ASTRA – Action Against Human Trafficking participated in the 25th Conference of the Alliance Against Trafficking in Persons, organized by the OSCE. The overarching theme of this conference was “Protecting Childhood, Shaping the Future: A Call to End Child Trafficking.” ASTRA’s director, Marija Andjelkovic, presented the European Number for Missing Children 116 000 in Serbia and shared insights from 20 years of experience operating the helpline during a dedicated panel titled “Missing Children and Human Trafficking.”
As a reminder, in October last year, ASTRA launched Serbia’s first national campaign about this number, titled “Let’s All Be Counted.” This is a free SOS helpline available 24/7, aimed at missing children, children at risk, and their parents or guardians.
Since ASTRA has been actively combating human trafficking for more than twenty years, providing direct support to victims while advocating for policy changes, Marija Andjelkovic emphasized that in its 25 years of existence, the organization has supported over 660 victims of human trafficking, 76% of whom were Serbian citizens.
“Almost 40% of the victims were children who had been subjected to sexual and/or labor exploitation, forced criminal activities, and begging – which, as we heard from UNODC at the conference opening, is a global trend,” said Andjelkovic.
She also stated that ASTRA’s SOS helpline has received more than 66,000 calls, some of which concerned missing persons. The organization has dealt with such cases “only when there was suspicion of a connection to human trafficking.”
“For this reason, in 2012, we joined the MCE family, with significant technical support from ‘The Smile of the Child’ organization from Greece. In Serbia, ASTRA operates the 116 000 helpline for missing children. To date, nearly 5,500 calls have been received, and the organization has provided support for 158 missing children and their families,” Andjelkovic added.
She stressed that these numbers highlight “the seriousness of the issue,” as well as the need to continue efforts in combating human trafficking and child disappearances.
Additionally, she pointed out that the majority of missing child cases—49%—involve children who have run away from home or care institutions for various reasons.
“Of the 76 cases reported to 116 000, as many as 20 children who ran away from home or institutions were later identified as victims of human trafficking. It is well known that the passage of time is inversely proportional to the success of finding a missing child. It is absolutely necessary to recognize the similarities and connections between missing children and human trafficking at all levels. Missing children are not just more vulnerable to trafficking – their disappearance can also be a precondition for recruitment into human trafficking,” she explained.
Alongside Marija Andjelkovic, the panel included honorary ambassador and head of international cooperation at The Smile of the Child, Mark Van den Rick, and the Secretary General of Missing Children Europe, Aagje Ieven.
Mark Van den Rick confirmed the link between missing children and human trafficking, stating that children on the run are at a higher risk of falling into trafficking networks.
He emphasized that the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption is not being sufficiently respected. This international agreement regulates the adoption process between different countries to ensure that intercountry adoptions are conducted in the child’s best interest, prevent child trafficking, and facilitate cooperation between signatory states.
“That’s why we provide assistance to entire families living in poverty to prevent child disappearances and potential human trafficking,” said Mark Van den Rick.
The Secretary General of Missing Children Europe, Aagje Ieven, highlighted that in 2022, 15% of the children reported missing in the European Union were later identified as victims of child trafficking, and 75% of those victims were girls.
She noted a rise in child trafficking through forced marriages and emphasized the importance of addressing the experiences of migrant children at national borders, which, she stated, are often negative.
“There is also an increasing number of children missing from care institutions who are most frequently recruited into human trafficking. These children often fail to recognize the signs of trafficking risk,” said Aagje Ieven.
She reminded the audience that “poverty never comes alone” and has multiple consequences.