosted by Open Gate/LSI Macedonia, the event looked back over the successes and challenges in anti-trafficking in the last 20 years, and asked participants to contribute ideas for future work.

Participants shared their experiences on four key issues: monitoring and evaluation, identification of trafficked persons, involving the voices of trafficked persons in programming, and developing partnerships with business. The ‘voices of trafficked persons’ session presented GAATW’s Accountability research project, during which 17 Member Organisations interviewed trafficked persons about their experiences of assistance services. The participating Member Organisations at the session agreed that the research has helped them involve the opinions of trafficked persons in their work and view services from the trafficked person’s perspective.

GAATW was present at the event to speak on a panel looking back over the last 15 years of the Trafficking Protocol. We are really pleased that we joined our members at this year’s NGO Platform and would like to congratulate LSI on its 20^th anniversary. Congratulations also go to Open Gate, which celebrates its 15^th anniversary this year.

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Workshop on the drafting of a Policy Paper on the Protection of Trafficked Women Migrant Workers

LRC-KJHAM coordinated a workshop on the drafting of a policy paper to amend Law No. 39, 2004 on Migrant Workers Placement and Protection, from 16-18 May 2015 in Semarang, Indonesia. The workshop gathered together representatives from Indonesia-based GAATW member organisations (Institut Perempuan, ATKI-Indonesia, Migrant Group Wedoro) and other migrant rights groups to discuss their experiences in handling trafficking cases and policy advocacy initiatives. The workshop also highlighted the results from GAATW’s recent research on participatory monitoring of Anti-Trafficking Initiatives, where LRCKJHAM is one of the project partners. In the research project, LRCKJHAM highlights the need for immediate services and comprehensive recovery for victims of trafficking and abused migrant workers. They also noted the poor conditions in shelters and inadequate psychological recovery services for victims.

LRCKJHAM is planning to hold another workshop to consult more migrant rights organisation and to finalise the policy paper for their lobbying activities at the national level.