Introduction
The project “ASHSHASH: For Men and Women Who Have Escaped Trafficking” works in partnership with public and private sector service providers to deliver counselling, legal services, and economic empowerment support to men and women who have escaped trafficking. The 3 years project was funded by the Swiss Development Agency and Implemented by Winrock International.
Women face various kinds of vulnerabilities as far as migration process is concerned. In many cases, women do not take the decision by themselves. Someone from the family or perhaps relatives influence them to take decision. In many cases, whoever influences for migration decision has a close link with the dalal to process their migration and documentation.
Intervention strategies
- Close collaboration, cooperation, and partnership with other GO, NGOs, and relevant service providing agencies
- Encourage social volunteerism and engage as a change agent from the stakeholders like peer leader, Counter Trafficking Committee (CTC), local influential and youth club with the implementation
- Effective referral mechanism
- Make community people, stakeholders, and Counter Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) activists aware of the identification of trafficked survivors and the implementation of awareness events.
- Source Mapping of survivors for identification.
Well-being of survivors of trafficking
- 889 survivors of trafficking had been identified and enrolled.
- 662 needs assessment of identified survivors had been undertaken.
- 886 survivors had received individual psychosocial counselling support.
- 1,722 family members from 830 families of survivors had received psychosocial counselling support.
- 773 survivors got ready-to-go certificates after successful completion of counselling.
- 852 people of the survivors’ community had got counselling support through 30 community counselling sessions.
- 202 survivors were referred for healthcare support through a referral mechanism.
- 75 survivors had received emergency support such as healthcare, trauma counselling, and shelter.
- 75 survivors had received emergency monetary support during COVID-19 pandemic situation.
- 85 survivors had received emergency monetary support after cyclone Amphan.
- 8 survivors were referred for legal support.
- 65 survivors received support from PRAN-RFL as a kind of contribution in survivors support.
Training of survivors
- 224 survivors of trafficking received Life skills training.
- 24 survivors received leadership training.
- 19 survivors received various support such as food, short-term employment, tubewell, hygiene kits, financial support.
Activities being implemented
Men and women who have escaped trafficking improve their social and economic well-being by using services for reintegration by the following activities:
Community counselling sessions
About 30 Community Counselling Sessions were organized being attended by 535 women and 317 men. Main message was that no one should backbite trafficking survivors instead help them mentally and socially.
Community people freely shared their problems and received data about trafficking and other services from the District DEMO office. They have decided that they will contact government officials in the future when they want to go abroad.
Workshop on district-level service directory update
Three workshops were jointly organized by CWCS and Agrogoti Sangstha on district-level service directory updating with service providers’ organizations at PTRC-Satkhira being attended by government officers and NGO officials.
Coordination meetings with service providers
Three coordination meetings were jointly organized by CWCS and Agrogoti Sangstha with service providers’ organizations at PTRC-Satkhira. The main discussion issue in the meetings were the conception of providing various employment opportunities to the helpless survivors. The meetings were attended by 102 participants from government departments and NGOs.
Main discussion of the meetings:
- Providing various employment opportunities to the helpless survivors.
- Providing low-interest loans from the GO-NGO office.
- Ensure receiving government grants or providing service for survivors returning from abroad.
- Employ in various workplaces to train survivors of the Ashshash project as skilled workers.
Life skills training
About 224 survivors were provided life skills training to increase the mental confidence of the survivors to take the primary decisions regarding their employment.
Institutions are made more accountable and effective in providing services beneficial to men and women who have escaped trafficking by undertaking the following activities:
Bi-monthly coordination meetings
Seven Bi-monthly Coordination Meetings were organized with Counter Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) Activists at Kalaroa upazila being participated by 115 participants including CTIP committee Chairman, Secretary and members, journalist, and school teacher.
The committee discussed on re-arrangement, Covid-19 vaccination, Role Play of Mid-Term Evaluation, participants selection for cultural program training, implement the personal workplan, and develop the reporting process are the main discussion points in the meeting.
CTIP Convention at district level
Three district level CTIP Convention were organized at being attended by 37 participants including Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Principal of TTC, Deputy Director of DEMO, CTIP committee Chairman, Secretary and members and journalists.
