La Strada Moldova: International Center “La Strada”

“La Strada” BRIEF

2. Major Achievements 2007

3. Major Results 2002-2007

La Strada CV

Full name
Public Association International Center for Women Rights Protection and Promotion “La Strada”

Founded
February 2001; registered with the Ministry of Justice of RM in August 2001

Mission
The International Center La Strada is a human rights non-governmental organization that aims to counteract trafficking in persons, specifically women and children, in the Republic of Moldova through prevention, assistance and lobby activities.
Prevention activities comprise awareness, information and training;
Assistance activities comprise victim identification, facilitated repatriation, mediation of reintegration services, access to protection and justice through reaching out, trainings and materials;
Lobbying activities comprise technical support to policy makers, researches and studies, monitoring and observations.

Vision
The International Center La Strada strives to build a society based on the principle of respect for human rights, sensible to the issue of trafficking in persons and all forms of abuse against child and women and which makes available favorable conditions for the (re)integration of victims of trafficking including children and women subject to any form of exploitation and abuse.

Values
Respect for the human rights – we consider trafficking in persons a grave violation of human rights

Holistic approach - from the grass root level - of the issue of trafficking in persons and national and international cooperation

Respect for the beneficiary’s decision; individual approach and treatment with dignity

Team work, exigency and responsibility

Structure
Resource Center for (potential) migrants
Drop-In-Centre for (presumable) victims of trafficking
Analytical and Lobby Centre

Staff
12 full-time
23 volunteers.

Membership
National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings
Steering Committee for the Elimination of Child Labor
National Alliance of Social NGOs
La Strada International Association
Accreditation to the European Council
Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women
ARIADNE Network against trafficking in human beings in Southeastern and Eastern Europe
Network ASTRA

Contact address
Chisinau, Moldova, MD-2012, PO Box 259
Tel.: (+ 373 22) 23-49-06
Fax: (+ 373 22) 23-49-07
E-mail: office@lastrada.md
Web: www.lastrada.md

Major achievements 2007

Expertise in researching and developing Strategy of the National Referral System to assist and protect trafficked persons;

Expertise in researching and developing national Standard Operational Procedures for the identification, reintegration of VoT within the country, i.e. National Referral System;

Expertise in developing international standards on assisting and protection victims as part of trans-border cooperation, i.e. Trans-Border Referral Mechanism;

Consultancy to the National Anti-Trafficking Committee for developing Action Plan and setting permanent secretariat;

International consultancy in researching and analyzing practices in the area of VoT identification, return and assistance;

International consultancy in researching and setting practices-model in the area of combating trafficking and assisting trafficked persons via multidisciplinary approach;

Institutionalized cooperation with the CCTP on providing social mediation and psychological support to (presumable) VoT throughout the data collection/investigation phase as well as psychological support to VoT-witnesses;

Pioneered professional-reading publications - Guidelines on VoT identification, Handbook on VoT Reintegration.

Major Results 2002-2007

Drop-In-Center for (presumable) victims of trafficking

Capacities and Tools

National Toll Free Hot-Line 24/24 – addressing SOS calls.

Multidisciplinary mobile intervention team – immediate respond to any signal of trafficking throughout the country.

Referral/Mediation System to national and international service providers.

Specialized multi-purpose training modules on VoT assistance and protection.

Training Modules specialized, endorsed in the area assistance and social protection of trafficking victims.

Objectives and Results

1. Facilitate un-conditioned access of VoT to quality and free assistance/services

1.1. VoT identified and counseled – over 1 000 persons.
Counseling in:	VoT rights; available assistance infrastructure and programs; terms of conditions to access/enjoy of assistance programs.
1.2. VoT assisted – over 430 persons.
Assistance in:	immediate/crises psycho-social counseling, recovery/rescue and repatriation, needs and risks evaluation, Basic material and humanitarian aid, Family relations (re)setting, Mediation to specialized services, Employment/training orientation/provision.

