20.10.2020

On October 20, 2020, a meeting was held at the Main Department on Combating Human Trafficking at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan with the heads of non-governmental organizations that have rehabilitation and asylum centers, which are part of the NGO Coalition to Combat Human Trafficking.

Chief of the Main Department on Combating Human Trafficking at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Police General-Major Hazi Aslanov, Deputy Chief, Police Colonel Samir Zeynalov and other officials, on the behalf of NGO Coalition to Combat Human Trafficking, Chairs of Non-Governmental Organizations (Mehriban Zeynalova chairwoman of "Clean World Aid to Women" Public Union, Kamala Agazadeh chairwoman of "Azerbaijan Children Union" Public Union, Ramiz Aliyev chairman of “Fighting Against Human Trafficking” Public Union, Kamala Ashumova chairwoman of “Reliable Future Youth Organization” Public Union, Mahira Amirhuseynova chairwoman of "Women of the XXI Century" Public Union, Gulaya Safarova chairwoman of “Family World” Legal Assistance to Families Public Union, Zenfira Mustafayeva chairwoman of “Women's Initiatives and Assistance for Solution of Social Problems” Public Union) attended at this meeting.

Chief of the Main Department on Combating Human Trafficking at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Police General-Major Hazi Aslanov started the meeting with an opening speech, then congratulated all the participants of the meeting on the liberation of the occupied territories as a result of conducted successful military operations by our military under the leadership of Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev.

Later, Police General-Major Hazi Aslanov spoke about the improvement of the legal framework and institutional mechanisms in the country in the fight against human trafficking, and also gave detailed information about prevention, prosecution, victims or potential victims of human trafficking, including social rehabilitation, protection, and strengthening of assistance to them as well as the development of mutual cooperation. Besides, he informed the meeting participants about training for authorized representatives.

Deputy Chief of the Main Department, Police Colonel Samir Zeynalov made a speech on the quality of implementation of measures involving non-governmental organizations specializing in the "National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2020-2024", areas of cooperation provided for in the Memorandum of Understanding covering 2019-2023, then he provided detailed information on other issues that could be useful for Azerbaijan to move forward In the next annual report to be published by the US State Department in 2021.

The leaders of the Coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations addressed the meeting to study the existence of laboratories for human testing in the liberated lands in the shadow of the fight against human trafficking. Also to set specific tasks for non-governmental organizations in the implementation of the measures envisaged in the new National Action Plan and to report to the Coalition on their implementation, and propose issues such as monitoring the activities of non-governmental organizations and financing their activities, making meetings regular and increase the number of social projects aimed at children's reintroduction, posting the results of search operations conducted by the Anti-Trafficking Main Department on the official website of Main Department and on the social network by non-governmental organizations, placement of the “116111” Hotline on the official website of the Anti-Trafficking Main Department and its integration into call centers of individual agencies, expanding the coalition's international cooperation activities and to provide periodic reports on the work done with them and increasing the number of social projects.

In general, the meeting was held in a warm and business atmosphere, and guests thanked the staff for the effective exchange of information.