Information on Safe Migration
We promote the role of women in society,
revealing her personal potential, professionally
assisting in the realization of civil and social rights
revealing her personal potential, professionally
assisting in the realization of civil and social rights
At the home of "Business Women"
November is a special month for the Public Association "Business Women's Club". On November 8, 2019, the organization celebrates 23 years since its founding. But even such an important date for the employees is not a reason to put things off. As on any other day, they work together and cohesively, and most importantly, towards a common goal. We looked behind the doors of the organization and found out how the working days go in the team.
What are the "Business Women" so busy with?
They are all united by one calling — protecting the rights and interests of citizens, primarily women. They approach the solution of their problems professionally and comprehensively, starting with assistance in personal development and ending with raising the status of women in society. Working on the "hotline for safe travel, stay abroad and combating human trafficking", organizing and conducting consultations, seminars, trainings, scientific and practical conferences, lectures, sociological research... And this is just a small part of what is included in the daily duties of specialists.
In what areas does the Public Association "Business Women's Club" work?
- combating human trafficking and illegal migration;
- combating sexual violence against minors, their involvement in pornographic filming, including on the Internet;
- strengthening the economic potential of the population (trainings on effective employment and financial literacy);
- combating domestic violence;
- promoting gender equality;
- volunteer activities;
- HIV/AIDS prevention.
Who and why calls the "Hotline"?
Over 16 years of work, more than 45,000 calls have been received on the "hotline". Employees help people sort out difficult life situations. They understand perfectly well that there are no frivolous calls or appeals. The "hotline" can receive the most unexpected calls. Here, a minor girl has suffered from sexual violence. And a visiting German does not know what to do with an expired visa and also turns to the "hotline" consultants. Next, a call comes from the relatives of a woman who has fallen into slavery abroad.
Regardless of gender, age, or citizenship, specialists strive to understand and delve into everyone's story, providing maximum assistance and protecting individuals' legal rights and interests. All callers to the hotline receive complete and reliable answers to their questions, even if the information is not available from other sources. Throughout the entire period of the hotline's operation, not a single complaint about receiving unreliable information has been received.
63% of calls come from women, 46% of callers are interested in employment abroad, 11% — in issues of marriage, divorce, traveling abroad, and meeting foreigners. 16% of all appeals are complex and crisis cases. They are related to violations of the rights of migrants, search for victims or missing persons abroad, human trafficking, выявление фактов вербовки, theft or loss of documents, prevention of sexual violence. Questions about entry and stay in the territory of the Republic of Belarus from foreigners also come in.
How to call?
The hotline service has extensive technical capabilities:
+375162218888 for calls from abroad,
line 8801201 5555 (green number) was opened by the NGO "Club of Business Women" back in 2005, you can call it for free from any mobile operator and landline phone,
line 113 was opened in 2001 and is administered by the NGO "Club of Business Women" and the ICNGO "Gender Perspectives"
The hotline operates at the national level daily from 8.00 to 20.00. All information on the hotline is provided confidentially and free of charge.
If, due to certain circumstances, it is not possible to call, you can compose an electronic message and send it to the email of the organization NGO "Club of Business Women" bpwbrest@mail.ru.
Who will answer on the other end of the line?
Psychologists, lawyers, and social workers work on the hotline. No educational institution trains specialists for work on the hotline, staff are trained independently, so the qualifications of hotline employees are unique. Special training materials and a specific algorithm of actions have been developed for each group of calls.
The process of training and monitoring knowledge is continuous. Every year, employees take a qualification exam — tests. The International Organization for Migration regularly conducts trainings, trips abroad, meetings with employees of foreign embassies and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, and others. Thanks to this, employees exchange experiences and improve their professional level.
The most important thing in their work, the organization's employees consider to be professionalism, flexibility, individual approach, personal responsibility, which leads to an effective result.
Who does the NGO «Business Women's Club» cooperate with?
Over 23 years of work, it has been possible to establish interaction with state, law enforcement agencies, and public organizations. Fruitful and joint cooperation with them is one of the important components in the work of the Business Women's Club, because working with professionals is a valuable experience. Thanks to joint efforts, various projects and plans are being implemented, people are being helped, and a contribution is being made to the development of our country. Joint work yields positive results.
Is there a result?
The organization has earned a certain authority over the years of work. An effective mechanism has been created for redirecting victims throughout the Republic of Belarus to other NGOs and state structures to provide reintegration assistance to victims of human trafficking and citizens who may have suffered from human trafficking. In addition, manuals and guidelines have been published on combating human trafficking, on the specifics of identifying and investigating crimes of child pornography, redirecting victims to provide assistance, protecting rights and legitimate interests. Information calendars, leaflets, and other printed materials on combating human trafficking have been produced for distribution among target groups and at-risk groups.
385 victims of human trafficking living in the Brest region received rehabilitation and reintegration assistance. During the operation of the hotline, with the assistance of state and international organizations, 148 people who found themselves in difficult life situations abroad or in situations of human trafficking were returned to their homeland.
Competent specialists from the Business Women's Club make proposals to state programs to combat human trafficking, which are enshrined in the legislation of the Republic of Belarus.
The Business Women's Club implements quite a lot of projects with various organizations. A reliable partner among public and government organizations, as well as donors at the international, national and regional levels in solving socially significant tasks for the Republic of Belarus.
Given the many years of experience, good intellectual potential of employees who work professionally, with dedication, with a desire to help people, to develop the activities of the organization and to develop themselves — it is safe to say that they work successfully, and will continue their activities in protecting the rights and interests of citizens in the future.
