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The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice

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Transnational AIDS Prevention among Migrant Prostitutes in Europe Project

The TAMPEP Association is a nonprofit organization that advocates actions and policies that respect the rights and dignity of marginal and socially discriminated immigrants, including sex workers.

It cooperates with organizations in the immigrant's countries of origin and fights systems of coercion and exploitation of both adult and minor victims of trafficking and sexual abuse.

TAMPEP works on educating sex workers on health and legal issues, assisting sex workers in transition to the labor market and society, and providing micro-credit and vocational training for other migrants from Albania, Morocco and Nigeria.

• Topics: Human Rights, Human Trafficking, Microcredit
• Area:  Italy, Nigeria, Albania, Morocco
• Founded: 2001

• TAMPEP has raised funds from the European Union for a project (‘Alnima’) in Benin City, Nigeria, which is the starting point for most of the thousands of Nigerians who have been trafficked to Italy. Alnima seeks to help trafficked Nigerians who are arrested in Italy and immediately deported, wearing only the clothes on their back.

• TAMPEP's approach is to send out unita di strada (street units) that
  include 'cultural mediators' from the same background as the trafficked women and girls. The units seek out likely victims of trafficking and offer them health education and testing. Once inside the privacy of a health clinic, social workers set out the woman's rights and options.

• TAMPEP launched an extensive program of information in the villages of Edo State, which will inform Nigerian women about the risks of trafficking in Nigeria. This information campaign would use the media (particularly radio) and hopefully co-opt traditional rulers (Oba). Back in Italy, TAMPEP also informs the Italian public about the abuse and violence that is directed against the Nigerian women on the streets of Italy. The name of this exciting and innovative project is "Turnaround."

• Each year, the US government puts out a Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report and each year, TAMPEP responds by criticizes certain aspects of it.  TAMPEP's response to the 2006 TIP Report and 2003 TIP Report are posted on the AP website.

• Press Releases

Read TAMPEP's newsletter that they post on their website.

• Reports

TAMPEP puts out a yearly report that monitors the progress of the organization.

TAMPEP also produces position papers that are available on their website.

Read a Background Brief about TAMPEP, produced by AP Peace Fellow Michelle Lanspa.

• Photographs

See TAMPEP's photo gallery.

• Advocacy Project News Bulletins: AP has published bulletins about TAMPEP through the news service, AdvocacyNet.

• Blogs

In 2007, AP sent two Peace Fellows to work with TAMPEP: Leslie Ibeaunusi and Michelle Lanspa.  Read Leslie and Michelle's blogs.

In 2006, AP sent Anya Gorovets to work with TAMPEP.  Read Anya's blog.

In 2005, AP sent Ewa Sobczynska of Georgetown University to help TAMPEP with international cooperation programs. Read Ewa’s blog.

In 2004, AP sent Melinda Willis, a Tufts University student to intern with TAMPEP and help the organization create a web site and promote TAMPEP’s work internationally. Read Melinda’s blog.

In 2003, AP sent Julie Lee, a graduate student at Georgetown University to intern with TAMPEP. Read Julie’s blog.

August 3, 2007
Nigeria: Giant Strides Against Human Trafficking
allAfrica.com

November 5, 2004
Oldest Profession Is Still One of the Oldest Lures for Young Nigerian Women
The New York Times

Outreach Partners

• Women's Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON)

• Legal: Under a 1998 Italian law, prostitutes are granted a residency permit and a new identity if they agree to denounce their traffickers. Turin's regional and city governments take the problem more seriously that other cities, but even in Turin it is slow going. According to Rosanna, the head of TAMPEP, 34 women agreed to denounce their traffickers in 2000, but only one prosecution took place.

• Perceptions: There is a growing tendency to shift responsibility to the client and organizer rather than the prostitute, and to see prostitutes as victims.(On the Streets of Europe)

• Legal: Three women ministers in the Italian government are trying to ensure that prostitutes are allowed to benefit from social and medical protection. (On the Streets of Europe)

Contact:
Corso Brescia, 10
10152 Torino
Tel. +39 011 859.821
Fax +39 011 240.73.44
Email TAMPEP

 

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