Border Guards Participate in Training on Identification and Referral of Victims of Sexual and Gender-Based Abuse and Human Trafficking Among Vulnerable Migrants

On 6 – 7 April 2016 IOM Minsk in cooperation with project partners (SBC, UNDP, UNHCR and BAYCW*) conducted the training “Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the identification and referral of victims of sexual and gender-based abuse and human trafficking among vulnerable migrants” in Minsk region. The training was organized in the framework of EU/UNDP project “Supporting the Republic of Belarus in Addressing Irregular Migration and Promoting Human Rights of Vulnerable Migrants” and funded by the European Union.

The event brought together 22 representatives of the State Border Committee, Coordination Council of CIS BG commanders, non-governmental and international organizations.

The purpose of the training was to enhance the knowledge of Border Guard officers working in the checkpoints to deal with the victims of sexual and gender-based violence and human trafficking (SGBV/THB), introduce the SOPs for the identification and referral of the target group to the relevant organizations.

Border Guard personnel are the front-line officers who are the first to contact, screen and identify the possible victims and further refer them to the relevant organizations. They require the practical Guidelines/SOPs to equip them with the special skills needed for the early identification and support to the victims of SGBV/THB, adult or child, for all kinds of exploitation, domestic or international trafficking, whether related or not to organized crime.