VZCZCXRO4720
RR RUEHAG RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAK #0628/01 0441201
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131201Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3122

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000628 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, EUR/PGI, EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD PREF TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY:  COUNTER-TRAFFICKING UPDATE 
 
REF: ANKARA 6303 
 
 ¶1.  SUMMARY:  Counter-trafficking efforts remain strong in 
Turkey with the kick-off of the USG-funded, International 
Office for Migration (IOM)-implemented and GoT-coordinated 
public awareness campaign, as well as the start of the 
EU-funded Twinning Project to strengthen institutions in the 
fight against TIP.  Victims of trafficking (VOTs) who have 
stayed at the Ankara shelter have expressed a desire to stay 
longer, and to even bring their children there.  Inquisitive 
neighbors and the Ministry of Health's stinginess with 
medications remain problems for the shelter.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------- 
Have You Seen My Mother? 
------------------------- 
 
¶2.  The IOM on January 31 rolled out its USG-funded 
nationwide public information campaign to raise awareness of 
the impact of human trafficking on children and families, 
with hopes of appealing to the strong Turkish sense of 
family.  According to IOM statistics, one out of three women 
trafficked to Turkey is a mother. 
 
¶3.  The centerpiece of the campaign is a television 
commercial entitled, "Have You Seen My Mother?" Twenty-six 
private and public television channels will air the 
advertisement starting in mid-February.  Film distributor 
FIDA Film and cinema company Sinefekt will also show the 
commercial at movie theaters throughout the country. 
 
¶4.  IOM filmed the 30-second commercial in a village in 
Moldova, a top source country, and cast four Moldovan 
children, aged 4-14.  The children, in Turkish, say "I miss 
her," "I do not know where she is," "We needed to eat," "One 
of us needed to work and my mother went," and "Have you seen 
my mother?"  Municipalities in Ankara, Istanbul, Antalya, 
Izmir and Trabzon have displayed posters at bus stops, and 
airport authorities in Istanbul, Trabzon and Antalya have 
donated billboard space to advertise the campaign.  There has 
been wide media coverage of the start of the campaign, both 
on television and in print. 
 
------------------------------ 
EU Twinning Project Rolled Out 
------------------------------ 
 
¶5.  Within the EU candidacy process and under the EU 2003 
Pre-accession Financial Assistance Program, Turkey, Germany 
and Austria developed a Twinning Project on "Strengthening 
Institutions in the Fight Against Trafficking in Human 
Beings."  The program, officially slated to have begun at the 
end of November 2005, actually started on the 6th of January, 
2006 with a short ceremony and reception hosted by GOT 
Security Director Gokhan Aydiner.  The 18-month program will 
conclude on May 30, 2007. 
 
¶6.  The project aims to strengthen the capacity of Turkish 
authorities to combat TIP and to improve Turkish 
anti-trafficking structures and legislation.  Implementing 
partners are the Berlin Criminal Police Agency, the Ludwig 
Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights (Austrian), and the 
Turkish National Police. 
 
¶7.  Seven components make up the project:  development of a 
national anti-trafficking strategy, awareness raising, 
development of a comprehensive system of victim assistance, 
development of return and reintegration, legislative review, 
training of law enforcement, and fostering international 
cooperation in the investigation and prosecuting of 
trafficking cases.  Throughout the week of February 6, 
representatives from Germany and Austria interviewed Turkish 
stakeholders and experts to analyze strengths, gaps and needs 
with regard to existing victim assistance and support in 
Turkey.  The ensuing report will be shared with relevant 
Turkish officials and NGO representatives and will also serve 
as a basis for the development and implementation of further 
project activities. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
Ankara Shelter:  Good Reviews and Nosy Neighbors 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶8.  The Women's Solidarity Foundation (WSF) which runs the 
Ankara shelter (see reftel) reported that they have housed 
five VOTs, all of whom commented on how nice the facilities 
are.  Several of them wished that they could have their 
children with them and never have to leave.  Sadly, those 
women said that they had come to Turkey in hopes of providing 
just such housing for their children. 
 
 
ANKARA 00000628  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶9.  Though the WSF has generally been satisfied with the 
healthcare provided its guests, one complaint is that the 
Ministry of Health does not supply medications for the VOTs 
other than single doses given at the hospital.  Most of the 
women have gynecological problems which require longer 
courses of medication. 
 
¶10.  Several shelter neighbors have inquired as to why 
foreign women are being taken in and out of the house.  The 
WSF has successfully dodged questions, but plans to ask the 
municipality if it has any creative answers.  Winter has 
brought a reprieve to the inquisition, but WSF anticipates a 
resurgence as the weather turns warmer. 
 
¶11.  COMMENT:  It is too early to see results on the 
effectiveness of the public awareness campaign, but the media 
has reacted positively.  IOM has cleverly found a soft spot 
in Turkish society -- its love of children.  The Turks will 
endeavor to work with the Twinning Project team, but it will 
be interesting to note their reaction to the report findings, 
which may not be as they expect.  WSF seems, so far, to be 
doing a good job with running the shelter.  We will need to 
give them more time before we can make an accurate 
evaluation.  END COMMENT. 
WILSON