News

16 November 2009 16 NOVEMBER – INETRNATIONAL TOLERANCE DAY

On 16 November, 1995, member states of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) approved the Declaration on the Principles of Tolerance and the Plan of Action aimed at promotion of tolerance and respect to diversity. According to Declaration, “tolerance is harmony in difference”, “respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human”. In 1996 UN General Assembly suggested to observe International Tolerance Day annually on 16 Novembers. During this date intentional community is organizing row of events to draw attention to human rights, making emphasis on unconditional equality of all individuals, regardless of their religion,, ethnic origin, color of skin etc. Mary Robinson, former United National High Commissioner for Human Rights said: “Tolerance is not wealthness. This is a life style”. Tolerance and respect to diversity should be integral part of each person’s life and also key principle of State policy.

20 October 2009 POOL OF INTERPRETERS DATABASE LAUNCHED

The test phase of a pool of interpreters online database has been launched by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). The pool of interpreters will be ultimately relied on by the Ministries and the Border Guard Services of Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine and IOM and UNHCR implementing partners. The database is password protected and interpreters will not have access to the profiles of each other. The registration phase is in progress. If you are interested, please register on www.interpreters.unhcr.org.ua by uploading your photo and CV and filling out the form provided.

20 October 2009 CONSUMERS URGED TO HELP END DEMAND FOR EXPLOITED LABOUR IN NEW IOM CAMPAIGN

Eliminating the demand for trafficked and exploited labour to provide the cheap goods and huge profits desired by consumers and businesses the world over is critical if global efforts to end human trafficking are to be successful, says the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Launching a new campaign today on the third EU Anti-Trafficking Day and the start of a European ministerial conference on global EU action against human trafficking in Brussels, IOM is urging consumers in particular to play a greater role in ending human trafficking. Encouraging the public to question ‘What Lies Behind the Things We Buy?’, the campaign, designed by Saatchi & Saatchi in Geneva, hopes to kick-start a change in consumer behaviour.

22 September 2009 International Non-Violence day to be celebrated in the House of the Cinema

On 2 October, 2009, in observance of the International Non-Violence Day, the East European Development Institute (EEDI) with support from the Embassy of the Republic of India in Ukraine presents Mahatma Gandhi’s works translated into Ukrainian language and a film “Gandhi” produced in 1982 by the legendary Sir Richard Attenborough that has received eight Academy Awards. The film (in English language) will be shown free of charge. This event will take place at 18:00 hrs, at the House of the Cinema (address – Saksahanskoho str., 6, 2nd floor).

18 September 2009 IOM INVITES TO TENDER

The International Organization for Migration Mission to Ukraine announces a public tender on 31.08.2009 to engage the services of a qualified and responsible Contractor for the installation of a local area network with a wireless digital channel for data transfer, telephone network communication subsystem and video surveillance subsystem (the “Works”) in the premises and on the territory of the Field Training Centre of the National Academy of State Border Guard Service of Ukraine named after Bogdan Khmelnytskiy. The activity is a part of the project titled “Improving Integrated Border Management: Follow-up to Reinforcing the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Human Resources Management (HUREMAS 2)”.

18 September 2009 Call for Applicants: Field researchers for trafficking study

Field Researches for Trafficking Study The ERRC seeks eight consultants to work on a project it is currently implementing in partnership with People in Need Slovakia (PiN) on trafficking of Romani children, youth, women and men in Eastern and Central Europe. Within this project, implemented in Hungary, Slovakia,the Czech Republic, Romania and Bulgaria, the ERRC and PiN will analyse the effectiveness of national laws and policies on prevention and victim support, and are looking for consultants for its implementation. The selected applicants will be engaged on a part-time consultancy basis over a period of seven months (end of October 2009 to May 2010).

18 September 2009 The deadline for “PLURAL+!” VIDEO FESTIVAL submissions is 30 September, 2009

International Organization for Migration (IOM) would like to remind young people of Ukraine (nine to twenty five years old) about the unique opportunity to participate in a competitive video festival “PLURAL +” that is exploring themes related to migration and diversity and will take place in New York. Winning videos will receive broad recognition and will be widely distributed though internet, broadcast, satellite, film festivals etc. as well as receiving small cash prize of USD 1,000.

30 July 2009 NORWEGIANS AND UKRAINIANS HAVE STRONG FAMILY VALUES

H.E. Mr. Olav Berstad, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to Ukraine, about the development of joint projects, Ukrainian and Norwegian social values and his travels in Ukraine.

