The closing ceremony of the project implemented by Adıyaman Municipality under the slogan “Lend a Hand to Change” took place in Adıyaman on 29 March within the scope of the awareness-raising campaign on child trafficking and trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation. The project was implemented through a grant scheme under the joint European Union - Council of Europe action “Strengthening the Human Rights Protection of Migrants and Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings in Turkey.”
Mayor of Adıyaman Municipality Süleyman Kılınç, Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Ankara Cristian Urse, and Head of the Section of Civil Society, Fundamental Rights, Judiciary and Home Affairs of the European Union Delegation to Turkey Alexander Fricke took part in the event, alongside representatives of the Court of Cassation, Presidency of Migration Management, local public institutions, and non-governmental organisations. Highlighting the importance of local ownership of the initiative, Cristian Urse expressed appreciation for the successful implementation of the awareness-raising and capacity building activities on child trafficking and trafficking for labour exploitation in Adıyaman and welcomed the successful involvement of local youth teams in the project.
Pointing out that human trafficking is a global and widespread crime of latent nature and a grave violation of fundamental rights prohibited by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and thus requires joint action by national, local and international partners, Alexander Fricke emphasised the importance of awareness raising in this respect and conveyed thanks to the partners in Adıyaman for their commitment and successful activities.
Mayor Süleyman Kılınç stressed that cooperation with international and national partners is of great importance for fighting human trafficking and child trafficking effectively and addressing challenges stemming from migration flows in Adıyaman, and conveyed thanks to the Council of Europe, the European Union, and the Presidency of Migration Management for their support.
On this occasion, the Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office held courtesy meetings with Governor of Adıyaman Mahmut Çuhadar and Mayor Süleyman Kılınç.
The action “Strengthening the Human Rights Protection of Migrants and Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings in Turkey” is implemented within the framework of the joint European Union/Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”.
