Moldova's Inter-Denominational Coalition for the Prevention of
Trafficking of Human Beings and IOM are inviting people in the
eastern European country to unite in prayer on 7 December for
victims of human trafficking and for families separated by
migration.

During the second such event to be held in Moldova, all churches
and prayer houses of Orthodox and Baptist confessions will host a
special ceremony for the national prayer day featuring different
events organized in the capital and in several regions. These will
include candle-lit processions, the distribution of information
material and concerts. 

This event is part and parcel of IOM efforts to mobilize
faith-based organizations to prevent human trafficking in the
country where more than 2,425 victims of trafficking and more than
1,000 potential victims have been assisted by the Chisinau
Protection and Assistance Centre since 2001.

More than 1,000 priests and other religious personnel were
trained to conduct awareness-raising activities on human
trafficking and gender-based violence, to work with socially
vulnerable families, to identify victims and refer them for
assistance, as well as on facilitating the reintegration of
trafficked individuals. Several advocacy and community-based
activities on preventing and combating human trafficking have also
been carried out.

The national prayer day is also a reminder to Moldovan society
on the extent and consequences of migration. Although Moldova
benefits greatly by out migration, particularly through remittances
sent home which represent nearly a third of the country's GDP, the
levels of people leaving are high. About 25 per cent of the labour
force (as many as 450,000 people) was estimated to be living abroad
in 2007, according to a recent survey. As a result, about 35,000
school-age children in Moldova have both parents' abroad and
another 75,000 children with one parent abroad.

For further information, please contact:

Sophie Baumgartner

IOM Moldova

Tel: + 373 22 23 29 40

E-mail: "mailto:sbaumgartner@iom.int">sbaumgartner@iom.int