UNODC initiates a new project on addressing trafficking in persons in South Eastern Europe

October/November 2021, North Macedonia, Serbia: UNODC has completed the formation of the new team in the region who will support the UNODC efforts in the area of criminal justice response on countering trafficking in persons in South Eastern Europe. Accordingly, two National Project Officers and a Project Assistant have now joined UNODC in North Macedonia and Serbia and will also be covering UNODC's cooperation on this topic with Albania and Montenegro.

More specifically, the project team will support the implementation of the new project "UN.Locking Impunity of Traffickers and Supporting Justice for Victims of Trafficking in Persons in Southeastern Europe" (2021-2024). The project is in line with UNODC's overall objectives set out in the UNODC Regional Programme for South Eastern Europe, which aim to reduce transnational organized crime and related threats, enhance security and promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The project aims to accurately identify the gaps and weaknesses in the response to trafficking in persons at the national and regional levels through partnership and continuous interaction with the government, the judiciary, civil society, academia, regional/international organizations and other relevant expert practitioners, and to develop and provide sustainable and targeted capacity building support to relevant stakeholders.

Within the project, UNODC will conduct national reviews and analysis of recent trafficking cases to identify factors and vulnerabilities that contributed to inadequate investigation, prosecution and adjudication of cases. Based on findings, UNODC will develop thematic recommendations and training plans to foster victim-centered and trauma-informed investigations and prosecutions in each country. In addition, UNODC will support the addressed countries with multidisciplinary national and regional trainings and workshops for investigators, prosecutors and other stakeholders, and will develop and adopt a regional mentoring plan with Belgium and France as mentor countries.

The project is implemented by the UNODC Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section (HTMSS) in cooperation with the UNODC Regional Programme for South Eastern Europe and with the financial support of the U.S. Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/ TIP).