"Sustainable development" №5(53) september-october 2005.
president, NGO "Sana Sezim"
Kh. Abysheva

   Human trafficking is an illegal action that flagrantly violates basic human rights and freedoms and an evil suffered not only by women, but also men and children. It is a violation of human rights which humiliates and exposes its victims to physical, occupational, and sexual violence. Human traffickers and their clients are increasing their scandals. Recognizing the need strengthen further measures to prevent, detect, and combat human trafficking, The Legal Center for Women's Initiative "Sana Sezim" is actively working to prevent trafficking in the South Kazakhstan region. Many call the hotline at "Sana Sezim" to request advice on what they need to know if they wish to work in other countries. People who call the hotline are asked if the work that they wish to pursue is legal and if the company has a license. Any day such calls will be received. One firm actually acknowledged to the enquirer that it was an illegal firm and proceeded to ask for her phone number and address to make appropriate arrangements. The main slogan of these illegal firms is: Abroad equals paradise. This is a common stereotype from the Soviet period, when living abroad was an unattainable dream. This is effective bait for both the young and the older generations. Now people try to get temporary employment as waitresses, maids, etc… in countries like Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey. Young people, who know a little bit of the language, will travel on a tourist visa to try and find work.
   Imagine that you want to find work abroad, but you need a working visa. Working visas require that you have an employer. In order to find an employer you need to assert yourself, but the luck of finding an employer without an agency is low.
   It can be problematic to work abroad. When they go through the "easier routes", without processing the appropriate documents and insurance, they can experience ignorance of their basic rights in the country where they go, which can lead to a powerless existence. One manifestation of an "easy route" is through prostitution and pimping abroad. Girls and women who prefer to work illegally soon and earn money than wait can get caught into the network of sexual slavery and then end up relying on it to maintain stability and make ends meat. The main way that people get caught into this is that they are legal illiterate, meaning that they give up their passports without thinking about the consequences and do not end up having proper identity documents.
   There are also some cases of human trafficking when men try to find work abroad. This generally happens when they use employment firms that are linked to organized crime. They get themselves into situations where they are in bondage to foreign employers. These employers (and often the firm itself) will hold their documents, refuse to pay for their work, restrict the freedom of their movement, and are often beaten to suppress the will of those who would resist.
   The prevalence of these problems associated with external migration is documented in studies that are regularly carried out by statistical agencies. The main reason for pursuing work abroad is dissatisfaction with the labor market. Then is dissatisfaction with the living conditions and family circumstances. Publications of these studies show that forged documents, transnational criminal networks, and illegal support of Kazakh citizens to pursue these endeavors are the critical components of this dangerous social phenomenon of human trafficking.
   Human trafficking is profitable business and is gaining momentum. Today, human trafficking must be addressed by all: government bodies, non-governmental organizations, and the media.
   For legal and psychological counseling, contact the office of the Legal Center for Women's Initiatives "Sana Sezim" at: 25 G. Ilyaev Street, Offices 17, 19, 21, Shymkent or by phone: (3252) 30-01-52.