Problems of Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Georgia

The main goal of the project was study of regularities and peculiarities of irregular migration.

It should be noted, that the number of the population migrated from Georgia in 90s according to different sources is different. According to official statistics number of the population migrated from Georgia comprises 300 000, that according to experts' opinion does not reflect the real scale of migration flow from Georgia. Different investigators estimate negative netto of migration from 600 000 to 1 100 000 during the period of 1990 - 1998. As far as we are concerned the difference is caused by the considerable number of the migrants who migrated from Georgia temporarily to improve financial state of their families avoiding any official ways that means that the size of irregular migration from Georgia is quite high.

In spite of the fact that the majority of the emigrants cross the boarder legally (tourist visa or official private invitation) their further stay and activity abroad contradicts with official status of their stay abroad (forbidding working activity) and is often related to violation of human rights, exploitation and involvement of migrants in criminal activity.

Hence, the study of migration problems in Georgia is very important and has been conducted within the project in the following directions:

1. General characterization of migration processes in Georgia in 1990 - 1998.
2. Statistical analysis of the results of survey related to migration problems in Georgia.
3. Conducting the special survey for deep investigation of irregular migration.
The complex analysis of the above mentioned issues give us opportunity to work out reliable conclusions on problems of the Georgian citizens - irregular migrants.

Conclusions:

1. The scale of external migration from 1990 up today comprises approximately one million Georgian citizens, 300 000 of them are registered officially (actually they stroke their name off the list of tenants at the places of their permanent residence in Georgia, and obtained citizenship of foreign country). Actually the same quantity has left to live permanently without official registration. The third category left in Georgia are temporary migrants, the majority of whom do not want to stay abroad permanently and stays there to improve the financial situation of their families. These migrants are characterized as mobile, entering and leaving flows.

2. The majority of migrants, about 60 - 70% is in Russia.

3. Among the migrants, according to absolute size prevail Georgians, but comparative intensity (the quantity of migrants compared to corresponding amount of the population) of migration among other ethnicities is higher.

4. The comparison of Georgians and other ethnicities among those who are going to leave in the latest time is approximately the same as comparison of Georgian population to representatives of other ethnicities.

5. In latest time the migration flows are defined by economic factors.

6. The share of migrants from Georgia who have high education, is comparatively bigger.

7. The main part of migrants is the best part of population having ability to work.

8. The long-term tendencies of migration provokes definite attitude of the population towards leaving abroad, every fifth adult wants to leave, among them 80% wants to work abroad.

9. The economic situation of labor migrants is lower than economic situation in average family nowadays in Georgia.

10. Out coming from the needs of job positions among migrants in CIS predominates men and far abroad - women.

11. The majority of migrants in CIS have qualified job, while in far abroad they can get only non - qualified or non - regular job.

12. About half of the migrants think that their help to the families in Georgia is considerable or average.

13. The majority of migrants were able to save some money during staying abroad.

14. Only one fourth of migrants were able to improve considerably economic situation.

15. 80% of migrants abroad are discriminated in compensating.

16. Local governing body or private persons oppress part of migrants in CIS.

17. Majority of migrants had not contractual job (or worked non-regularly) abroad.

National Center of Population Research

Anti-Trafficking Multi-Media Awareness Campaign "Be Smart! Be Safe!"

WomenAid-Georgia currently is implementing the Anti-Trafficking Multi-Media Awareness Campaign "Be Smart! Be Safe!" which has gathered together key players and stakeholders from Governmental Structures and NGOs in a Anti-Trafficking Network Platform. The Campaign funded by the IOM in partnership with UNA and by WomenAid International seeks in joint effort to protect vulnerable sectors of society by increasing awareness of irregular migration and trafficking. On the Network Platform meetings and Round Table Dialogues the trafficking issue was discussed from different angles: definitions of trafficking, the situation analysis in the global, regional and Georgian context, women, youth and children at risk, criminal methods of entrapment, and prevention and protection strategies. The Network Platform elaborated "Be Smart! Be Safe!" safety guidelines, for those at risk, which will be distributed in various public places, state boarding institutions for children, IDP community centres, border departments and consulates.

· Trafficking in persons is the fastest growing and most lucrative form of international criminal activity.
· Trafficking is now the world's third largest criminal activity.
· Trafficking is the world's biggest violation of human rights.
· The fastest growing source for trafficked women and girls for the sex industry is the CIS.
Georgia has a long history of trafficking as a transit country, but there are now fears being expressed that it has become a source country. The Georgian Ombudsman's Annual Report for 1999 states that 'social, economic and other conditions in Georgia are root causes for the development of trafficking'. Poverty has led to desperate attempts by young people to earn a living by working abroad. Unfortunately, much of this migratory pattern is illegal and many young Georgian women have become victims of blackmail and slavery, as the fate of such people is not regulated or controlled by any inter-governmental agreement, legislative statement or action programme.

The Anti-Trafficking Multimedia Awareness Campaign 'Be Smart! Be Safe! was launched with a Conference on 19 September. Speakers included representatives' from various governmental, international and local organizations. The Multi-Media Campaign aims to raise public awareness, inform the public about the dangers of trafficking and outline the best strategies for protection and prevention of trafficking. Leaflets, posters, radio and TV announcements promote the government supported Be Smart! Be Safe! safety guidelines.

WomenAid Georgia