VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNT #0196/01 0440831
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130831Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9225
INFO RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 3744
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 9954
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 4358
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0236
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2333

UNCLAS TASHKENT 000196 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR G/TIP SHEREEN FARAJ AND SCA/CEN FOR BRIAN RORAFF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV EAID KWMN KCRM UZ
SUBJECT: APPLICATIONS RECEIVED FOR ANTI-TRAFFICKING GRANT 
PROGRAM 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 161503 
 
     ¶B. TASHKENT 99 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Post received three submissions for the 
trafficking-in-persons grant application program announced in 
reftel A.  Application packages were submitted by the 
February 12 deadline to Embassy Tashkent from (listed in 
order of receipt) the United Nations Office on Drugs and 
Crime (UNODC), non governmental organization "Istiqbolli 
Avlod," and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). 
Each of these entities is registered in Uzbekistan and 
capable of implementing an anti-trafficking-in-persons 
project.  We also believe Save the Children submitted a 
regional application, including Uzbekistan, directly to 
G/TIP.  End summary. 
 
UNODC 
----- 
 
¶2. (SBU) (a) Applicant:  United Nations Office on Drugs and 
Crime (UNODC) 
(b) Requested Funding:  USD 300,000 
(c) Project Title:  UZB/S20 - "Strengthening Criminal Justice 
Response to Trafficking in Persons in Uzbekistan" 
(d) Project Duration:  One year 
(e) Abstract:  This is an existing project that is already 
60% funded by other donor countries, and a G/TIP grant would 
allow the Tashkent UNODC office to implement the entire 
anti-trafficking project.  There are several distinct 
components of the project, including:  a "gap analysis" aimed 
at assisting the Government of Uzbekistan with aligning its 
presently insufficient legislation with international 
conventions; a national workshop to assist the Government of 
Uzbekistan with developing its national anti-human 
trafficking strategy; establishment of a national database on 
human trafficking, which entails procurement and installation 
of an appropriate system and related training in its use in 
each of the 12 provinces of Uzbekistan; conducting training 
for law enforcement agents and prosecutors in all 12 
provinces of Uzbekistan; and strengthening cooperation with 
transit and destination countries by organizing meetings and 
encouraging the signing of bilateral agreements and mutual 
legal assistance.  UNODC intends to involve local NGOs and 
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
(OSCE) in its project activities. 
 
Istiqbolli Avlod 
---------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) (a) Applicant:  "Istiqbolli Avlod" (Uzbek for 
"Future Generation"), a registered NGO in Uzbekistan 
(b) Requested Funding:  USD 275,150 
(c) Project Title:  Assisting Uzbek Trafficking-in-Persons 
Victims 
(d) Project Duration:  Two years 
(e) Abstract:  Istiqbolli Avlod, which is affiliated with the 
International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Uzbekistan, 
proposes building on their existing anti-trafficking work 
repatriating victims and assisting them with reintegration 
into Uzbek society.  First, due to the large number of female 
victims from Uzbekistan who are trafficked to the United Arab 
Emirates, Istiqbolli Avlod wants to assign a permanent staff 
member abroad to serve as an on-the-ground liaison.  The 
UAE-based staff, preferably an Uzbek national, would actively 
work with prison officials and the Uzbek Consulate to 
identify Uzbek women in need of repatriation and facilitate 
their return travel.  Istiqbolli Avlod notes there are no 
NGOs currently focusing on this in the UAE, and they noted 
that since the Director began making regular trips to the 
Emirates the organization has assisted more than 2,000 Uzbek 
women.  The other part of Istiqbolli Avlod's proposal is to 
enhance the skills of staff who work at two shelters -- one 
each in Tashkent and Bukhara -- to allow them to offer more 
effective counseling and training to returned victims.  The 
goal is to encourage them to pursue vocational skills to help 
build self-confidence and earn a reasonable living, and they 
would first conduct a study tour to see best practices in 
another country and then return to create and implement more 
extensive vocational workshops (hairdressing, dry cleaning, 
sewing, etc.) and counseling programs (including 
resume-writing and interview skills as well as psychological 
 
intervention). 
 
UNICEF 
------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) (a) Applicant:  United Nations Children's Fund 
(UNICEF) 
(b) Requested Funding:  USD 314,744 
(c) Project Title:  "Combatting Child Trafficking in 
Uzbekistan" 
(d) Project Duration:  Two years 
(e) Abstract:  UNICEF notes that while trafficking-in-persons 
is being given more attention in Uzbekistan, child 
trafficking is not given special attention.  Its proposal 
therefore focuses on an information campaign to at-risk 
children, including outreach events in schools, orphanages, 
parks, and discos to raise awareness.  There will also be a 
corresponding awareness campaign in the mass media featuring 
popular actors and musicians to help get the message across. 
The proposal also includes conducting training sessions for 
teachers and other professionals who work closely with 
at-risk children, with a particular emphasis on recognizing 
the warning signs among children that they may be imminently 
trafficked.  There will also be sessions focused on 
parliamentarians to encourage compliance with Uzbekistan's 
international commitments such as the 1992 Convention on 
Child Rights. 
 
Save the Children? 
------------------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) Post met with a representative from Save the 
Children, which is registered in Uzbekistan, about the 
organization's interest in submitting a regional proposal to 
G/TIP focusing on Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.  We 
understood this application may have been submitted directly 
to G/TIP. 
 
NORLAND