COMP.ACT is an initiative by La Strada International, Anti-Slavery International and their partners to improve access to justice and guarantee compensation for trafficked persons. COMP.ACT is carried forward by partners in 13 European countries. It is a European coalition made up of NGOs that offer direct assistance to trafficked persons, the legal community, labour unions, migrant rights organisations and academics. The project enjoys the institutional support of the OSCE Special Representative and Coordinator for Trafficking in Human Beings, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, and the Council of Europe. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland sent this video message for the launch of the project:
From December 2009 to December 2012, the COMP.ACT project worked to bring about systematic and practical changes to ensure that trafficked persons receive compensation for their suffering and unpaid labour. Partners in 13 countries conducted research on the existing possibilities and the identification of obstacles in systems and procedures that prevent those trafficked from accessing compensation. The partners formed national coalitions on compensation, and presented recommendations to ensure access to justice for trafficked persons. Several partners have engaged with lawyers to support their clients in compensation claims and with law firms to inform the legal community on the right to compensation. COMP.ACT partners have supported over 50 trafficked persons in claiming compensation, with the highest amount granted being € 54 000.
Internationally, the COMP.ACT awareness-raising campaign contributed to the inclusion of compensation in the anti-trafficking agenda of intergovernmental organisations.