AUA Dept. of Law Raises Awareness of Armenia's Human Trafficking Problem

Yerevan - On Saturday March 13, the American University of Armenia's (AUA) Law Department, and the AUA Shitak Student Law Club organized a 3-hour law conference on "Trafficking in Humans: A Growing Problem in Armenia." Trafficking is a largely unnoticed crime in which women, and sometimes children and men, are purchased and sold like merchandise. The event addressing this sensitive topic was attended by over 170 people filling every seat and leaving many to stand in the aisles.

"Human trafficking is a problem in Armenia, but the Government of Armenia has now begun to take concrete steps to prevent it," said Vivian Walker, Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States Embassy in Yerevan. She noted that just this year, Armenia's status was upgraded from 'tier three' to 'tier two', which designates a country with a trafficking problem but which is trying to comply with international standards.

Other guest speakers included representatives of the International Office of Migration (IOM), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the UN and several non-governmental organizations.

"Trafficking in women and children is a growing problem in Armenia and throughout the world. It is also a problem few people want to acknowledge," noted Matthew Karanian, Associate Dean of AUA's Law Department. "Press coverage was extensive and as a result, through this event our department helped raise public awareness of Armenia's trafficking problem."

The Law Program of the American University of Armenia offers a Master's Degree in Law and in Comparative Legal Studies. The programs feature a strong focus on business and international law, with special emphasis on legal and institutional reforms in the former Soviet republics.