A recently published report by the UN Taskforce on Ukraine evaluates the vulnerability to human trafficking in the context of the war in Ukraine. The report features a case-study of Romania and Poland, as both countries were among the top 10 countries in the European Union to grant temporary protection to people who fled Ukraine as of November 2023. To assess the situation in the two countries, IOM has consulted different actors in the field, including LSI members Adpare (Romania) and La Strada Poland. The problems of refugees across the two countries were evaluated, and it was found that working without being paid the expected amount was amongst the most prevalent issues of Ukrainians in Poland and Romania. In the report different factors contributing to vulnerability are discusses and specific recommendations presented.
The authors highlight the need for safe pathways to protection and access to rights and services for Ukrainian refugees. Furthermore, they stress that more work is needed to better understand vulnerability to trafficking in persons, which will facilitate better targeting of interventions. To read the full list of recommendations, read the full report.