The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to the largest movement of people in Europe since the Second World War. Organised criminal groups and individual profiteers are taking advantage of the turmoil to target vulnerable Ukrainians for sexual and labour exploitation.
To better understand which groups of people are particularly at risk and why, La Strada International in partnership with Freedom Fund undertook a rapid assessment of the current gaps in the counter-trafficking response.
La Strada’s research, conducted over the past two months, found that unaccompanied children, undocumented people and those who might not have access to the temporary protection offered in EU countries face the greatest danger. And the dangers will grow as the war continues, with more people becoming displaced within Ukraine, making access to services and livelihoods increasingly precarious, while millions of refugees will need to settle for longer periods in other European countries and start accessing the labour market.
While governments, international organisations, civil society, and community leaders have taken steps to protect people from trafficking, gaps remain, due to limited capacity to deliver. The reports highlights recommendations for all these actors to address these gaps.
Press release: https://freedomfund.org/press-release/ukraine-trafficking-risks/
Landing page: https://freedomfund.org/our-reports/preventing-trafficking-ukraine/
Full report: https://freedomfund.org/wp-content/uploads/UkraineAntiTraffickingReport_2022_05_10.pdf