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The International training centre on migration and combating trafficking in human beings of the Academy of the Interior ministry of the Republic of Belarus |
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Migration and trafficking in human beings are considered to be among the most serious problems of the early 21st century. More people migrate today than ever in the history of mankind. At this time, more than 192 million people (i.e. about 3% of the world’s population) live away from their homeland. The issue of preventing and combating human trafficking and mitigating its consequences is becoming increasingly urgent. The international community has to admit that at this time an almost forgotten evil of the past – «human commodity” trade – is being reborn and is gaining momentum. According to international experts, on a global scale human trafficking ranks third in terms of profitability, after arms trade and drug dealing.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of people fall victim to human trafficking.
The Republic of Belarus was one of the first countries which acknowledged the existence of the problem of human trafficking and illegal migration, and stepped forward with a number of international initiatives. One of those initiatives resulted in the institution of the International Training Centre on Migration and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. The idea of opening the Centre was underpinned by the aspiration of the government of the Republic of Belarus to share its experience and achievements, as well as the best practices of managing migration processes and combating human trafficking.
This initiative was announced by the Republic of Belarus at an international conference of the UN in New York on March 5, 2007. On July 19, 2007, the formal ceremony of opening the International Training Centre was held. It was attended by the President of the Republic of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Brunson McKinley, the country’s top officials, representatives of international and non-governmental organizations.
The fact that the Centre is situated in Belarus is to a large extent accounted for by the country’s geographic location. One the one hand, the Republic of Belarus is an immediate neighbor of the European Union, as it borders on Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. On the other hand, Belarus has an open border with Russia. Due to its geographic location, Belarus is actively used in the capacity of a transit route by illegal migrants who move from the member-state of the Commonwealth of Independent State (CIS), Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, Sri-Lanka, Vietnam, etc. West-bound migration flows bump into a well-guarded border with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, and a significant number of illegal migrants end up in Belarus.
Another serious problem for Belarus is the trafficking of human beings to Russia, the Middle East and EU states. Belarus is a country that has advanced legislation in the field of combating human trafficking. Over recent years, the government of the Republic of Belarus has taken a series of efficient measures that aim to enhance the efficiency of countering the latter-day threat of slave trade.
Combating human trafficking and illegal migration requires coordinated actions and an active partnership between countries. It is particularly important that countries of destination and countries of origin cooperate with one another. Joining professionals from various countries and providing them with a common knowledge base, the International Training Centre on Migration and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in Minsk is instrumental in capacity building for law-enforcement agencies and is called upon to step up regional and interregional cooperation in the field of combating human trafficking and illegal migration.
The base for establishing the International Training Centre was not chosen arbitrarily. The Academy of the Interior Ministry of the Republic of Belarus is in the leading position in the system of training officers who have a degree in law for internal affairs agencies and other law-enforcement authorities. It also trains specialists for the Ministry of Defense, the State Control Committee, and the State Border Committee.
Training in science of law, economic law, forensic examination and jurisprudence is provided at various faculties of the Academy. Senior officers and law-enforcement personnel of the Republic of Belarus receive training in the above-indicated and many other academic disciplines.
The Academy has a wealth of experience in training foreign specialists. Since 2001 the Academy of the Interior Ministry of Belarus has been a member of the Association of Higher Education Establishments under the Interior Ministries of the CIS Member-States.
The Academy of the Interior Ministry has also earned wide international recognition as a scientific centre for researching the issues of higher education, legal science and law-enforcement activities. The most promising research area is the theory and practice of combating organized crime, corruption, human trafficking, and illegal drug trafficking. Every year international scientific and practical con¬ferences and seminars are held, collaborative scientific activities are conducted by foreign counterparts, and the results of scientific research are incorporated in the learning process.
The Academy of the Interior Ministry of Belarus collaborates with a number of international organizations: the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the international non-governmental organization «La Strada International», the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Central European Initiative (CEI), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), etc. With the support of the mentioned organizations, foreign specialists and international experts are invited as guest lecturers, and the professors and teachers of the Academy improve their skills abroad on a regular basis.
On May 23, 2008, at a meeting of the Council of Heads of Governments of the CIS member-states, a decision was made to grant the Academy of the Interior Ministry of Belarus the status of the core CIS organization for the training, advanced training and re-training of staff in the field of migration and combating human trafficking.
Main objectives of the centre:
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To organize the training, advanced training and re-training of staff in the field of migration and combating human trafficking.
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To teach the trainees at the Centre the most up-to-date methods of management, the techniques and methods of countering illegal activities related to migration and human trafficking.
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To provide assistance to international organizations, the internal affairs agencies of the Republic of Belarus and foreign states, and bodies of state administration with organizing training, advanced training and re-training of staff in the field of migration and combating human trafficking.
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To establish and develop mutually-beneficial cooperation with international organizations and foundations in the field of migration and combating human trafficking.
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To study, summarize and disseminate best practices in the field of combating human trafficking and illegal migration.
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To increase the efficiency of transnational cooperation between states and international organizations in the field of migration and combating human trafficking.
Trainees categories:
- Employees of bodies of state administration and law-enforcement agencies;
- Representatives of international and non-governmental organizations;
- Professors and lecturers from law schools and representatives of scientific research institutions.
Contacts
The International training centre on migration and combating trafficking in human beings of the Academy of the Interior ministry of the Republic of Belarus
Head of the International Training Centre
Maxim PAVLYUCHUK
lieutenant-colonel of militia
Address: 220005, Minsk, 6 Masherov Ave
Telephones: +375-17-289-21-09; +375-17-289-21-95;
Fax: +375-17-288-26-47
E-mail:
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http://academy.mia.by/itc.
