As an event that should somehow meaningfully wrap up a whole series of different ASTRA activities in 2022, on December 8, we organized a conference called HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING? Overview of the situation in the context of the 21st century. The findings of the latest research on human trafficking in Serbia were presented, as well as the most important results of a comparative analysis of responsibility in the supply chain and the principle of due diligence with a proposal for improving the legislative framework.
Between the panels, ASTRA also presented its latest mobile phone app for information and prevention against human trafficking for labour exploitation, SAFE at WORK.
In the opening remarks, about a hundred participants were greeted by Marija Anđelković, CEO of ASTRA; Nenad Simić, representative of the Office for the Coordination of Activities in the Fight against Human Trafficking, Ministry of Internal Affairs of the RS; and Ross Conroy, Political Officer of the US Embassy in Belgrade. On this occasion, Marija Anđelković introduced us to the goal of organizing a conference and the need to maintain a productive dialogue of all actors in the field of human trafficking, especially regarding new findings and trends. Nenad Simić reminded us of the previous successful cooperation and advances in the fight against human trafficking in the last twenty years. The representative of the US Embassy, Ross Conroy, welcomed the meeting and the efforts of both the CSOs and state sectors in that field but also reminded of the findings and recommendations of this year’s TIP report, in which Serbia recorded a setback.
After the opening remarks, those present had the opportunity to hear the personal stories of former victims of human trafficking (clients of ASTRA) in an impressive performance by professional actors. These shocking testimonies reminded everyone present of the horrors of the crime they are fighting and the responsibility that everyone involved in this fight has.
Within the first session, entitled HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN SERBIA: Overview of the situation in the context of the 21st century, the report‘s findings of the same name were presented. The report was made in cooperation with the SeConS Development Initiative Group and was discussed by Milica Stević, researcher, and Olja Vuković, director of SeConS.
This research aimed to improve the prevention of one of the most vulnerable social groups – victims and potential victims of human trafficking. The goal should be reached by creating a unique basis on complex forms of human trafficking, marking changes in the social context, and analyzing the level of recognition and perceptions of the risks of human trafficking among the general population in Serbia (especially among vulnerable groups).
On this occasion, Milica Stević informed the attendees of the main findings: ● Regarding the recognition of risks and different forms of human trafficking, the lowest average score occurs among the youngest age category – young people aged 18 to 25 – which increases their vulnerability and exposure to human traffickers. ● Every fifth respondent among the Roma population was not familiar with the risks of someone becoming a victim of human trafficking, and almost every third respondent was misled about working conditions (31.4%), as well as the amount of wages and/or the dynamics of wage payments at a certain job. ● Respondents from the general population were mostly faced with the problem of non-payment, delays, or extremely low wages when working in Serbia (30.3%); followed by very long working hours (28.8%), as well as non-compliance with the provisions of the contract or the Labor Law (24.9%). In the case of working abroad, the problem faced by the largest number of respondents is the absence of social and health care. ● It is alarming that a large number of women do not recognize the situation of forced domestic labour as human trafficking. This finding indicates that women are not sufficiently aware of the abuse of domestic work, and therefore, they are at a greater risk of being exploited in this way. The majority of this exploited category is made up of women (70.3%), and the largest number of these people had a problem with too long working hours.
After the presentation of the findings, a debate was opened among Aleksandra Ljubojević, director of the Center for the Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking, Slobodan Josimović, deputy senior public prosecutor of the VJT Novi Sad, and Biljana Slavković, a therapist at the Institute for Psychodrama and a long-time associate of ASTRA. The discussion was moderated by Jasmina Krunić, Coordinator for public policies and learning of ASTRA.
The panelists concluded that the observed trends are pretty consistent with the findings of the research. The representative of the Center for the Protection of Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings pointed out that the identification procedures had been improved, and the number of victims identified this year has risen (57 so far). Also, some of the identified victims are members of the migrant population. She also pointed out that what is particularly worrying is the high number of girls who are victims of sexual exploitation. Also, we heard from the panellists that prevention is the key and that we should eliminate stereotypes and prejudices towards the victims. It was also concluded that granting the status of a particularly sensitive witness is something that could be changed with little investment. It also pointed out the necessity of developing services for men and child victims, as well as the need to increase the number of therapists specializing in the treatment of early trauma in children. All the interlocutors present were very clear about the connection between high tolerance for violence in society and the problem of human trafficking.
The second session was entitled COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF GOOD PRACTICES WITH A PROPOSAL FOR IMPROVING THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR THE APPLICATION OF DUE DILIGENCE AND CORPORATIVE RESPONSIBILITY IN THE SUPPLIER CHAIN IN THE NATIONAL CONTEXT. Bearing in mind the current trends in the field of human trafficking – such as economic migration and migration caused by ongoing wars, the influx of foreign workers and the departure of local workers to work abroad, as well as the absence of positive legislation in Serbia in the area of responsibility in the supply chain and due diligence – the preparation of this analysis as a basis for subsequent advocacy actions proved inevitable.
Jelena Čanović Spasojević, researcher (Faculty of Law in Kragujevac) and Nenad Spasojević, researcher (Spasojević Law Office), introduced the findings of this analysis/research to those present. Jelena spoke about the findings of the research and presented legal solutions in this area from the EU, Germany, France, USA, and Australia – draft laws and existing legal solutions. Nenad spoke about the existing legal framework in Serbia and its potential for improvement in terms of introducing legal solutions for the areas of corporate responsibility and due diligence.
After their presentation, a discussion followed, moderated by Ana Petrović Jovanović, legal advisor of the OSCE Mission in Serbia. Participants of the debate were Nenad Spasojević, lawyer; Saša Torlaković, president of the Union of Construction Workers and Construction Material Industry; Bojana Tamindžija, representative of the Center for Emancipation Policies and national coordinator of the Clean Clothes Campaign, and Luka Đorđević, lawyer.
In addition to the fact that debate participants agreed that the regulation of this area at the EU level is encouraging – the common conclusion is best summed up in a comment by one of the participants in the discussion, Bojana Tamindzija: Thanks for the opportunity to discuss a crucial topic for us, the passing of laws on corporate responsibility, both at the level of individual EU member states and at the level of the entire EU, which is currently being debated in Brussels. So that the laws, both in their very definition and application, do not end up as another whitewashing for multinational corporations, we must press as hard as we can. No one expects that the mentioned legislation will overnight solve the monopolies of multinational corporations. Still, for a start, we can use it as a tool in the fight for labour rights along global supply chains and insist on mandatory transparency, precise monitoring mechanisms, clearly defined access to justice and the right to a living wage.
- The findings of both analyzes and this event are activities carried out as part of the two-year project ” Lifting Anti-trafficking Response – Beyond the Existing Framework” and with the support of the American Embassy in the Republic of Serbia (as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women Campaign). The event is also part of the HOW CLOSE YOU ARE TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING campaign, which is implemented as part of the project ” A space for place to fight human trafficking”, which is implemented with the support of the European Union and the Swedish foundation Kvinna till Kvinna.
- On this occasion, ASTRA would like to thank the donors and all the participants for their support, interest and active participation in the realization of this event.
Do not forget to download our new application SAFE at WORK and forward it to those friends, colleagues and all those who might find it useful.
As a little curiosity – the whole event was completed with an intervention in the same area of Hotel M where the conference was held. Our LABYRINTH of human trafficking shone again in a new guise as part of the accompanying conference program. Before that, at the end of September, it was set up for three days at Trg Republike to start the campaign HOW CLOSE ARE YOU(?).