The Regional Clearing Point, a program under the International Organization for Migration, has completed the Second Annual Report on Victims in Trafficking in South Eastern Europe at the request of the Stability Pact Task Force on Trafficking in Human Beings. The report takes a holistic look at trafficking in South Eastern Europe.

The report provides an executive summary of each country or entity affected. There are statistics regarding identified and assisted victims, profiles of trafficking victims, and an overview of the assistance framework. Since the precise dimensions of trafficking are little understood, the report strives to develop a picture of national trafficking and delves into the complexities of regional trafficking. The overarching objective of the project is to better understand the trafficking phenomenon and to contribute to programs and policies for counter trafficking actors working in prevention, protection and prosecution.

The report explains that trafficking victimizes vulnerable women, men and children. Some of the contributing factors include age, economic background, family relations, education, working situation, ethnicity, disabilities and living situation. While traditionally trafficking has occurred as a device for sexual exploitation, the report indicates that it also occurs for purposes of delinquency, labor, begging, adoption or a combination of purposes. This new comprehensive look at trafficking recognizes a need for prevention and protection that is specifically geared toward the various manifestations of the problem. Eighty-nine percent of victims assisted in 2004 were from the main countries or entities of origin including Albania, Romania, Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria and the province of Kosovo, Serbia, and Montenegro.  The new 2005 report suggests victims from Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro are increasing and that internal trafficking is also on the rise.

While the report notes some positive developments in victim assistance and protection, it also notes some gaps. The report is a call for increased inter-governmental cooperation to help understand and counteract the intricacies of trafficking.

Compiled From:
Second Annual Report on Victims of Trafficking in South Eastern Europe, Rebecca Surtees, Regional Clearing Point, International Organization for Migration, 2005
Human Trafficking Reaching Alarming Proportions in South-eastern Europe with New Trends Emerging, News Release No. 884, September 16, 2005

 

 

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