Key recommendations on enhanced prevention of various forms of child trafficking endorsed by anti-trafficking stakeholders in North Macedonia

THE Subgroup on child trafficking of the National Anti-Trafficking Commission of North Macedonia gathered in Skopje to discuss concrete ways to prevent child trafficking for labor exploitation, begging and forced marriages. The objective of the Conference, supported by the European Union and the Council of Europe, was twofold: to propose concrete and realistic measures to prevent child trafficking and to encourage joint preventive action by local institutions, community organizations civil society and international actors. in this regard.

Twenty-four participants, including representatives of the National Commission to Combat Human Trafficking, its subgroup on the prevention of child trafficking, police officers, social workers, labor inspectors, representatives of international and civil society organizations had the opportunity to discuss and endorse the results and recommendations of the research carried out on the prevention of child trafficking for the purposes of labor exploitation, begging and forced marriage . The research was action-driven “Strengthening the fight against trafficking in North MacedoniaStrengthening the fight against trafficking in North Macedonia“.

During the event, participants were informed and discussed the main risk factors, trends and responses of the different anti-trafficking actors responsible for preventing the trafficking of children for the purposes of labor exploitation, begging and forced marriages. They participated in a practical workshop aimed at stimulating concerted action regarding the implementation of concrete preventive measures against child trafficking for the above types of exploitation.

“Although official statistics show only 1 child victim of labor exploitation, 3 of begging, 1 of double exploitation and 11 of forced marriage during the period 2019-2023, research indicates that the number of child victims of milking for these three types of exploitation should be higher. There is a need to better identify child victims, so that they can receive the assistance and support to which they are entitled.“, said Professor Verica Trajkovathe co-author of the above research.

The research recommends concrete measures at strategic, legislative and operational levels, such as ongoing multi-agency training, improved regulation of the criminal response to child trafficking and a deterrent criminal policy. Participants expressed their commitment to advancing multi-agency cooperation to prevent the trafficking of children for labor exploitation, begging and forced marriages.

The Conference was organized by the action “Strengthening the fight against trafficking in North MacedoniaStrengthening the fight against trafficking in North Macedonia“as part of the joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe”Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey» in cooperation with the child trafficking subgroup of the National Anti-Trafficking Commission of North Macedonia.