Armenia Tourism
U.S. Humanitarian Mine Action Programs: Europe
GEORGIAThe Landmine Problem The landmine and unexploded ordnance (UXO) problem in Georgia stems primarily from the conflict in the Abkhazia region of the country in 1992–1994. Ongoing partisan activity in some parts of Abkhazia also contributes to the problem. According to the Ministry of Defense of the Government of Georgia (GOG), between 20,000 and 70,000 mines are in the soil, contaminating approximately 18,500,000 square meters of land in Abkhazia, and 220,000 square meters of land in the rest of the country. The majority of the mines are located in Abkhazia in northwestern Georgia. The remainder are in the South Ossetia/Tskivani region in north-central Georgia; the former Soviet ammunition storage facil ... [Read More]
Cyprus (07/05)
Assistance from Turkey is crucial to the Turkish Cypriot economy. Under the latest economic protocol (signed in 2005), Turkey undertakes to provide Turkish Cypriots loans and financial assistance totaling $450 million over a three-year period for public finance, tourism, banking, and privatization projects. Turkey also provides millions of dollars annually in the form of low-interest loans to mostly Turkish entrepreneurs in support of export-oriented industrial production and tourism. Total Turkish assistance to Turkish Cypriots since 1974 is estimated to exceed $3 billion. ... [Read More]
Freedom Support Educational Partnerships Program – Project Profiles – Educational Partnerships Program
Cal Poly Pomona is working with Petrozavodsk State University (PSU) to develop their program in Tourism Management and to introduce the fields of Hospitality and Restaurant Management. Program objectives include: faculty exchanges resulting in the development of 14 new courses and instructional materials; development of the curricula for Hotel and Restaurant management; acquisition of new library materials; improvement of English language skills of PSU faculty; the establishment of an Internet based distance learning link; and the offering of continuing education seminars. ... [Read More]
Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Armenia
Trafficking in women for sexual exploitation was a problem (see Section 5, Trafficking). Prostitution and sex tourism is not illegal, but operating brothels is prohibited. Operating a brothel or other forms of pimping is punishable by 1 to 10 years' imprisonment. ... [Read More]
IV. Country Narratives: Europe and Eurasia
The government focused outreach and prevention programs on domestic prostitution and sex tourism abroad. The Prime Minister’s inter-ministerial commission on clandestine workers and illegal labor continued its work, and a new inter-ministerial working group on sex tourism began work on recommendations for the Tourism Ministry. In 2003, Air France, a government-owned carrier, provided a portion of the in-flight duty-free sales of toys, amounting to almost $350,000, to an international NGO conducting awareness programs on child sex tourism. The government provided funding to NGOs conducting outreach to women in sexual servitude, and to organizations fighting child prostitution. The government also funded trafficking prevention programs in Central and Eastern Europe and West Africa. Within the EU, the government supported anti-trafficking programs, including information campaigns, seminars, bilateral training programs for police units and lawmakers, and assigned criminal liaison o ... [Read More]
V. Country Narratives -- Countries A through G
France is a destination country for women trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary domestic servitude, primarily from Eastern and Central Europe and Africa. The number of Chinese women trafficked to France for sexual exploitation increased in 2004. The government estimates that there are 10,000 to 12,000 trafficking victims in France, 3,000-8,000 of whom are children forced into prostitution and labor. Nigerian trafficking networks continued to expand their activities in France. Trafficking of Brazilian women and girls for sexual exploitation to French Guiana — a French possession — remained a serious problem. The Government of France fully complies with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. Although the government did not provide full data on investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and sentences, the Secretary of State has ... [Read More]
Armenia
Young women and girls from socially vulnerable groups all over Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh were the primary targets of traffickers. Trafficked persons often were lured by jobs abroad offered through recruiters and informal channels, tourism firms and some media. Reportedly, there were cases in which older girls from orphanages and poor families were sold to wealthy men in Dubai. An orphanage run by a religious group reported that older girls have been approached by relatives urging them to "earn their share" for the family by engaging in prostitution. However, most parents and relatives were convinced that they were sending such children to work in the UAE or elsewhere as models, dancers, waitresses, or domestic servants. Traffickers themselves were often ex-prostitutes or pimps who have already established "good working contacts" in the country of destination. They were well organized, have connections with local authorities and were supported and protected by criminal g ... [Read More]
Armenia (04/05)
Nevertheless, the Government of Armenia, helped by the cease-fire that has been in effect in Nagorno-Karabakh since 1994, has been able to carry out wide-ranging economic reforms that paid off in dramatically lower inflation and steady growth. Armenia has registered strong economic growth since 1995, building on the turnaround that began the previous year, and inflation has been negligible for the past several years. New sectors, such as precious stone processing and jewelry making, information and communication technology, and even tourism are beginning to supplement more traditional sectors such as agriculture in the economy. ... [Read More]
Armenia
Young women and girls from socially vulnerable groups all over Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh are the main targets of traffickers. Trafficked persons often were lured by jobs abroad offered through recruiters and informal channels, tourism firms and some media. Reportedly, there were cases when older girls from orphanages and poor families are sold to wealthy men in Dubai. An orphanage run by a religious group reports that older girls have been approached by relatives urging them to "earn their share" for the family by engaging in prostitution. Most parents and relatives are convinced; however, that they are sending such children to work in the UAE or elsewhere as models, dancers, waitresses, or domestic servants. Traffickers themselves are often ex-prostitutes or pimps who have already established "good working contacts" in the country of destination. They are well organized, have connections with local authorities and are supported and protected by criminal gangs. Most potential victim ... [Read More]
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