ABSTRACT
Over the last several years, international organizations have worked actively to stop human trafficking around the world, including in Russia. In 2001, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) conducted its first study in Russia focusing on the work of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to stop human trafficking. At that time, fewer than thirty organizations were operating educational and informational programs, while only a handful were actually helping victims. Today, there are more than 100 such organizations throughout Russia and the Baltic Sea region. In 2004, the International Labor Organization conducted the first project specifically focused on forced labor and labor exploitation of irregular migrants in Russia. In March 2006, the IOM began a comprehensive project on “Prevention of Human Trafficking in the Russian Federation.” The project is funded by the European Union (EU) with co-financing support from the governments of USA and Switzerland. 1 It includes research, prevention programs, victim centers, and efforts to increase the capacity of law enforcement to capture and prosecute traffickers. One of the three pilot regions for the program includes the Karelia Republic, which is located in the northwest of Russia.
