BOSNIA
& HERZEGOVINA - Counter Trafficking
International
Organization for Migration
13
March 2001
International
Organization for Migration (IOM) Sarajevo is currently providing shelter
for 39 women following the joint-entity task force raids held on March 4
and 5 in BiH. There are
currently 25 women in the low-risk shelter facility and 14 in the
high-risk. The women are
from Belarus (4), Yugoslavia (1), Moldova (16), Romania (15), Russia (2)
and Ukraine (1).
In
the last week IOM provided voluntary return assistance to four women -
two to Moldova and two to Romania.
Those remaining in the shelter are receiving medical treatment
and psychological assistance, this particular group of women suffered
extreme physical and psychological abuse.
Some were unable to walk without assistance and most required
exams for suspected sexually transmitted infections.
Psychiatric evaluations have shown severe mental trauma including
suicidal tendencies. The
local police are providing security for the shelters with monitoring by
the International Police Task Force (IPTF).
The increased cooperation between IPTF and IOM is resulting in an
effective referral system nationwide.
The high profile of the police raids is leading
more women to seek IOM's assistance directly.
To continue its counter-trafficking programmes the IOM office in
Sarajevo has just received US$100,000 of additional funding from the
United States. IOM's
counter trafficking assistance programmes in BiH are growing daily and
thus in desperate need of continued funding.