PRESS RELEASE
18 January 2012:

Today, 18 January 2012, Mr. Zlatko Zigic, IOM Chief of Mission to Kazakhstan and Central Asia delivered a lecture on migration in Central Asia to students of Nazarbaev University in Astana. IOM Chief of Mission discussed with students migration trends in Central Asia and Kazakhstan, migration challenges and responses provided by the Governments, civil society and international community. Special attention was given to issues related to labour migration and human trafficking in the context of social and economic impact of migration processes. "Migration cannot be looked at as a stand-alone phenomenon because it is cross cutting issue embedded in the social, economic and political affairs in the region and as such should be considered and addressed" Mr. Zigic said. The lecture was attended by 70 students. The lecture was another event organized within the close cooperation of IOM and Nazarbaev University. For the last two years the Nazarbaev University professors and students has been actively supporting IOM programmes on direct assistance to victims of human trafficking and vulnerable labour migrants, organizing charity events and activities as well as volunteer work for migrants support centres and shelters for victims of trafficking.