Smorgon Hosts AMBEL Project Closure Ceremony
On 27 January 2017 Smorgon hosted a solemn ceremony dedicated to the completion of the EU/UNDP project “Supporting the Republic of Belarus in Addressing Irregular Migration and Promoting Human Rights of Vulnerable Migrants (AMBEL)”.
A new one-store building with a lecture hall, conference room, utility rooms and hostel for the staff of the training centre of Border Guard Service Institute of the Republic of Belarus was solemnly opened during the ceremony. Furthermore, participants and guests had an opportunity to see a minibus was fully equipped for further use as Mobile service of psychological and medical assistance.
Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the Republic of Belarus is one of the AMBEL project’s partners. The implementation of the IOM’s component included the following activities:
– conducting English language courses for the Border Guard officers on the basis of learning materials developed by IOM for law enforcement representatives;
– the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the identification and referral of victims of sexual and gender-based violence and human trafficking among vulnerable migrants. SOPs were approved as State Border Committee’s internal instruction. Besides, a series of trainings on SOPs was organized for State Border Committee representatives.
-provision of reintegration assistance to victims of human trafficking (VoTs). Therefore, within the framework of the project IOM Minsk Mission in cooperation with its NGO-partners provided legal and psychological assistance to more than 700 VoTs.
IOM’s activities in the framework of the project also included carrying out an information campaign on safe migration and prevention of human trafficking and violence among irregular migrants called “Your Ticket Home”.Well-known Belarusian singers, athletes, designers, TV and radio hosts participated in the campaign. The producer of water “Slavnaya” as well as the taxi company “Pyatnitsa” also contributed to the promotion of the campaign. The second part of the campaign envisaged the development of information materials for migrants located on the territory of Belarus who need assistance.
Learn more about the campaign here.
Short video about AMBEL project:
Background information:
The project was implemented during the period from 2013 to 2017 by UNDP in the Republic of Belarus jointly with State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus, Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UNHCR in the Republic of Belarus and non-governmental organization Belarusian Association of Young Christian Women, Belarus Red Cross Society and “Business Women Club” of Brest. The project is funded by the European Union.
In addition to the activities mentioned above, the following events were implemented under the project:
1. reconstruction of barrack # 3 of the training centre of the State Educational Border Guard Service Institute of Belarus (Smorgon, Grodno region), which included a major repair of the heating system, wall thermal insulation, the replacement of water supplies and windows. The official opening ceremony of the renovated three-store building took place on 26 November 2015;
2. the Concept of the development and training of State Border Committee’s personnel as well as a detailed action plan for its implementation for 2015-2020 was developed. The document was approved by the State Border Committee’s administration in early 2016;
3. the Concept of the development of State Border Committee’s psychological support service as well as an action plan for 2014-2020 was developed and approved;
4. under the training component the following activities were held:
-three trainings for State Border Committee’s officers in compliance with modern methods and practices in teaching;
-two trainings under the adopted Concept of psychological support service development for State Border Committee’s service offering psychological assistance;
– five trainings for psychologists of State Border Committee and NGOs on sexual and gender-based abuse;
– study visits to Slovenia, Spain, Moldova, Hungary on personnel training issues.
