A project jointly coordinated by the European Women's Lobby (EWL) and the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW). The purposes of this project are to address gaps in current anti-trafficking programs and policies that avoid focusing on gender equality, the demand, and the links between trafficking and prostitution. The project will support NGOs working on these issues in 13 countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Kosovo, Albania, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro.

Goals:

Develop sustainable "best practices" and strategies to prevent and combat trafficking and sexual exploitation of human beings, especially women and children. Promote gender equality and the building up of cultural and political consensus in order to change the legal framework and establish adequate mechanisms for gender equality. Raise awareness about the root causes of prostitution and trafficking in women and children for sexual purposes. Highlight the links between violence against women and the normalization of sexual exploitation throughout the sex industry that are fundamental violations of women's rights.Promote preventative and awareness raising measures to discourage the demand for sexual exploitation that fosters trafficking, with a special focus on the Swedish model to combat prostitution and trafficking in human beings. Encourage alternatives to legal and policy measures that attempt to legalize the sex industry, decriminalize pimps and brothels, or regulate different prostitution activities, for example, through medical monitoring of women and State taxation schemes.


Country Projects:

Albania No to Sexual Tourism; Yes to Cultural Tourism focuses on encroaching sexual tourism in the country, promotes awareness of women's rights, and advocates against initiatives that favor decriminalization of prostitution in Albania. Coordinated by the Women's Media Group, this project includes a grassroots campaign to organize roundtables and TV debates on the dangers of sexual tourism, to establish an advocacy network of opposition to laws favoring the prostitution industry and to write and publish articles against the decriminalization of the industry in Albania.

Bulgaria Coordinated by the Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation, this project will be an information campaign against trafficking for sexual exploitation aimed at potential victims and clients. It aims to make people aware of the links between prostitution and trafficking and to dissuade the Bulgarian government from institutionalizing prostitution.

Croatia Coordinated by the Centre for Women War Victims (ROSA) and the Women's Room, this project is entitled Shifting the Image on Prostitution and Trafficking in Women in Croatia – Lobbying for Legal Changes. The main aims of the project are to promote changes in the laws and provisions concerning prostitution and trafficking by preparing a legislative draft document that would shift focus toward the demand and prevent legalization of prostitution in Croatia; and to conduct forums against legalization of prostitution in Croatia.

Czech Republic Coordinated by Caritas, Let's Discuss It is a project to launch a nation-wide discussion on the issues of trafficking in women and prostitution and to highlight different societal approaches and perceptions. The project aims through public forums and leaflets to bring together various sectors of civil society to discuss these issues.

Estonia Coordinated by ENUT, the Estonian Women's Studies and Resource Centre, this project is a grassroots campaign to combat trafficking and prostitution focusing on demand. The main aims of the project are to: adopt legislation to combat trafficking and sexual exploitation effectively; raise public awareness about sex trafficking, its causes, the negative social effects of prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation; influence public opinion to find trafficking, prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation unacceptable; and insure better law enforcement.

Hungary Coordinated by the “ Way Out With You” Association that gives direct assistance to women in prostitution, the main aims of the project are: to establish a drop-in centre for victims of trafficking and prostitution in Budapest that is an alternative to one that promotes legalization of prostitution; to give media prominence to the “Way Out with You” goals and services; to produce 3 one minute video ads about the dangers of prostitution and trafficking and to distribute these ads nationwide; to produce a movie about the harm of prostitution to women, addressing what has happened in countries where legalization has occurred vs. the Swedish model. Latvia Coordinated by Marta, the Resource Centre for women, the title of this campaign is Airport – Public Awareness Campaign in the International Airport of Riga . The project will hand out cards and use stickers to warn women leaving Riga by air about their rights in foreign countries and where to seek help. It will also be an anti-sex tourism campaign warning men arriving in Latvia about the dangers and penalties of sex tourism.

Lithuania Coordinated by the Women's Issues Information Center, this project aims to support a current law against the demand recently passed by the parliament and to insure that it is publicized and enforced by the police. The project will conduct trainings for various groups on the demand. At the same time, the project aims to raise awareness in society about the need to penalize sex buyers by conducting a poster campaign placed in public areas using slogans such as "She could be your daughter, sister…"

Kosovo Coordinated by Radio Plus, Prishtina, this project is a media awareness campaign using 7 radio spots broadcast 5 times daily for a period of 12 months to make clear that prostitution is an incitement to trafficking; to promote prosecution of those who prostitute and traffic women; and to present an alternative legal framework to normalizing the institution of prostitution and trafficking that will focus on demand. Content of all produced materials and radio spots will focus on the links between prostitution and trafficking and the demand. The interviews will contain questions to ascertain current perception of these links, and public discussions will follow. Radio spots will be distributed without cost to partner stations in Kosovo.

Moldova Coordinated by the Association, Women for Contemporary Society (AWCS), this project is entitled 'No' to Trafficking in Human Beings and Sexual Exploitation. The main aims of the project are to inform the public about the dangers of trafficking and sexual exploitation; to demonstrate the consequences for women and for society; to identify who are the women who end up in prostitution and who are the clients; to initiate discussion about current trends to legalize prostitution; and to create a trained group of volunteers.

Montenegro Coordinated by the Women's Safe House, the main aim of the project is to develop legal measures to criminalize the buyers and decriminalize the women. This project will prepare a draft law following the Swedish model for penalizing clients in collaboration with relevant state institutions such as the Ministry of Justice and parliamentarians.

Russia Coordinated by the Angel Coalition, Mira Med Institute and Project Kesher, The Volga Project is an information and public awareness campaign. Its aims are to educate the community about trafficking and prostitution as violence against women, related to domestic violence, that leads to women's inequality; to promote a different view and attitude towards women in the society by focusing on the demand side of trafficking and prostitution as a new lens through which to view the problem; to link prostitution, trafficking and the demand for sexual exploitation in 3 cities in Russia. The project will conduct educational workshops, training seminars and print and distribute leaflets and media materials.

Serbia Coordinated by the Committee for Human Rights -- Majdanpek, the main aim of the project is to develop strategies to prevent and combat trafficking and sexual exploitation of human beings, especially women and children. For a long time, the police and prosecutors had no knowledge, experience, or means of intervention in trafficking cases. In the absence of the rule of law, and in a state of constant insecurity, the prevention and combating of trafficking in women and girls were far from being a state priority. The project will organize two seminars and several information campaigns targeting medical and court personnel, social workers, NGOs, journalists, politicians, and especially those who live near the border as well as village people.