On 2 June 2022, in Budva, Montenegro, the Network of the Anti-Trafficking Coordinators of South-Eastern Europe met for their annual meeting. The rationale of the meeting was a discussion of the effects of the Ukrainian crisis on the trafficking in human beings in the region based on the network countries’ experience in the past months.
The degree of implication of the Ukrainian crisis on the NATC SEE Members varies. Some are affected by a significant influx of people fleeing the war, such as Moldova and Romania. In contrast, others are less affected by the current crisis but have lessons learned to share from previous experiences. Therefore, this meeting provided a platform to exchange between the NATC SEE members on the current situation and to share good practices.
Experience in mitigating the risks of human trafficking amidst mass displacement from Ukraine was presented by the anti-trafficking coordinators from Moldova and Romania. Their colleagues from countries along the Western Balkan migration route - North Macedonia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina - shared good practices in identifying trafficking victims in humanitarian crises and mixed migration contexts.
The meeting was hosted by the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Montenegro, with the support of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Slovenia, the Migration Asylum Refugee Regional Initiative (MARRI), the German Corporation for International Cooperation GmbH (GIZ) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), in its role of Secretariat of the Network.
More about the Network of the Anti-Trafficking Coordinators of South-Eastern Europe can be found here: NATC SEE