IOM Moldova has launched a comprehensive direct assistance capacity building programme for 2006-2008, aimed at empowering the Government and local NGOs to deliver reintegration services to victims of trafficking at the local level. This programme, titled "Direct Assistance to Victims of Trafficking in Moldova: Road towards Sustainability" was piloted in June-July with the financial support of Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 5 regions of Moldova - Balti, Cahul, Calarasi, Edinet and Causeni - whereby the IOM Rehabilitation Centre staff delivered trainings to local public authorities and NGOs on how to provide reintegration assistance to victims of trafficking.

The trainings, also co-financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the European Commission (EC) are based on a manual which aims to document five years of experience of the IOM Rehabilitation Centre staff in delivering reintegration services, i.e. the long-term monitoring and assistance that aim to facilitate the durability of the return of the victim, and to allow the returnee to reestablish her/himself independently in Moldovan society.

In the past, most long-term monitoring and follow-up assistance was delivered by Chisinau-based staff of the IOM Rehabilitation Centre, with other local NGOs delivering certain types of services to selected beneficiaries. Year 2005 was a turning point for the Government of Moldova in the fight against human trafficking: it adopted a comprehensive anti-trafficking law, and an accompanying Plan of Action. It is within this normative framework that the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MoHSP) has taken the initiative, together with IOM, to develop a National Reintegration System through its regional (i.e. "Rayon") representatives. This system should contribute to greater regional coordination, greater consistency in the application of standard procedures, and improved monitoring.

"The implementation of the National Reintegration System will facilitate integration of governmental services into the referral system, thereby promoting the efficient use of scarce resources and collaboration between the government and civil society", said Ecaterina Berejan of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection. Ms. Berejan heads the National Reintegration Coordination Office, which was established within the MoHSP in Chisinau to provide technical and coordination support to the regional social services in implementing this National Reintegration System.