TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE BALTIC SEA REGION



1999-2000

Country Report



ESTONIA




Name of organization:    AIDS-i Tugikeskus - AIDS Information & Support Center
Address:                Kopli 32,  10412   Tallinn ,  ESTONIA

Contact person:        Jury Kalikov


General activities of organization

AIDS-i Tugikeskus (AIDS Information and Support Centre) is a social non-profit non-governmental (NGO) organization.  Our basic field activity includes:
counseling of safer sex, pre- and post testing, AIDS/HIV consulting and consulting about STD-s for public in general and youth; anonymous HIV/STD testing;
collaboration with organization of people, living with HIV/AIDS  -  ESPO
work with target groups: sex-workers - project SEASTAR (1996-1999), concerning
migratory prostitution, project against trafficking of women and girls in Baltic Sea region (in co-operation with Kvinnoforum, SWEDEN and i/v drug users - Needle Exchange Program (support of Lindesmith Centre, NY), Harm Reduction program, rehabilitation centre, needle exchange program.
Organization is the member of EuroCASO, EATG, ILGA, Sex Workers Projects Network.

The aim of the project

Activities, carried out

Workshop
For the participation at the national seminar were invited 33 persons, from which 22 persons attended (list of participants included). Notwithstanding of several attempts some invitations have no response  (police, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, border officials). In process of preparing workshop we find out the fact, that at this moment (July 2000) and unfortunately at the present no one person in police is responsible for the work with prostitution and trafficking. Continuous staff replacement, corruption, priority on dealing with problems of growing drug use rule finally for the situation, that the special group (Narkopolitsei), some of specialists of which deals with prostitution and trafficking cases just sign out this issue from their responsibilities. The specialists of Consular department and border officials have a very weak impression about trafficking like phenomena with comments like “it is not our problems”.      

To the seminar we were invited mostly the members of existing NGOs, which meet or can meet through they work the issue of prostitution and trafficking, some persons from governmental institutions. Every participant of the seminar received the seminar map with:  short description of the project, timetable, list of participants, information about all National Focal Point organizations and coordinator organization Kvinnoforum,  Q-WEB Sweden registration form, text of video “Bought and Sold” (La Strada), printed presentation  “Trafficking of Women and Girls in Estonia”, different informational materials about trafficking, evaluation form.
Seminar was started from the presentation of video film “Bought and Sold”

At the seminar participated other members of our network: Rima Praspaliauskiene from Lithuania, Tatjana Kurova and Rimma Kurova from Latvia.
Seminar include 2 days of lectures, workshops, discussion, the focus of the first day - main presentation about phenomena of trafficking of human/trafficking of women, lectures of joint network members. The second day consists discussions, workshops and evaluation.
Concrete results: The basis of the national network against trafficking of women was formed, the main tasks were defined, the e-mail list was formed (including also not presented on the workshop organizations and persons), exchange of reports about situation in other Baltic States aware understanding of global character of trafficking. The work, implemented before the workshop, receives new impulses for the new kind of activities.

Networking
Unfortunately, creation of full capacity network between NGO-s, GO-s, and coo-partners was confined by the absence of necessary equipment (computer, Internet connection) in AIDS Information & Support Center. Requested volume of activities was secure only using our good relations with governmental AIDS Prevention Center.
During participation of the project leader at the seminar “Trafficking of women” in Driebergen, The Netherlands (February 2000) very good and, like a future months shows, very useful relations with some donors were created. The grant application with the detailed description of our needs and work was fulfilled and send for the Foundation Het.R.C.Maagdenhuis in August.  And like a result, positive decision was received later in September. Finally, (unfortunately at the end of first year of the project) we have equipment for the fruitful network.
Good impact for the strengthening of the network was done on the workshop. Previous and after workshop activities shows that most useful and active relations were created with NGO “Living for Tomorrow” - joint Estonian-Norwegian project (initiated by Nordic Gender Equality Institute), NGO Estonian Women`s Studies and Recourse Center (ENUT), NGO Human Rights Institute and Tallinn Crisis Center.
 
Contact with network coordinator and national focal points
During all period we have a regular contact with project coordinator, all our requests and questions were answered in proper time and appropriate solutions were founded. Especially intensive were relations with Latvian and Lithuanian co-partners. Very useful for finding new measures, make new contacts, additional activities were the participation on national seminars in Riga, Vilnius and Copenhagen and visit of National Focal point coordinator of Finland Kyllikki Korka to our Center (12 of May 2000).

Indicators of results and good practices

During the period of activities wide range of NGO-s, private persons, some state institutions, students, researchers, schoolchildren, sex workers, unemployed people (mostly women) requested a different type of information. The main fields of interest: job agency backgrounds, model agencies backgrounds, legal situation in countries of destination, job opportunities, reports and data about trafficking and prostitution in Estonia and worldwide for the research, diplomas, writing articles, legal help possibilities in country, phone numbers of embassies, consular departments, access to medical services in other countries, etc.

