09.12.2005

General information on workshops

After the target groups of girls and young women were defined in 2004, with regard to the prevention campaign, it was decided to organise workshops for high school students and beneficiaries of the Centre for children and youth with special needs. La Strada BiH contacted representatives of the educational institutions in both the Republic Srpska and the Federation and obtained the permissions to organise these workshops in 2005 from the Ministry of Education of the Neretva Canton, as well as from directors of individual schools.

The aim of these workshops was to strengthen students” self-confidence and to inform them about the risks of suspicious job offers, as well as of the spectre of circumstances that can lead one into the chain of trafficking in human beings. During the workshops participants received information on the definition and issue of Trafficking in human beings (THB), the methodology of recruiting and the risks of searching for jobs both, abroad and within the borders of BaH. As about the aim for teachers and parents, it was essentially similar, but more focused on their involvement in the fight against trafficking, the ways of overcoming the problem or at least minimize its effects on society, and trying to find possible solutions to the problem through incorporating the issue of trafficking in human beings into regular school curricula.
Prevention materials, produced by IOM, as well as by La Strada BaH, including questionnaires and evaluation lists specially designed for the above mentioned target groups and case stories were used/presented during these workshops as well.

Considering the fact that during the implementation of the project many lectures were carried out, it was expected that changes among participants of the lectures would occur. The primarily expected change is that regarding application of knowledge gained at the lectures, as well as of changing attitudes on the issue of trafficking. In accordance with that, some students established groups and met voluntarily in order to discuss the issue of trafficking.
The majority of participants have developed new attitudes towards the issue of trafficking in human beings (this was demonstrated by the fact showed in the evaluation lists, which we briefly analysed). Therefore we can conclude that the main message of the workshops on trafficking in human beings was received by the participants themselves.

The general evaluation grade of the project’s implementation is extremely positive. Each workshop resulted in interest of the pupils as well as of their parents/ professors in the schools where the workshops took place.
The workshops on the topic of trafficking in women and in human beings generally received a positive welcome by the pupils/parents/professors in all areas where it took place. Some participants had a clearer picture on what trafficking means, while some figured out what is the seriousness of the problem in our community, and how important it is for them to be involved in fught against trafficking in order to transfer their newly gained knowledge to other students as well as to elderly population. Nonetheless, during the workshops that were organized for the target group of parents and students of various age, lecturers noticed a lack of any knowledge/notion regarding trafficking in human beings among many of them. Therefore, it became clear that organizing more workshops in more areas is a priority.

Total number of lectures planned within the project was 12. There were few activities during April 2005 and consequently, there were no workshops in that month. Nevertheless, there are more participants reached than planned in the whole reported.
The total reached in the reporting period was 12 workshops for 198 participants.