2. Capacity Building/Optimization of services and assistance infrastructure targeting VoT

2.1. Trained specialists – over 800 – psychologists, social assistants, law enforcement, counselors, clerks, other.
Training in:	Pro-active identification of VoT, Understanding PTS consequences and VoT behavior, Efficient communication with VoT; VoT interviewing, VoT assistance principles and schemes in the framework of Referral System, Administration and counseling SOS calls/SOS-Line.
2.2. Methodological materials – over 4000 copies.
Titles:	Social Assistance to VoT (endorsed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of RM), VoT Identification Recommended Guide, Rights and access of VoT to assistance, Good practices in the assistance of VoT, including minors (over 20)
2.3. Referral System – over 300 service providers on national and
	international level; SOPs and forms;

Resource Center for (potential) migrants

Capacities and Tools

National Toll Free Hot-Line 24/24 – addressing INFO-calls.
Mobile peer educators team, “Peer to Peer”.
Specialized multi-purpose training modules on trafficking prevention and information.

Objectives and Results

1. Educate (potential) migrants on migration issue and dangers of trafficking

1.1. Persons counseled via Hot-Line – over 25 000 persons.

Counseling in:
Depending on the desired country and migration purpose
Rights and obligations of migrants,
Migration procedure profile,
Competent institutions/organizations,
Risks of illegal migration,
Recognizing danger of trafficking.

1.2. Trained youth – over 50 000 persons via 2 500 seminars.

1.3. Materials distributed – over 150 000 copies.

1.4. Informed youth via non-traditional campaigns – 50 000 persons.

Education on:
Understanding and recognizing trafficking in persons,
Recognizing risks of illegal migration and dangers of trafficking,
Knowledge and application of protection measures,
Fair treatment, recognition and mediation of VoT to assistance.

2. Capacity Building/optimization of national resources to prevent trafficking

2.1. Trained specialists – over 3 500 ( teachers, NGOs, clerks, law enforcement, media etc.).

Training in:
Trafficking in persons including children – terms, mechanism, complexity, approaches
Counseling and management of Hot-Lines of a preventive nature
Preventive seminars/lecturers methodology and schemes
NGOs anti-trafficking
Organization of awareness/media campaigns

2.2. Methodological materials – over 15 000 copies

Titles:
Methodological Guide to Prevent trafficking Women (endorsed by the Ministry of Education and Youth of RM),
Manual for Hot-Line Consultants,
Peer Educator’s Guide, “Peer to Peer”
Police Handbooks/Manuals on Pro-active investigations,
Compilation of Normative Acts of Moldova on human trafficking.

Analytical and Lobby Center

Objectives and Results

1. Monitoring of trafficking situation in the country

1.1. Thematic Publications – over 3 000 copies.
Titles:	Combating trafficking in persons – issue complexity and multi-level approach; National Referral Mechanism for the Identification, Assistance and Protection of Trafficked Persons; Identification of Trafficked Persons in Moldova (Guidelines for Specialized NGOs); VoT Reintegration – results or process; Trafficking in Persons in Moldova; comments, trends, recommendations.
2. Support to policy makers in strengthening anti-trafficking strategy

2.1. National expertise and consultancy - working group member/co-author of various field related legal initiatives and documents.
Outputs:	2005-2006 / 2007-2008 National Action Plan (NAP) to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Law to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in Persons of the RM, Draft Regulation on VoT Repatriation, VoT Rehabilitation Center Regulation and Protocol, Bilateral agreements on international cooperation to combat trafficking in persons, National Referral Strategy for the assistance and protection of trafficked persons.
2.2. International expertise and consultancy - working group member/co-author of various field related legal initiatives and documents
Outputs:	Best Practices on Law to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in Persons, A guide for members of Law Enforcement, Judiciary and NGOs/IOs on best Practices in combating trafficking in persons, Guidelines for The Development and Implementation of a Comprehensive National Anti-trafficking Response, Trans-border Referral Mechanisms for Trafficked Persons, Anti-Trafficking Training Module for Police Best Practices.