Oxana Alistratova

As a young teacher, Oxana Alistratova nearly became a victim to a human trafficking ring in 1992. Since 2003 she has devoted her life’s work to helping women realize their own agency and power and develop as leaders.

While overcoming government threats early on and innumerable other obstacles throughout her career, she has demonstrated resilience and further committed to women’s empowerment and anti-trafficking efforts. 

More than 18 years ago, Alistratova established the first NGO to raise awareness of human trafficking in Transnistria, which is an extraordinary feat to achieve in a territory where women have limited rights or access to assistance and thus are extremely vulnerable to human trafficking.  Through her NGO, Interaction, Alistratova played a key role in convincing local authorities of the need to adopt laws to prevent human trafficking.  Alistratova later adapted Interaction to serve not only victims of trafficking but also victims of domestic violence.  She manages a hotline for trafficking victims and concerned family members, established in 2006, and another for victims of domestic violence since 2009.  These hotlines have fielded more than 20,000 calls since their inception.  Alistratova has also dedicated herself to establishing an informal referral framework for local authorities, teachers, social service providers, and NGOs to provide legal, psychological, and other critical support to vulnerable women and their children.  

Along the way, she has forged and nurtured a network of human rights advocates in Transnistria and the rest of Moldova.  Through her community outreach and awareness raising campaigns, she has provided critical services to her community while continuing to inspire a new generation of human rights leaders throughout the region.