Strengthening cooperation, identifying and preventing cases of human trafficking were the subject of extensive discussion at a regional conference that began on July 30 at the National Library of Tajikistan in Dushanbe.
The opening ceremony of the two-day conference, held under the motto "Strengthening National and International Partnerships in Combating Human Trafficking", was attended by the First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan, Militia Lieutenant General Alamshozoda Abdurahmon Alamsho (he is also the Chairman of the Interdepartmental Commission on Combating Human Trafficking of the Republic of Tajikistan), UN Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan Ms. Parvati Ramaswamy, UNODC Regional Representative for Afghanistan, Central Asia, Iran and Pakistan Oliver Stolpe, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to Tajikistan Ferdinand Jenrich and other officials.
The conference was also attended by representatives of government agencies, law enforcement agencies, international organizations, civil society institutions and the media.
The purpose of the event was to discuss ways to strengthen effective cooperation between national institutions and international partners in the fight against human trafficking, strengthen preventive measures and support victims of this crime.
Participants of the high-level meeting, along with discussing coordinated measures to combat crimes related to human trafficking, considered modern and innovative methods of countering this phenomenon.
Militia Lieutenant General Alamshozoda Abdurakhmon Alamsho, speaking about Tajikistan's experience in this area, noted that the country is taking active measures to identify, prevent and solve such crimes, closely cooperating with partners in the Central Asian region.
Continuing his opening speech, he expressed confidence that the introduction of modern methods of work in the field of preventing human trafficking will yield positive results and will contribute to strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and relevant structures of Central Asian countries.
The meeting also emphasized that human trafficking is one of the most dangerous forms of transnational crime, grossly violating human rights and freedoms. In the modern world, this negative phenomenon is especially widespread in vulnerable regions and developing countries. Given the global nature of this problem, it can only be effectively countered through a sustainable partnership between government agencies, international organizations, civil society and the private sector.
Conference participants shared proposals and experiences, noting that despite the reduction in officially recorded cases of human trafficking, this crime is increasingly taking hidden forms and is carried out through social networks and the Internet.
Specific issues were also discussed, including the prevention of child trafficking, the protection of the rights of female victims, the involvement of society and the media in raising public awareness, the punishment of perpetrators and ways to rehabilitate victims. It was emphasized that human trafficking in modern conditions is taking on hidden and digital forms, and the fight against it requires constant updating of work methods.