Baku - IOM facilitated a four-day (13-17/5) study visit to Lithuania, for eleven Azerbaijan Government officials with technical and logistical support by IOM Azerbaijan and IOM Vilnius Office under the framework of the project “Enhancement of National Capacities to Combat Human Trafficking in Azerbaijan (ENCT)”, funded by European Union and co-funded by IOM Development Fund.

The objective of the study visit is to familiarize Azerbaijan representatives from Justice Academy of Ministry of Justice, Head Department on Combating Trafficking of Human Beings of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as judges from capital and regional appeal courts, prosecutors from General Prosecutors Office with Lithuanian institutions that implement counter trafficking policies, national referral mechanism, coordination with relevant agencies, and with nonprofit organizations active in the field,  to effectively prevent and combat human trafficking in Azerbaijan.

During the study visit the delegation visited the Lithuanian Prosecutor‘s Office, Ministry of Social Security and Labour, the Supreme Court of Lithuania, Vilnius Crisis Centre, National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking, Lithuania Police department, State Labour Inspectorate, Center Against Human Trafficking and Exploitation, Association Men’s Crisis Center located in Kaunas, Kaunas City Municipality and Interdisciplinary Group for Combating Human Trafficking.

The study visit is not only a good opportunity to learn best practices and further apply them at the Azerbaijan national level, but also to establish positive working contacts with the Lithuania official and civil society representatives.