Baku - IOM Mission in Azerbaijan has launched a social media and TV awareness raising campaign on combating human trafficking to reach larger population and to increase awareness raising on possible risks of irregulation migration, trafficking in persons and the rights of victims, as well as the counselling services and hotlines available for local population and migrants.

A large quantity of awareness materials - informative videos and posters produced by IOM Azerbaijan - under the awareness slogan of “Human trafficking: how to be protected from it” were placed in social media and broadcasted on local TV channels. Promotional posters and videos aim to raise public awareness about trafficking, prevent vulnerable persons from becoming victims of trafficking, and encourage people to report concerns to the specialized police department by advertising the Main Department on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Helpline number.

Within the campaign Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/insanalverindenqorun) and Instagram pages (https://www.instagram.com/insanalverindenqorun/) were created and contests will be made through the influencers which seek to encourage involvement and inspire action to combat human trafficking.

The campaign holds within the project ‘Enhancing Cooperation Measures to Effectively Combat Trafficking in Persons through Capacity Building and Technical Assistance in Azerbaijan – Phase VI’ (ECMCT – Phase VI) funded by the U.S. Department of State since 2016. The main objective of the project is to assist the government of Azerbaijan’s response in combating trafficking in persons and consequently, transnational organized crime and to improve protection mechanisms in providing vulnerable migrants as well as victims/potential victims of trafficking with appropriate assistance services.