CTIP Refresher Training
Three CTIP Refresher Training were organized with 56 CTIP Activists where issues such as concept of human trafficking, legal provisions related to trafficking, safe migration, networking and advocacy strategies to be followed, facilitation skills development, leadership, communication skill development etc.
Union Parishad CTC Dialogue meetings
About 18 Union Parishad CTC Dialogue Meetings were organized at Jugikhali, Koyla, Deara, Joynagar and Jalalabad unions under Kalaroa upazila being attended by 480 participants namely Union Parishad Chairman and members, and Counter Trafficking Committee (CTC) members.
School/madrasah/college sessions
About 11 school/madrasah/college students from Jugikhali, Koyla, Deara, Joynagar, and Jalalabad unions at Kalaroa upazila. Awareness was created among 1,649 students. Others who attended the session were: Upazila Parishad Chairman, Head Teacher, and Officer-in-Charge of Police Station and elite persons.
Community awareness session (pot/puppet shows)
About 20 Community Awareness Sessions through pot/puppet shows were organized in Jugikhali, Koyla, Deara, Joynagar, and Jalalabad unions under Kalaroa upazila. About 31,947 people attended the awareness sessions at the community level. These day-long activities were also attended by Women Affairs Officer, Upazila Parishad Chairman, Officer In-charge (OC) of Police Sub-Station and elite persons.
Interactive sessions organized with youths and CBOs
About 10 Interactive sessions were organized with youths and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in Jugikhali, Koyla, Deara, Joynagar and Jalalabad Union Parishads. These sessions were attended by 405 participants including Union Parishad Chairmen and members, journalists and youths.
District Level Consultation meeting with Counter Trafficking Committee (CTC)
Two district level consultation meetings were organized with CTC members on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and safe migration issues which were attended by 58 participants.
Dialogues with law enforcing agencies and media personnel
Five dialogues with Law enforcing Agencies and media personnel were organized on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and safe migration issues which were attended by 111 participants.
Awareness-raising events at the educational institute on TIP and safe migration issues
Ten awareness-raising events were organized at the educational institutes on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and safe migration issues at the school level. About 1,187 people attended these awareness-raising events including UP Chairman, Head teacher and elite persons.
Coordination meetings with Social Protection Partner (SPP) & Technical Service Provider (TSP)
Twelve Social Protection Partner (SPP) and Technical Service Provider (TSP) Coordination meetings were attended by CWCS. They discussed on needs assessment process, sharing the database list, and the required arrangements.
Celebration of International Days
International Women’s Day observation
On 8 March, three International Women’s Day was observed during the project period with officials of Upazila Women Affairs and chairman, members and others of Deara Union Parishad. Awareness was created among 2,092 people through discussion sessions, tea stall visits, door-to-door visits and miking. The day-long activity was attended by Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Upazila Women Affairs Officer, Chairman of Union Parishad, Officer-in-Charge of Police Station and journalists.
Celebration of World Day against Trafficking in Persons
On 30 July, three World Day against Trafficking in Persons were celebrated during the project period. About 28,525 community people participated in these celebrations. Awareness had been created against human trafficking and on safe migration.
International Migrants Day observation
On 18 December, three International Migrants Day were jointly organized by Agrogoti Sangstha and CWCS during the project period. The day-long program was organized with the DEMO office Satkhira district and about 3,769 community people participated in a rally and discussion sessions. It was also attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner, Officer-in-Charge of police station and journalists.
Lessons learnt
- Liaison with various stakeholders should be continued on regular basis to continue the sustainable outcomes of the project.
- Government and NGOs who are members of the CTCs should promote their work at the village level as well as in the human trafficking issue.
- In the Community Based Organization (CBO) meeting, the members of the Community CBOs should discuss more and regularly on human trafficking issues in their monthly meetings.
- CTIP committee members should assist in the work of survivors’ identification by following source mapping in their respective areas.
- More imams, village police, youth clubs in the community should include with the project activities then there will be more benefits in identifying survivors and all-over counselling.
- Survivors’ counselling should meet the standard counselling measures and no compromises should be addressed with it.
- Beneficiaries should be supported according to the need assessment that was undertaken.
- Follow-up of the survivors/beneficiaries should be done to avoid the dropouts and be informed about their present status, that is how their sustainable reintegration can be ensured.