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European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR)
News article11 May 2022Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations

Trafficking in human Beings: a Common Plan to address the risks for people fleeing the war in Ukraine

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Today, the Solidarity Platform has committed to follow-up and implement a Common Anti-Trafficking Plan to address the risks of trafficking in human beings and support potential victims among those fleeing the war in Ukraine. As of 6 May, over 5.4 million people have arrived in the European Union since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. The vast majority of the persons fleeing Ukraine are women and children. Over 13 000 unaccompanied and separated children have been registered in the EU so far. Data at EU level shows that women and children are particularly vulnerable to trafficking in human beings: 75% of all victims in the EU and 92% of the victims trafficked for sexual exploitation, are women and girls, while children represent nearly a quarter of the victims. The Plan has been developed under the lead of the EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator and with support of the EU Agencies and Member States. It aims at raising awareness, reinforcing the prevention against trafficking in human beings, enhancing the law enforcement and judicial response, as well as improving identification and support to victims. The Plan also addresses cooperation at global level and with non-EU countries, especially Moldova and Ukraine. It is based on the EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings, and it is a foreseen deliverable under the 10 Point Action Plan. It contains five objectives and recommendations to Member States: to strengthen awareness raising on the risks of trafficking in human beings and set up helplines; to reinforce prevention against trafficking in human beings; to enhance law enforcement and judicial response to trafficking in human beings; to improve early identification, support and protection of victims of trafficking in human beings, and to address risks of trafficking in human beings in non-EU countries, especially Ukraine and Moldova. The Solidarity Platform is the main EU coordination and operational mechanism set up immediately after the war in Ukraine started. It brings together representatives of EU countries, Schengen Associated Member States, EU Agencies, Ukrainian authorities, and partners such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UNHCR.