14 July 2009 MOBILIZING DIASPORA CIVIL SOCIETY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The Golda Meir International Training Centre (MCTC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Centre for International Cooperation (MASHAV), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Centre for International Migration and Integration (CIMI) are organizing a capacity building workshop for women leaders of diaspora associations called “Mobilizing Diaspora Civil Society for International Development”. The ten-day workshop will take place in Haifa (Israel) on 16-26 November, 2009. This ten-day workshop aims to strengthen the capacity of migrant women to lead diaspora contributions and human and financial capital towards the development of their country and communities of origin. The workshop targets migrant women leaders of diaspora organizations in Europe, North America and other host countries who are active in projects to facilitate the socio-economic development of their origin countries, as well as the integration of their peers in their destination countries.

06 July 2009 Competitive Video Festival "PLURAL +"

International Organization for Migration (IOM) would like to encourage young people of Ukraine (nine to twenty five years old) to participate in a competitive video festival “PLURAL +”.that is exploring themes related to migration and diversity and will take place in New York. Between June 1st 2009 – September 30th 2009, youth from around the world will be able to create and submit videos on migration-related themes to the PLURAL + Video Festival. The videos will then be judged by a prestigious international jury including an internationally acclaimed Iranian film director, screenwriter and film producer Abbas Kiarostami. Recognizing youth as powerful agents of social change in a world often characterized by intolerance, and cultural and religious divisions, PLURAL+ is aimed at involving youth in addressing the key issues in their community related to migrant integration, inclusiveness, identity, diversity, human rights and social cohesiveness. The practical contributions of young people - whether they are migrants, second-generation immigrants or non-migrants – can come not just by identifying constraints but also through promoting a climate of respect and appreciation for each other, helping to point the way towards a more enlightened world.

30 June 2009 Ambassador Laura Thompson Chacón elected as Deputy Director General of IOM

Ambassador Laura Thompson Chacón of Costa Rica has been elected as the next Deputy Director General of the International Organization for Migration. Ambassador Thompson Chacón was elected by a two-thirds majority vote of the Council, which brought together IOM Member States. Laura Thompson Chacón brings to IOM a wealth of international experience, most recently as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva.

25 June 2009 IOM ON 25th JUNE 2009 ANNOUNCES A PUBLIC TENDER FOR PROCUREMENT OF AIR CONDITIONERS

    International Organization for Migration, Mission to Ukraine, on 25th June 2009 announces a public tender for procurement of air conditioners. The activity is a part of the project titled “Development of European Compliant Risk Assessment and Criminal Analysis Systems for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine” (ARCA)”.

23 June 2009 IOM INVITES TO TENDER

International organization for migration, Mission to Ukraine, on 24th June 2009 announces a public tender for procurement of plotters, projectors, screens and flash memory cards. The activity is a part of the project titled “Development of European Compliant Risk Assessment and Criminal Analysis Systems for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine” (ARCA)”.

23 June 2009 IOM and Polish Border Guard Partner to Foster Introduction of EU Standards in MOI and SBGS

The Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Ukraine held a press conference on June 18, 2009, devoted to ongoing and future multi-actor, sustainable cooperation with the Straż Graniczna (Polish Border Guard). The event featured remarks from Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Border Guard Leszek Elas, IOM Chief of Mission in Ukraine Jeffrey Labovitz, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MOI) of Ukraine’s Deputy Director of the State Department on Citizenship, Immigration and Registration of Persons Serhiy Radutnyy, and the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) of Ukraine’s Head of the International Cooperation and European Integration Department Anatoliy Zarytskiy. The Polish Border Guard and Hungarian National Police have partnered with the IOM Mission in Ukraine since 2006 to assist the SBGS’ effort to transform itself by 2015 into a modern European Union (EU)/Schengen-compliant law enforcement service with border management responsibilities. Building on its positive relations with the Government of Ukraine, the Polish Border Guard has begun to share expertise and lay the groundwork for expanded future collaboration with its Ukrainian counterpart, the MOI, on the introduction of EU-compliant human rights-based procedures and standards governing best practices for migrant accommodation to facilitate the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Readmission Agreement.

21 June 2009 Ukrainian Border Guards Enhance Border Management Legislation to Meet EU Standards

On May 22, 2009, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in Ukraine and State Border Guard Service (SBGS) of Ukraine in partnership with the European Commission (EC) and U.S. Department of State (U.S.) held the Second International Border Management Legal Reform Conference to solicit the support of Government of Ukraine bodies and Parliament in the strengthening of Ukraine’s border management legislation. The legislative reforms are an important step in the SBGS’ effort to transform itself by 2015 into a modern uniformed law enforcement service, a standard that Ukraine must fulfil if it wishes to be EU compliant in this area.