First all-European hotline for migrant Ukrainian workers launched
Today, August 17, 2009, the first all-European hotline for migrant Ukrainian workers went on line. As of today, every Ukrainian citizen abroad can telephone the designated local number in the country where they are staying and receive free advice on migrant labor issues, emergencies and programs providing targeted assistance for migrant workers abroad from a call-center located in Ukraine. This new hotline will be available through local numbers in nine European countries where statistics show that the largest number of migrant Ukrainian workers are present: Poland, the Czech Republic, Russia, Hungary, Greece, Portugal, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Consultations will also now be available through the website of the project ZAROBITCHАNY.ORG or through a toll-free number in Ukraine: 8-800-503-1480. “To get help from their homeland, Ukrainians will no longer have to pay for an international call. The hotline not only provides legal advice but also information regarding other programs offering targeted assistance to Ukrainian migrant workers,” explains Oleksiy Syvak, executive director of the New Traditions Foundation. “What’s more, our project is not directed at supporting a particular political party and is not part of any election campaign, so it will continue to evolve actively without regard to the political situation prior to and after the upcoming New Year.” The hotline has come on line at the same time as a national public awareness campaign called “Help where you are!” This campaign promotes the services of the toll-free hotline and is intended to improve public attitudes towards migrant workers as a social phenomenon. “By working abroad and investing their earnings in Ukraine’s economy, our migrant workers are generating a significant share of the nation’s prosperity. We need to acknowledge and appreciate their contribution and to make it easy for migrant workers to return home,” adds Mr. Syvak. According to the project’s management, the reason for launching ZAROBITCHANY.ORG was that Ukrainian citizens who leave to work abroad tend to know very little about their rights and legal status in their destination countries. The key trouble spots are properly formulating entry visa documents and protecting economic rights. As a result, there are many violations of immigration rules, a large number of criminal cases have been filed against Ukrainian citizens, and far too many deportations have occurred. The Zarobitchany project has been operating with the support of the New Traditions Foundation since April 2009. The New Traditions Foundation is a non-commercial charitable organization that supports a variety of cultural, social, medical and educational projects. In addition to the Zarobitchany project, the Foundation is providing multi-lateral support to the Molodist International Film Festival. For more on the Foundation, see the NTF site at www.newtraditions.org.ua. Contacts: Olga Antonyuk Project manager, Zarobitchany Tel: 8 (044)592-0533 e-mail: manager@zarobitchany.org URL: www.zarobitchany.org Address: vul. Pochayninska 4, Kyiv 04070