ASTRA’s Director, Marija Anđelković, presented the paper “Victims of Labour Exploitation: Challenges and Perspectives” today at the 15th Annual Conference of the Victimology Society of Serbia, held on 20–21 November in Belgrade.
Speaking within the session Gender, Victimisation and Human Rights, Marija addressed current trends in labour exploitation in Serbia, with a particular focus on foreign workers, the challenges in identifying victims, and the institutional gaps that hinder access to rights and protection.
Drawing on ASTRA’s long-standing experience in direct victim assistance, the SOS hotline, and policy analysis, she highlighted key findings: a dramatic increase in the number of foreign workers, frequent misuse of work visas, document retention, debt bondage, inhumane working and living conditions, and the growing use of digital technologies for recruitment and control of victims.
Special emphasis was placed on the gender perspective, as migrant women are particularly vulnerable to labour and mixed (labour and sexual) exploitation, while men are most often exploited in construction, logistics, and agriculture.
Marija also presented recommendations for strengthening systemic responses — reforms of visa and labour regulations, mandatory human rights due diligence for employers within supply chains, proactive monitoring of recruitment agencies, accessible support services, guaranteed access to interpreters, enhanced digital safety measures, and the use of strategic litigation.
ASTRA remains committed to advocating for systemic change, greater visibility of victims, and stronger cross-sector cooperation in combating labour exploitation.