The training targeting the deliverance of residency permits to the victims of human trafficking was delivered to 51 experts from the Presidency of Migration Management, on the 12 - 14 June 2022 in Izmir, under the joint European Union and Council of Europe action on “Strengthening the human rights protection of migrants and victims of human trafficking in Turkey”.

This training gathered eminent participants such as Ms Gözde Özkorul, Director General in the Presidency of Migration Management (PMM) as well as Mr Osman Koramaz, Head of Department in the PMM and Mr Rifat Sagut, Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation.

The training targeted PMM responsibles mandated for the delivery of residency permits. A detailed overview of the different types of residency permits was delivered (permits linked to studies, tourism, work) and thorough sessions were provided on the specificities and intricacies of the special residency permits that should be delivered to victims of human trafficking. Sessions were also targeting the identification of victims of human trafficking during the delivery of residency permits, as the victims often come to PMM offices for other types of residencies permits, often accompanied by their traffickers. The risks of human trafficking as well as the identification of victims were thoroughly explained. The importance of PMM’s mandate in the fight against trafficking in human beings was presented and referral mechanisms for victims were detailed.

The training was highly participative and received precious inputs from the participants on the situation on the field. A vast majority of participants (96% of those who have responded to the post training questionnaire) reported having highly increased their knowledge on the identification and referral of victims of human trafficking.

This training was organised within the framework of the action “Strengthening the human rights protection of migrants and victims of human trafficking in Turkey”, part of the joint European Union/Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019 - 2022”.