Half of potential human trafficking victims in 2020 were children

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - According to preliminary data from the Ministry of Security of BiH, Department for Combating Human Trafficking, a total of 70 potential human trafficking victims were identified in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2020.

Out of the total number of potential human trafficking victims, 35 were children in 2020.

Children are most often exploited for begging, and out of the total number of potential human trafficking victims, 38 cases of begging, 17 cases of sexual exploitation, and 15 cases of other forms of human trafficking were recorded.

"Human trafficking is a violation of fundamental human rights, and only through the joint action of all relevant actors in the process – institutions, domestic and international non-governmental organizations and bodies – can we effectively counter this phenomenon," said Samir Rizvo, State Coordinator for Combating Human Trafficking in BiH.

In order to improve the coordination of relevant institutions and organizations, World Vision BiH organized the first coordination meeting of the State Coordinator for Combating Human Trafficking and the coordinators of entities, cantons, and Brčko District.

The meeting is organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Office of the State Coordinator for Combating Human Trafficking and Illegal Migrations, within the project "Strengthening Local Capacities for Combating Human Trafficking in BiH", which World Vision BiH is implementing with the financial support of the United States Department of State.

"Preventing and prosecuting the exploitation of children is a moral and legal obligation for all of us. It is important that every individual, when they see a child exposed to one of the forms of exploitation such as begging, reacts and reports it to the competent authorities, and that the system then takes over the case," said Larisa Klepac, Director of the non-governmental organization World Vision BiH.

Aware of the need to strengthen the response system in cases of child exploitation, World Vision BiH has initiated the process of developing and adopting a Protocol for Combating Begging and Other Forms of Child Exploitation in order to strengthen the referral mechanism at the local level.

By the end of 2022, the adoption of the Protocol in 30 municipalities is planned.