VZCZCXYZ0028
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWR #0935/01 1131254
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231254Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4020

UNCLAS WARSAW 000935 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
G/TIP FOR REBECCA BILLINGS AND AMY LEMAR-MEREDITH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC ELAB KCRM PHUM PREL SMIG PL
SUBJECT: TWO POLAND SUBMISSIONS FOR G/TIP-MANAGED FY 2007 
ESF AND INCLE FUNDS 
 
REF: STATE 28153 
 
¶1.  Two Polish NGOs prepared proposals for G/TIP funded 
projects in response to Reftel.  Post has already submitted 
the full proposals for the projects to the G/TIP Programs 
Section regional officer for EUR.  Summary information for 
each project follows: 
 
¶2. PROJECT PROPOSAL ONE:  COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING 
IN POLAND - NEW CHALLENGES 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
Name: Zbigniew Lasocik, Professor of Law, Warsaw University 
Human Trafficking Studies Center 
Requested Funding Amount: $218,900 
Project Name: Combating Human Trafficking in Poland - New 
Challenges 
Project Duration:  24 Months 
Proposal Abstract: 
 
The Combating Human Trafficking in Poland - New Challenges 
project will study new types of trafficking, advocate for 
legal changes to strengthen the definition of trafficking in 
Polish law, and train government officials to provide better 
service,  It builds upon the Human Trafficking Studies 
Center's previous experience in combating modern day slavery 
and answers the most important questions of the day, 
including addressing changes in the types of trafficking. 
The project intends to carry out an integrated set of 
activities to solve problems in three main areas of interest: 
 the effectiveness of the existing system to combat human 
trafficking; knowledge about all possible types of human 
trafficking victims; and special training for those assisting 
trafficking victims.  The Project is designed in such a way 
that it offers very practical and effective tools to solve 
those most important problems.  It will: 
 
¶1. Study the situation of two groups of human trafficking 
victims we do not yet know very well in order to stop those 
types of trafficking and those categories of victims: 
--a. children, especially foreigners being transferred via 
Poland, and 
--b. male victims of forced labor. 
 
¶2. Improve the effectiveness of the existing system.  Two 
steps need to be taken: 
--a. The definition of human trafficking and lobbying for its 
introduction in the Polish criminal code so that prosecutors 
and judges have a better legal basis from which to operate; 
and 
--b. The establishment of a model of local cooperation and 
testing of the model at the national level. 
 
¶3. Provide training to officials involved in the care and 
protection of victims based on new Polish legislation (Social 
Benefits Act, 2007).  The groups to be trained are: 
--a. social workers, medical care workers, and local 
government employees; and 
--b. police officers, municipal guards and border guards. 
 
The team will implement the project over two years and will 
be composed of experienced experts from the Human Trafficking 
Studies Center in cooperation with key actors such as: 
Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Social 
Welfare, Polish Ombudsman, Police, Border Guards and numerous 
NGOs, including La Strada and Nobody,s Children Foundation. 
Our cooperation with all them is long lasting (three-four 
years) and very effective.  All results of the project will 
be made available for Polish practitioners, published and put 
on our website. 
 
The project will last for two years, will involve a large 
group of experts from Poland and abroad, and will be 
implemented in close partnership with key state institutions, 
numerous local governments, all NGOs active in the human 
trafficking field, and universities. The total amount of the 
project is $218,900 (including fringe benefits and indirect 
costs). 
 
¶3. PROJECT PROPOSAL TWO:  NATIONAL REFERRAL CENTER 
FOR TRAFFICKED PERSONS 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
Name: Stana Buchowska, Co-Founder and National Coordinator, 
La Strada Foundation Against Trafficking in Persons and 
Slavery 
Requested Funding Amount: $299,960.52 
Project Name: National Referral Center for Trafficked Persons 
Project Duration:  11 Months 
Proposal Abstract: 
 
Trafficking in persons is a serious violation of human 
rights. In Poland, as in other European countries, it was 
recognized several years ago as a problem that deserves 
serious attention and action.  Combating trafficking in 
persons requires a multidisciplinary and cross sector 
approach, involving all relevant actors from government and 
civil society.  La Strada proposes to create a National 
Referral Center for Trafficked Persons to ensure that victims 
are properly and appropriately assisted. 
 
Anti-trafficking efforts in Poland date from 1995, and began 
with La Strada, which was the first anti-trafficking 
initiative all of Central and Eastern Europe.  One of its 
achievements was the adoption by the Polish government of a 
National Action Program to Combat and Prevent Trafficking in 
Persons in Poland (National Action Program), a 
multidisciplinary and cross sector long-term strategy created 
in 2003. 
 
Even though the anti-trafficking measures implemented in 
Poland in the area of prevention, protection and prosecution 
of the crime of trafficking in persons are improving, there 
are still gaps that need to be addressed urgently.  These 
include: 
--Insufficient coordination of assistance and support to 
trafficked persons; 
--Unsatisfactory identification of trafficking victims, 
especially by the law enforcement bodies.  This is despite an 
existing legal framework and procedures to implement them; and 
--The lack of a comprehensive system on the national level 
regarding the referral of trafficking victims. 
 
The creation of an effective National Referral Center (NRC) 
can be a vital step in ensuring that the human rights of 
trafficked persons are protected.  It will be a significant 
improvement in developing a new quality of protection and 
assistance to trafficked persons.  A crucial prerequisite of 
effective anti-trafficking measures is the construction and 
strengthening of relevant local and national institutions 
that are sustainable mechanisms to combat human trafficking 
and support victims.  The NRC will also provide guidance on 
how to monitor and build the capacity of such mechanisms and 
structures.  It will foster contact and work among all key 
players of anti-trafficking field: law enforcement, NGOs, and 
other service providers who provide professional help and 
assistance to trafficked persons via telephone hotlines, a 
crisis intervention center, and a shelter for trafficked 
persons.  All existing services and resources will be 
gathered in databases and trafficked persons who contact the 
NRC will be referred to appropriate specialized services. 
 
This effective infrastructure to combat trafficking in 
persons will work on the basis of a broad definition of 
trafficking in order to have the ability to respond rapidly 
to different forms of human trafficking. Support and 
protection services within the NRC will be accessible for all 
categories of trafficked persons, both domestic and migrant. 
 
La Strada, the first anti-trafficking initiative in Poland 
and Central and Eastern Europe, will utilize its expertise 
and know how and will coordinate and maintain a wide network 
of law enforcement representatives, institutions of local and 
central government, different service providers throughout 
the Poland in the process of identification, assistance of 
trafficked persons. 
 
The NRC will gather information for a database of services 
and resources available, and will match the needs of 
trafficked persons with the assistance available.  Until now, 
services for trafficking victims in Poland have been provided 
only by limited  number of  NGOs, local government 
institutions, and charity initiatives.  At the same time, 
only a limited number of law enforcement representatives and 
other first-contact professionals knew how and where to refer 
a trafficked person. 
ASHE