International Organization for Migration (IOM) / Organisation internationale pour les migrations (OIM) / Organización Internacional para las Migraciones (OIM)

In January, Galnaftogas placed counter-trafficking billboards at 12 OKKO gas stations in the Lviv, Volyn and Zakarpatye regions of Ukraine. The billboards’ message includes the national toll-free hotline established by IOM as part of its counter-trafficking work with the Ministry for Family, Youth and Sports.

The hotline provides Ukrainians vital information on ways to avoid falling into the hands of human traffickers. The IOM Toll-Free Counter-Trafficking Hotline (8-800-505-50) was established in April 2007, in cooperation with the three largest mobile telephone service providers in the country. The number “527”, which routes all calls to the free IOM service, provides information on the realities and dangers facing migrants abroad, including human trafficking and the consequences of irregular entry and stay in a foreign country and objective information on legal methods of migration. Since the launch of the hotline, some 7,000 calls have been received through the “527” service.
The new partnership between IOM and Galnaftogas aims to combat human trafficking and promote legal and safe migration for Ukrainians. “In order to effectively combat human trafficking, it is imperative that we track the most recent trends. And information plays a critical role. We need to acknowledge the driving factors behind the rash steps taken by some of our fellow citizens. Fundamental change must occur in the attitude of Ukrainians in regards to their country, employment, laws, earnings, and to life in general,” emphasized Yuriy Kuchabskiy, Chairman of Galnaftogas.

Human trafficking has reached alarming proportions in Ukraine:

It is estimated that 100,000 Ukrainians have been trafficked since 1991.
IOM has provided reintegration assistance to more than 4,000 Ukrainian victims of trafficking.
In 2006, male victims of labour exploitation accounted for 18 per cent of all Ukrainian victims of trafficking assisted by IOM, compared to 14 per cent in 2005.
Approximately 5 per cent of victims of both labour and sexual exploitation are minors.
Turkey, Russia, and Poland are the main destination countries for Ukrainian victims of trafficking.

“Only through strong and broad partnerships with various elements of Ukrainian society can human trafficking be effectively combated. This latest partnership and working with the private sector in general, is not only very important from the standpoint of combating human trafficking in Ukraine, but also serves as a highly encouraging example for others,” noted Fredric Larsson, IOM Counter-Trafficking Programme Coordinator.

For more information, please contact Natalie Krivtsova, at IOM Kyiv, Tel: + 380 44-568 50 15, Email: pr@iom.kiev.ua

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