La Strada International has been accepted as a member of the Advisory Group (AG) of the Vulnerability Experts Network (VEN) coordinated by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA). The Advisory Group now comprises 28 members, bringing together representatives from civil society organisations, international organisations, academia and national authorities with expertise on vulnerability in the asylum context.
The VEN is an EU-level knowledge and cooperation platform that aims to strengthen the identification and protection of applicants for international protection who are in situations of vulnerability. It supports the exchange of expertise, good practices and research on how vulnerability is understood and addressed in asylum procedures and reception systems across EU Member States. The network contributes to the development of guidance, training materials and practical tools to ensure that asylum systems respond effectively to diverse needs, including those linked to trauma, gender-based violence, exploitation and other forms of harm.
Through its participation in the Advisory Group, La Strada International will contribute its long-standing expertise on human trafficking, labour exploitation and access to rights. This engagement provides an important opportunity to ensure that the specific risks and protection needs of trafficked persons and individuals at risk of exploitation are better reflected in EU-level guidance and practice. It also strengthens cooperation between anti-trafficking actors and the asylum field, promoting more coordinated and trauma-informed responses to vulnerability across Europe.