During reported period we has created a good contact with mass media.
to Linda Nyberg, STRIX/Folkhemmet program reporter on Channel 3 , Swedish Television (18 of March 2000);
to Marika Korolev, reporter from “SEKSUAALNE KAAMERA”, KANAL 2 (28 0f May 2000);
to Nils-Erik Friis , journalist of Yleisradio, Finland (10 of July 2000)
to  Liis Klaar, journalist from Nõmme Raadio ( 12 of April 2000)
to journalists from Lithuania (16-17 of June 2000), Latvia (1-2  of June 2000), Denmark (22 of June 2000) during participation on national seminars in this countries; to journalist on starting meeting of co-operation partners in Stockholm (3-4 of March 2000)
to ETV program “Aktuaalne Kaamera” news (14 of March 2000)
to Vikkerraadio program  “Hour of questions” (22 of May 2000)
to Lea Larin, reporter of Eesti Express (12 of July 2000)
 - lecture about trafficking of women and girls in frame of round-table, (ENUT) Estonian Women’s Studies and Resource Center - 2,5 hours, 25 persons, 27 of March 2000;
- second lecture about trafficking of women and girls in frame of round-table, (ENUT) Estonian Women’s Studies and Resource Center - 2,5 hours, 20 persons, 17 of May 2000;
- third  lecture about trafficking of women and girls in frame of round-table, (ENUT) Estonian Women’s Studies and Resource Center - 2,5 hours, 20 persons, 15 of November 2000;
- discussion and lecture for the delegation of Finnish nurses and sexual advisers (from Turku, Helsinki and Goteborg, Sweden) - 1,5 hours, 15 persons, 14 of May 2000;
- lecture “Situation with trafficking and prostitution in Estonia” for students, seminar of NGO “Living for Tomorrow” in National Library - 2 hours, 25 people, 14 0f October 2000;
- presentation on training courses for workers of crisis centers and hot-line specialists in co-operation with Tallinn Crisis Center, summer camp Nuija, 30 persons, 2,5 hours, 1-2 July 2000;
- two lectures on seminars “Cooperative Learning Structures”, organized by “Initiative for Demokratibygging og Likestilling (IDOL)”, ENUT and Ministry of Education of Estonia with financial help of Ministry of Foreign Affaires of Norway, 14-15 of November 2000 and 17-18 of November 2000, ENUT, Tallinn 2x1,5 hours, 2x25 persons

Also we were presented situation on international level:
-“Prostitution and trafficking problems in Estonia” workshop - International Conference on Trafficking in Women “Breakdown the Borders”, organized by IAF (International Abolitionist Federation), 2-4 of December 1999
-Presentation of the situation with trafficking on Training Seminar on Trafficking in women, organized by La Strada, in Driebergen, The Netherlands, 2-9 of February 2000;
-“Prostitution and trafficking problems in Estonia” - report and poster on 3rd European Conference on the Methods and Results of Social and Behavioral research on AIDS, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 13-16 of February 2000;
-report about project activities on preparation meeting of conference “Minors in Sex Business”, organized by STAKES, Finland - Ministry of Social Affaires, 17 of May 2000;
-presentation “Minors in prostitution - the ways of involvement” on international conference “Minors in Sex Business” (STAKES and Ministry of Social Affaires of Estonia), 11-13 of June 2000,
-presentation “Trafficking of women and girls in Estonia” on International III Prevention Work Symposium, Durban, South Africa, 8-9 of July 2000;
-presentation “Prostitution and trafficking of women”, oral poster presentation, abstract, on XIII International AIDS Conference “Break the Silence”, Durban, South Africa, 9-14 of July 2000;
-presentations on national seminars of co-copartners in Vilnius, Riga and Copenhagen;
-Presentation of situation with prostitution, trafficking of women and girls on Seminar for East Europe on the Political, Social and Economic Impact of STDs, HIV and Hepatitis (PRAQUE 2000 Policy Seminar of governmental and NGO organizations), organized by The UK Coalition of People, living with HIV/AIDS - 1-4 of November 2000, Praque, Czech Republic;
-Participation in workshop on violence and trafficking of women in prostitution issues (organized by KOK - coordination group against trafficking of women and violence against women in migration, Germany) on final meeting of UMBRELLA projects - 8-12 of November 2000, Berlin, Germany;   

The coordinator visit some organizations, working in field of harm reduction, prevention of prostitution and trafficking, services for victims of violence and sexual abuse - “DEMETRA” in Vilnius, LIGHTHOUSE, Praque, Czech Republic (Dr.Vaclav Strouhal), “Bliss without Risk” - Dr. Hana Malinova, Praque, Czech Republic. LA STRADA, Amstedam, The Netherlands - Licia Brussa and Hanka Moongard.

