USAID Safe Migration in Central Asia (SMICA) Activity Annual: Covered: October 1, 2020 – September 30, 2021

The global COVID-19 pandemic put millions of migrants from Central Asia in precarious situations, both in terms of health and safety, as well as income. Recognizing this, the SMICA activity allocated funds for a COVID-19 response including emergency assistance, skills training, and information campaigns. SMICA leveraged new and existing tools to raise awareness about trafficking in persons (TIP), collect data, and better coordinate CSO efforts to support survivors of trafficking and people vulnerable to TIP in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Turkmenistan. SMICA also successfully engaged governments to enhance or create policies about forced labor and assist victims of trafficking (VoTs).