Within the framework of the project, «Provision of Support and Aid to Migrant Workers, and Securing of their Integration in Society» (the donor: the European Commission), a new site has been created – nelegalmigrant.ru – devoted to the issue of illegal migrants. The main mission of the site is to consolidate civil society in support and protection of migrants' rights and to foster a tolerant attitude towards migrants. The right of migration is among the fundamental human rights. This right is acknowledged and measures are being taken to enforce it in the countries of the European Community, including the Russian Federation.

The creation of the site was necessitated by a number of circumstances relating to illegal migrants in Russia and aims to increase the level of legal education and awareness of the problem, and foster tolerance among migrants as well as among Russian citizens.

The Angel Coalition in its work has encountered problems of labor exploitation of men and women in Russia. We have received a large number of calls from migrants, their relatives, and our partners from the countries of the CIS with requests for help. We have provided counseling on the phone, assistance in restoration of migrants’ lost documents, assistance in return to a home country, in search of a new job, in obtaining permission to work, and other assistance.  Trying to offer the most aid possible to migrant workers, we face the following difficulties:

   - poor work of the CIS countries’ embassies in Russia;

   - lack of a mechanism of coordinated cooperation among all structures for the purpose of protection of migrants’ rights and assistance to them;

   - lack of a sufficient number of organizations providing comprehensive support to migrants;

   - lack of knowledge among migrants regarding their rights and obligations;

   - lack of knowledge of the Russian language.

Upon coming to Russia for the purpose of finding employment, many migrants do not know their rights, opportunities, do not know the language, and fear everything around, thus falling into the category of people at risk, exposed to human trafficking and labor exploitation in particular.

The general objective of the project is to decrease the level and extent of labor exploitation in Moscow.

The target group:

1) Migrant workers, migrant communities

2) Government and law enforcement officials

3) Embassy workers

4) NGOs working with migrant workers and the groups at risk

In the framework of the project the following measures are being applied:

1. Development of materials for the Angel Coalition hotline and worker training
2. Counseling over the hotline
3. Development of mechanisms to enhance interaction between NGOs and governmental structures, embassies, diasporas, and law enforcement agencies on the issues of labor exploitation
4. Informational campaigns to raise awareness among society regarding the labor exploitation problem
5. Seminars for migrants in the city of Moscow
6. Training sessions for the embassies of Belarus, Kirghizia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Tajikistan
7. Round table meetings on the rights of migrants
8. Publications

Direct aid to migrants includes:

1. Assistance in restoration of lost documents
2. Settling issues and resolving problems with employers (in cases when an employer threatens, refuses to pay wages, refuses to give back documents, etc.)
3. Assistance in writing legal declarations and in contacting law enforcement officials
4. Return to the home country
5. Making contact with NGOs and international organizations of a migrant’s home country for the purpose of providing them comprehensive support
6. Redirection to other organizations
7. Psychological counseling