VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0516/01 0391546
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081546Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7002
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0622
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 3677

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000516 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/ELA SITA SONTY, 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWMN KCRM PHUM ASEC ELAB SMIG SY
SUBJECT: SYRIA:  ESF ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS PROJECT 
PROPOSALS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 221415 2005 
 
¶1.  (U) Post is submitting two projects in order of priority 
for the ESF Anti-Trafficking in Persons Projects.  Post 
currently does not have any anti-trafficking projects and 
would be able to monitor and evaluate project progress with 
the assistance as described in reftel. 
 
¶2.  (U) First Project 
 
¶A.  Project Title:  An Examination of Trafficking of Foreign 
Women into Syria's Sex Industry:  Building Syrian Capacity in 
Counter-Trafficking Research. 
 
¶B.  Name of Recipient Organization:  Iselin Consulting -- an 
agency run by Brian Iselin, a former Australian law 
enforcement officer who works on counter-trafficking issues 
worldwide.  Iselin Consulting would also seek assistance from 
the Syrian organization Etana Press. 
 
¶C.  Duration of project:  One year.  This is a new project. 
 
¶D.  The project has three aims:  to provide detailed data 
about trafficking in Syria; contribute to an understanding of 
the link between trafficking and the sex industry in Syria; 
and provide practical guidance to agencies and governmental 
bodies that support trafficked women's needs.  In the course 
of the project, a leading Australian expert on documenting 
trafficking cases would train Syrians in research methods. 
The researchers would then thoroughly document the cases of 
up to 25 women trafficked to Syria for sexual exploitation. 
The project's sustainability would depend on the quality of 
data, which would be the subject of a final project report, 
published in peer-review journals, and released in a 
communications package to the media, government and UN 
agencies, and partner NGOs. 
 
¶E.  Justification:  There has been no in-depth academic 
research either on sex-trafficking or its victims in Syria. 
Yet, sex trafficking has become a subject of government and 
civil society interest, and has been identified as a problem 
of significant concern by several agencies including the SARG 
Ministry of Interior.  The results of this project's research 
would assist in the development of more informed governmental 
and nongovernmental responses to sex trafficking in Syria. 
 
¶F.  Performance Indicators:  There are three ways to measure 
the project's performance:  The quality, reach and impact of 
the research on trafficking of women to Syria for sexual 
exploitation; the successful training of researchers/project 
partners; and, the extent to which project results inform the 
development of programmatic responses to sex trafficking in 
Syria. 
 
¶G.  Evaluation plan:  A Project Steering Committee and its 
coordinator would oversee project implementation and 
inception and report to the donor of project progress after 
the first three months and at the end of the project. 
 
¶H.  Budget Breakout:  Total USD 332,713 (Staffing - USD 
198,768; Travel and Operations USD 133,945). 
 
¶I.  Cost-sharing:  None 
 
¶J.  Proposed Funding Mechanism:  Money would be deposited 
into a designated account at Iselin Consulting's UK-based 
bank and then transferred as necessary to a local bank. 
 
¶K.  Embassy point of Contact:  Maria d.G. Olson, Political 
Section; Grants Officer Chris Eccel PD. 
 
¶L.  Other donors:  None. 
 
¶3.  (U) The second project is as follows: 
 
¶A.  Title:  Capacity Building on Shelter Management for 
Victims of Trafficking in Syria 
 
¶B.  Recipient Organization:  International Organization for 
Migration 
 
¶C.  Duration:  One year with possibility of extension 
 
¶D.  Description:  The overall objective is to help the SARG 
combat irregular migration and protect the rights of 
vulnerable groups such as women and children.  The project 
aims to support the SARG in the establishment and management 
of its first shelter for temporary assistance to victims of 
trafficking and to enhance networking among governmental and 
 
 
nongovernmental organizations by creating a social network of 
support and referrals to victims of trafficking.  Activities 
would include: 
 
-- A needs assessment among Syrian NGOs working with 
vulnerable groups; 
-- Identification of an NGO to run a shelter for victims of 
trafficking; 
-- Cooperation with the SARG to identify a building 
appropriate for a shelter; 
-- Provision of technical assistance and advice on the 
establishment of a shelter; 
-- Coordination with the SARG on the appointment of a project 
manager and the hiring of consultants and experts; 
-- Train the staff on shelter management, psychosocial 
assistance, life skills and information on return and 
reintegration; 
-- Monitor and follow-up on implementation. 
 
¶E.  Justification:  There is only one small shelter for 
vulnerable women in Syria, not focused strictly on trafficked 
women.  In September 2005, the IOM and the SARG Ministry of 
Interior held a workshop on trafficking which raised 
awareness among senior SARG officials about the scope of the 
problem and encouraged the government to consider new 
anti-trafficking measures, including the need to set up a 
shelter for victims of trafficking.  The SARG subsequently 
set up a national committee to address counter-trafficking 
and endorsed the Convention Against Organized Crime, 
including the Protocol on Trafficking in Persons.  This 
project would serve as the next step in combating 
trafficking, by increasing the knowledge and capacity of 
national institutions in the establishment and management of 
a shelter -- to be funded separately by the SARG -- for 
victims of trafficking in Syria. 
 
¶F.  Performance Indicators include: 
 
-- Number and level of SARG officials and NGO staff trained; 
-- Number of victims of trafficking assisted by the shelter 
per year; 
-- Number of victims assisted after they depart the shelter; 
-- Number of NGOs and agencies providing support to the 
shelter; 
-- Number of meetings held by the social assistance network; 
-- Number of cases referred to the shelter by other agencies 
in the network; 
-- Level of participation by the Ministry of Interior and the 
Ministry of Social and Labor Affairs in the shelter 
activities. 
 
¶G.  Evaluation Plan: TBD 
 
¶H.  Budget Breakout:  Total USD 198,497 (Staffing USD 19,744; 
Office Costs: USD 12,600; Operational Costs USD 156,700; IOM 
Overhead USD 9,452). 
 
¶I.  Host Government Contribution:  The SARG's Ministry of 
Interior and Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor will 
provide the shelter structure, including staff, focal points, 
furniture and equipment. 
 
¶J.  Funding Mechanism:  IOM 
 
¶K.  Embassy Point of Contact:  Maria d.G. Olson, Political 
Section; Grants Officer Chris Eccel PD. 
 
¶L.  Other Donors:  A selected NGO will second the required 
staff. 
SECHE