Baku - Some time ago, 39-year-old Mehriban (pseudonym) took the first step toward regaining control of her life by coming to the shelter of the Clean World Public Union (PU) in Baku to get protection for herself and her children from her husband. She, one of the dozen women – victims of domestic violence, that used to reside in this shelter has a similar life story. She was married when she just turned 18 years old. Like many girls of her age, she couldn’t get to study beyond basic school and started family life at an early age without a chance to get a good job or continue her education.
Life after marriage did not change for the better, it even became worse. Over a period of time, Mehriban’s situation only worsened as her new husband started regularly abusing her emotionally and physically. She was completely dependent on her abuser and was emotionally broken. Mehriban began to feel isolated and powerless.
Emotional and psychological abuse was growing, she had no financial resources, no one to help her with her babies, and no emotional support.
“For many years my children and I experienced severe family violence at the hands of my husband and father of my kids,” says Mehriban, a mother of three.
Over the years, these abuses only intensified, and the constant conflict soon made her flee from her husband’s house with her children. Mehriban, like most survivors, looking for a safe place to live, and support for the steps she needed to take to achieve a life free of violence, got in touch with the shelter of the Clean World PU supported by IOM Azerbaijan Counter Trafficking in Person Project funded by USAID.
Her strength was revealed shortly after she got to the shelter. In the shelter, she received psychological support that boosted up her self-confidence. As Mehriban began to see that there were people and organizations to support her, she started to think about getting a job. Even though she had not been employed for many years, Mehriban could obtain work in the shelter as a tailor.
“When my husband retired and he needed money, he allowed me and our eldest son to work in a tailoring shop. This is how I learned tailoring and today this experience helps me earn money,” says she.
Soon after leaving home, Mehriban’s husband tried to use the legal system to harass and intimidate her. The shelter’s staff provided her with legal representation for her case and assisted her in filing for divorce. The shelter’s staff also made sure her children are enrolled in school.
“I am a fighter and I never stop supporting my kids. I work harder than I ever had to keep my babies fed,” says Mehriban.
Since 2015, IOM implements the Project “Counter-Trafficking (CT) in Persons Activity” funded by USAID aiming at assisting assist the Government of Azerbaijan and civil society organizations to further improve Azerbaijan´s effectiveness in preventing and combating trafficking in persons (TIP) and forced labour through raising public awareness on trafficking in human beings and providing technical and financial support to the civil society organizations operating shelters for assisting potential and actual victims of trafficking, forced labour.
The action will reach expected results through enhanced partnership and coordination across Government and non-government agencies and the private sector, while also providing financial support to civil society organizations (CSOs) for improved service provision to potential, presumed, and confirmed victims of TIP, forced labour, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
