From September 17–19, 2025, La Strada International and La Strada Poland brought together European civil society anti-trafficking organizations and other key stakeholders in Warsaw.
The international gathering marked the 30th anniversary of the La Strada network, whose first projects were launched in 1995 in the Netherlands, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The event was jointly organized by La Strada International and La Strada Poland, with support from the Council of Europe and Poland’s Ministry of Interior and Administration. It also celebrated another milestone: 20 years since the adoption of the Council of Europe’s Warsaw Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, the first international treaty to place victim protection at the center of anti-trafficking policies. This three-day event was part of the regular activities of La Strada International’s NGO Platform.
On the first day, Platform members held a meeting where organizations from across Europe exchanged experiences and discussed shared priorities and strategic directions. The day also featured the first round of thematic workshops, including: Focal Points, National Referral Mechanisms (NRMs) and a possible European referral mechanism; addressing exploitation in the hospitality sector; and civil society responses to ICT-related human trafficking.
The second day was devoted to a high-level conference hosted at Poland’s Ministry of Interior and Administration, marking the 20th anniversary of the Warsaw Convention and examining the evolution of European and international anti-trafficking policies. More than one hundred policymakers, experts, and civil society representatives attended. The conference was held under the patronage of the Ministry, co-organized by the Council of Europe’s Anti-Trafficking Division, La Strada Poland, and La Strada International. It was officially opened by Czesław Mroczek, State Secretary of the Ministry of Interior and Administration of Poland. Among the speakers were representatives of the Council of Europe, the European Union, the United Nations, the OSCE, and members of La Strada International’s NGO Platform. Notable speakers included Ms. Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Council of Europe Anti-Trafficking Division; Jean-Benoît Manhes, Deputy Coordinator in the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings; Ms. Agata Furgała, Director of the Public Order Department at Poland’s Ministry of Interior and Administration and National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator; Ms. Siobhán Mullally, UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons; and Diane Schmitt, EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator.
On the third day, the second round of workshops took place, focusing on fieldwork, information sharing, and raising awareness among migrants (third-country nationals) about the risks of exploitation; psychological and therapeutic support for trafficking survivors; and access to justice through the right to compensation. At the compensation workshop, ASTRA’s Deputy Director, Tamara Vukasović, presented findings from a legal analysis of court practice in cases of human trafficking and related crimes in Serbia, North Macedonia, and Albania. The analysis was carried out within a regional project jointly implemented by ASTRA, VATRA, and Open Gate – La Strada Macedonia, with support from the SMART Balkans – Civil Society for Shared Society in the Western Balkans consortium, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway. In her presentation, Vukasović highlighted common challenges in practice and implementation, as well as some positive examples. Following her remarks, Marija Todorovska from Open Gate presented more detailed findings from North Macedonia. The workshop concluded with a discussion on the numerous obstacles survivors face, ranging from the lack of legal aid and lengthy procedures, to the inaccessibility of state compensation funds and difficulties in enforcing judgments.