Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Uzbekistan Airways signed a memorandum with Winrock International, which has 25 years of global experience in implementing programs to combat human trafficking, child labor and empowerment of women. In particular, the airline became a participant in the “Safe Migration in Central Asia” project, funded by The United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

In 2021, the Ministry of Internal Affairs received a total of 840 complaints related to human trafficking. The number of victims of these crimes stood at 200 persons, including 120 (60 %) women who suffered from sexual exploitation (including 11 minors), 33 (8 %) men who were involved in labour exploitation, and 47 (32 %) minors who became victims of child trafficking.

The key purpose of Uzbekistan Airways is organisation of safe passenger transportation. That is why the airline has accepted Winrock International’s offer of cooperation. The program aims to prevent human trafficking, protect its survivors and ensure safe migration.

As part of the cooperation, representatives of Winrock International will conduct a series of trainings for flight attendants and ground staff of Uzbekistan Airways on their role in ensuring safe migration, prevention, signs, identification of victims of human trafficking and measures to combat the problem in the first quarter of 2023.

Over the 31-year period of activity Uzbekistan Airways has strengthened its status as «one of the most reliable air carriers» in the international arena. Uzbekistan Airways operates more than 250 weekly flights to more than 40 cities in Europe, Asia and America, including non-stop regular flights from Tashkent to New York. The airline carries more than 300,000 thousand passengers per month on average.