Belarus gets help from UN to combat trade in women

A joint project of the United Nations' Program for Development and the European Commission, 'Combating the Trade in Women in the Republic of Belarus,' is underway, the UN Program for Development declared here yesterday.

According to information received by Rosbalt in the Minsk office of the Program, the two-year, EUR 900,000 project is being implemented by Belarus' Ministry of Labor and Social Security with support from the UN.

Principal participants on the Belarus side are the State Committee of Border Troops, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Justice Ministry and several non-governmental organizations. Also participating are the International Organization on Migration and the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. A Consultative Council has been formed and includes these governmental and non-governmental organizations.

'The aim of the project is to strengthen the legal basis for the struggle with the trade in women, to create a system to help victims and to raise the level of the public's understanding of the problem,' the UN Program's office here said.