This handbook presents the determinants of migrant vulnerability (DOMV) model for analyzing and responding to migrant vulnerability. The DOMV model is specifically designed to address the protection and assistance needs of a specific subset of migrants: those who have experienced or are vulnerable to violence, exploitation, and abuse before, during or after the migration process.The handbook further presents best practices and lessons learned in migrant protection and assistance, based on IOM’s extensive experience in providing protection and assistance services to trafficked and other vulnerable migrants, and on the provision of return and reintegration services to migrants from around the globe.

Trafficking in persons is a serious crime that affects every country in the world. Conflicts that arise in countries or other geographical areas can exacerbate vulnerability to trafficking, as well as its prevalence and severity. As State and non-State structures weaken, and as people turn to negative coping strategies in order to survive, not only does the risk of falling victim to trafficking increase, but so too does the risk of perpetrating it against others. At the same time, conflict also increases the demand for goods and services provided by exploited persons and creates new demands for exploitative combat and support roles. For these reasons, United Nations entities and other international actors active in settings affected by conflict have a crucial role to play in preventing and countering trafficking in persons.

In the context of the 10-Point Plan, a key objective of cooperative arrangements among partners is to ensure that migration policies are both effective and “protection-sensitive”, that is, they take into account the needs of all persons who travel as part of mixed movements, including asylum-seekers, refugees, victims of trafficking, unaccompanied and separated children and other groups.As opposed to the other action points of the 10-Point Plan, which outline tools for developing practical, protection-sensitive responses to mixed movements within a particular subject area, the theme of this chapter, “Cooperation among Key Partners”, provides an overarching methodology for addressing mixed movements. Most of the examples in the 10-Point Plan involve more than one actor and demonstrate how cooperation can be operationalized to address mixed movements in that specific area. By contrast, the examples presented in this chapter focus broadly on cooperation at the national, regional and international levels across several or all aspects of mixed movements.

Over the last half decade, IOM has implemented many counter-trafficking actions in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Although there have been major improvements in efforts to combat trafficking in human beings (THB) within these countries, as the modes of operation of traffickers continue to evolve, States need to ensure that interventions continue to address the needs of victims on the ground while at the same time focusing on targeted capacity-building of law enforcement. This is particularly true in light of recently identified global trends, including the increased incidents of trafficking for the purposes of labour exploitation, the recognized under-identification of male victims and an observed rise in the number of children identified as victims. Therefore, at the end of 2015, IOM undertook a project funded by the IOM Development Fund to improve planned THB interventions in the countries in the South Caucasus by making available a comprehensive assessment of the overall THB situation in each country. The assessment was done for these specific purposes: (1) to collect and synthesize stakeholder views of the current human trafficking landscape and responses thereto in the region; (2) to identify stakeholders’ perspectives on the trafficking situation and trends, as well as the gaps in relation to identification and referral, assistance and protection, and prevention and cooperation; and (3) to arrive at key conclusions and offer recommendations on how to strengthen existing responses, correct inappropriate processes, and address gaps at the domestic and, to the extent possible, regional levels. In order to produce these reports, a researcher was hired to develop a counter-trafficking needs assessment tool in line with international standards to serve as a basis for a needs assessment of existing State and non-government organization counter-trafficking mechanisms in each country. The research methodology included a desk review, stakeholder survey, in-person interviews conducted in each country and a national validation workshop for each country. As a result of this initiative, three separate national country reports for Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan were produced in June 2016. The findings within each report are broken down into the following categories: (a) national THB trends; (b) identification and referral; (c) assistance and protection; (d) investigation and prosecution; (e) prevention; (f) and coordination and cooperation. Findings were based on indicators developed as a part of the tool. Each report additionally contains recommendations to address gaps within each listed category, which stakeholders are invited to consider in their future efforts to combat THB in their respective countries.