Some persons, expressed from necessity of our activities, visited the project:
-Ms. Gunilla von Arbin, Secretary General of CHILDHOOD World Childhood Foundation, which was founded by H.M.Queen Silvia, Stockholm, Sweden (8 of May 2000) ;
representative of Netherlands Cooperating Foundations for Central Eastern Europe Mr. Piet Boerefijn (16 of May 2000) - report about activities presented, grant application for computer equipment was fulfilled, grant received in September 2000.
-Ms. Elina Neidre, Operation Assistant of IOM (International Organization of Migration) - 2 of June 2000, Jurmala about grant received by IOM for educational work in field of trafficking;
-Mr. Georg Broring , project leader AIDS & Mobility, Amsterdam The Netherlands - 13 of November 2000, Tallinn;
-Ms. Arja Korhonen. Help assistant of Press Adviser of Finnish Embassy and Ms. Eva Lille, Press and Culture Adviser of Finnish Embassy in Tallinn - 20 of October 2000 - AIDS-i Tugikeskus - about possible financial help of project;
-Mr. Andreas Kipp, specialist from Landeskriminalamt Polizei, Hamburg, Germany - discussion about advertisements in our newspapers and information about the KOOFRA (Organization against trafficking in women) from Hamburg - 12 of September of 2000;

During reported period to small researches were implemented:
During 1-30 of June 2000 the sex business advertisements in three main newspapers (PRIVAT-Info, SOOV, KULDNE BORSS) and MAAJA sex magazine were observed, collected and analyzed. The following result were founded:
Advertisments 
 KB (8 issues)
 SOOV (12 issues)  
 PRIVAT Info
(4  issues) 
 MAAJA
(1issue) 
For sex work in Estonia
 34
 85
 48
  4
For work in striptease clubs in Estonia
 13
 29
 21
   1
For work in massage saloons in Estonia  
 42
 15
 54
 6
For sex work abroad total:
Germany
Finland 
Sweden
Denmark
Spain
 “Scandinavia”
Others 
 103
32
15
5
7
11
27
6
 103
39
17
9
3
8
12
17
 77
12
9
6
4
21
17
8
 13
1
4
0
0
2
4
2
For work in household, child keeping, service 
 12
 17
 23
 0
For striptease clubs abroad
 11
 32
 16
 2
For work in model agency 
 3
 2
 8
 1
Private personal sex services 
 2
 2
 3
 1
Male prostitution advertisements: male for male male for female
 8
 4
 7
 1


Somewhere 60% of advertisements repeat from issue to issue and 40% change.
Casual efforts for the women proposed: safety, guaranteed high income - from 10 000 EEK to 5 000 USD; free apartments; medical insurance, free food, visas, free travel etc.
Common for advertisings - “mediators” local phone numbers (mostly mobile phones), sometimes “straight” advertising of employers with phone numbers in countries of destination - somewhere 5% of all advertisements for work abroad.  
Second research was implemented after request of project coordinator through TV and radio for persons, who have experience of trafficking of themselves or they relatives or persons, who plan to go work for abroad - to call for period from 1-30 of June 2000 to AIDS Tugikeskus phone number 6413165 every Friday from 12.00 to 18.00

During reported period we received 83 calls (8 man and 75 women). They shared by the reason for calls and other details as follows:

Reasons for calling  
 Man 
 Women    
1. Background of firms, model agencies, job agencies etc
 1
 35
2. Experience of friends and relatives
 2
 19
3. Own experience (trafficked persons) 
 0
 5
4. Request of addresses of embassies, consulates, women centers, help organizations
 3
 18
5. Information about legal status and law situation 
 1
 14
6. Request of psychological advice 
 0
 3
7. Family problems  
 1
 7
8. Problems of sexual health  
 1
 9
9. Sexual abuse, sexual violence    
 0
 4
10. Deported persons  
 0
 3
11. Lost persons  
 1
 6
12. Not definible problems
 3
 11


Good practices and Lessons learned.
Recommendations for the future

Research of sex business advertising should be continued constantly for mapping of situation of the ways, main manners, countries of destination etc.
It is necessary to implement constantly working help-line by phone with case management possibilities.
Lectures and presentations to students and youth are one of the most effective methods to make awareness about issue of trafficking.
In future we must to change situation with mass media, when the interest to the trafficking issues in Russian language newspapers and magazines is prevalent comparatively Estonian language issues.

Participation on international seminars, conferences, training courses makes possible to the project to find very useful new relations and contacts (methodological and financial help) - for example, participation in “Trafficking in Women” training seminar in Driebergen, The Netherlands create contacts with   

Netherlands Cooperating Foundations for Central Eastern Europe Mr. Piet Boerefijn, who helps us to receive necessary office equipment (computer). Participation on World Aids Conference in Durban and cooperation with Norway-Estonian common project "“Living for Tomorrow” makes possible to aware the activities of the project in field of case management - The Gender Equality Institute from Oslo, Norway propose financial help in amount of 2000$
(project doesn’t receive this grant yet, but the decision is done).

The quality of the printed materials (leaflets, brochures, stickers, etc) should be increased from using mostly copying of existing materials for the using of culturally and linguistically appropriated methods, recourses and our new possibilities (computer) and creating of own issues.

Organizing the national seminars should be continued, paying much more attention for personal contacts and personal invitation to collaborate and participate (not to hope only on e-mail and phone connections)

Continue lobbying of politicians, mass media, and key persons of state policy for the awareness about trafficking issues.
Continue to find new funding possibilities with the aim of aware the range of activities and services, provided by the project.

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