U.S. to provide $250,000 for programs to fight human trafficking in Azerbaijan

"Azerbaijan has not remained aloof from this global problem. Azerbaijan is a source of labor and victims of human trafficking subjected to sexual exploitation, as well as a transit country," Davidson said at the third regional meeting of the "Assistance to victims of human trafficking and development of social reintegration model, "which is supported by the International Migration Organization and the U.S. State Department. The meeting would last three days.

Based on the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry's official data, 70 people were brought to criminal liability in connection with human trafficking in first half of 2010. About 65.7% of them - were women. The number of such crimes against women increased by 3.2% (from 95 cases to 98) compared to the same period of 2009.

Davidson said this year the U.S. State Department plans to allocate $ 22 million to fund programs to combat human trafficking.

"The United States is implementing 178 projects worth $54 million in 65 countries. While 800,000 people annually become victims of the human trafficking on the state borders, millions of people fell into slavery in their own countries. Most of them are women and children, who are sexually exploited, "Davidson added.

Based on the U.S. State Department's report for 2009, there are more than 49,000 victims of human trafficking in the world. Davidson said this figure is much lower than the real figures.


/Trend/