The National Mechanism for Cooperation to Combat Human Trafficking will be launched in the Chernihiv Region

A project to implement the National Mechanism for Interaction of Entities Countering Human Trafficking is being launched in Chernihiv Oblast. This was announced at a press conference on October 17, 2014, on the eve of the European Day of Combating Human Trafficking, by Nataliya Piddubna, Program Manager of the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights.

Oksana Serdyuk, Director of the Department of Family, Youth and Sports of the Chernihiv Oblast State Administration, said that there are a number of Cabinet resolutions regulating the interaction of bodies dealing with these issues. It is the department headed by O. Serdyuk that is the subdivision of the Oblast State Administration responsible for conducting the procedure for establishing the status of a person who has suffered from human trafficking. Since 2013, 9 people in the Chernihiv region have already received the status of victims of human trafficking. Several more applications are under consideration. According to these indicators, the Chernihiv region is a leader in Ukraine. “We are already being helped by public organizations in the region. Thanks to their work, residents of the region have the opportunity to receive information on combating the problem of modern slavery,” the official emphasized.

As noted by Yulia Vel’ko, a specialist at the Chernihiv Regional Center for Social Services for Families, Children, and Youth, victims of human trafficking can already receive a range of social services from state institutions. Moreover, such assistance is needed not only by the victims themselves, but also by their family members. But such activities in cooperation with international and public organizations will be even more effective.

Natalia Piddubna noted: “On October 18, Europe celebrates the Day of Combating Human Trafficking. A project to implement cooperation between all entities implementing measures to combat human trafficking in the region has been launched in the Chernihiv region. The project will allow strengthening the capacity of government bodies, law enforcement officers, and public organizations to identify victims and protect their rights.”

In-depth training of specialists working with victims will continue in the Chernihiv region. The public’s attention will also be drawn to the problem of human trafficking. Multidisciplinary groups that will coordinate such work. Another component will be the direct detection, identification and provision of assistance to victims of modern slavery.

Tetyana Symonenko, senior operational officer of the department for combating crimes related to human trafficking, UMVSU in Chernihiv region, said that in 9 months of 2014, 10 crimes were documented in the region (in Ukraine in general – 89 cases) under Article 149 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (“Human trafficking or other illegal agreement for the transfer of a person”), of which 6 cases were related to sexual exploitation, 4 – labor exploitation. 15 people have already been served with a notice of suspicion. In terms of crime detection indicators in this area, Chernihiv law enforcement officers have been among the best in Ukraine for several years.

At the same time, due to the border location of the region, low income levels, unemployment and legal ignorance, residents of Chernihiv region continue to seek a better fate and earnings abroad. Therefore, they often fall into the hands of recruiters and become victims of labor and sexual exploitation, in most cases in the Russian Federation.

But at the same time, many victims, for ethical reasons, do not dare to declare their problems or still do not know that they can apply for assistance from the state and receive the status of a victim of human trafficking, because they do not turn anywhere after they have suffered from labor or sexual exploitation, have been involved in forced begging or criminal activity.

You can suffer from modern slavery not only abroad. Unfortunately, internal human trafficking is also actively ongoing, in addition, there are cases of exploitation of foreign citizens in Ukraine.

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Ukraine remains a country of supply, transit and is gradually becoming a country of destination for trafficking in human beings. According to estimates of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Office in Ukraine, since 1991, more than 120 thousand Ukrainians have suffered from various forms of modern slavery. New trends in this threatening phenomenon include an increase in the scale of trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labor exploitation, an increase in the number of male victims, the expansion of types of trafficking in human beings through forced begging and other forms, and an increase in cases of exploitation of Ukrainians and foreigners on the territory of Ukraine itself.

The European Union and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are supporting Ukraine in creating a comprehensive and modern system of assistance to victims of trafficking in human beings that would meet the best European standards. The activity contributes to the implementation of the National Mechanism for Assistance to Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings in the regions of Ukraine, which involves combining the efforts of state and non-governmental structures to identify victims, provide them with the necessary assistance, protect their rights and guarantee access to justice.

The project “Implementation of a mechanism for interaction between entities implementing measures to combat human trafficking in the Chernihiv region” is being implemented by the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights with the assistance of the European Union and thanks to the generous support of the American people through a project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).