Chelyabinsk regional Voluntary Organization Women's Commonwealth Chelyabinsk, Russia
Women's Commonwealth was founded in September 2001.
«Women's Commonwealth» exists to prevent cases of human trafficking by running informational and educational campaigns. The goal of the organization is to prevent girls from disadvantaged families from entering the international and domestic sex industry by giving them a chance to get job skills and a job that will lift their self-esteem.
With a Soros Fund grant in 2001 and a U. S. Embassy and a European Commission for Democracy grant in 2002, Women's Commonwealth developed and introduced educational programs on trafficking, conducted information campaigns and held seminars involving official representatives and girls from high-risk groups, such as orphans and students at boarding schools, colleges and technical and secondary schools. The organization implemented these projects in ten towns of the region (Magnitogorsk, Miass, Chebarkul, Troitsk, Yuzhno-Uralsk, Emanzhelinsk, Zlatoust, Kopeisk, Kasly, Ufa) and a regional capital Chelyabinsk. Having hosted about 400 seminars Women's Commonwealth has educated approximately 10 000 people about sex trafficking.
As a result, about 200 people have received further help.
Women's Commonwealth Chelyabinsk helping more then 20 victims since 2000.
In 2004, Women's Commonwealth developed a projects «Safe house» and «Safer Internet».
During the last five years, the organization has:
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Informed people about human sex trafficking through mass media;
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Initiated an education campaign of seminars for people at risk of trafficking;
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Conducted meetings with representatives of the police, regional government and administrations in Chelyabinsk and the region;
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Worked with specialists in education and medicine;
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Lobbied for anti-trafficking law;
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Provided victims with psychological, legal, medical, occupational and social assistance;
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Helped girls return home from abroad;
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Researched sex trafficking in depth by conducting surveys and analyzing the effects of mass media;
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Provided women and girls with counseling, personally and through the help line;
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Developed and established new contacts;
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Served on a regional government committee on psychological support and occupational guidance.
New project by Women's Commonwealth Chelyabinsk will fight sex trafficking by conducting prevention seminars and awareness campaigns, as well as rehabilitating victims and advocating for their protection, in the Chelyabinsk region of Russia.
Women's Commonwealth Chelyabinsk rehabilitates sex trafficking victims and reintegrates them into society, while also addressing root causes of trafficking, including unemployment and ignorance.
At-risk women will receive job skills training and job placement assistance to avoid becoming trafficking victims.
While Women's Commonwealth has long-standing relationships with a variety of charitable donors including the United Nations, the Soros Foundation, several embassies and MiraMed Institute which will assure program sustainability.
Today, this is one of the most active and most visible projects in counter-trafficking and in victim repatriation and assistance. They provide shelter for trafficking victims and services including medical, psychological, legal and vocational counseling. They conduct educational activities for the public through mass media, for schools and institutions and for local government including law enforcement.
The Women's Commonwealth sends representatives to all significant counter-trafficking conferences and events in Russia and is a key link in the Angel Coalition membership network of NGO's working in counter-trafficking.
The organization has started the new project «Safer Internet» in March 2004 and has been running activity within this project till now.