A press conference that marked the European Anti-trafficking Day was organised at the Youth Center, Grbavica in Sarajevo, on October 16.

As every year, the main organiser was the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), i.e. the State Co-ordinator, while the event was supported by few international and local organisations operating in this field in BiH.

Through the joint celebration of the European Day against Trafficking in Human Beings and supporting the efforts of the Ministry of Security of BiH and the State Co-ordinator in counteracting this phenomenon, the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe "Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022", the Lara Foundation / RING Network, the International Organisation for Migration IOM and the International Solidarity Forum-EMMAUS, through a project funded by the Agency for International development of the United States Government USAID BiH, gathered and talked about the current challenges and risks of human trafficking that bring mass migration through Bosnia and Herzegovina.

These challenges have become more complex with the emergence of the COVID-19 virus pandemic and have set new priorities in preventing and combating trafficking. Therefore, this year, this event was used to send a stronger message that human trafficking is a violation of basic human rights and that only through a joint action of all relevant actors in the process - institutions, national and international NGOs and bodies, we can effectively counter this phenomenon.

Head of the Council of Europe Office in Sarajevo, Bojana Urumova, noted that this year, we are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights and the 15th anniversary of the opening for signature of the Anti-trafficking Convention and stressed out that “these anniversaries should remind us that our efforts must continue towards the effective protection of human rights and especially of the rights of the most vulnerable.” She also added that within Council of Europe, “the joint European Union/Council of Europe action on „Preventing and combating trafficking in human beings in Bosnia and Herzegovina“ works closely with competent authorities and civil society organisations to improve the national responses to this modern form of slavery, especially as regards the processes of identification of and assistance to victims of trafficking.“

Beside Ms Urumova, speakers who addressed participants included Samir Rizvo, State Co-ordinator for trafficking in human beings and illegal migration, representatives of the Ministry of internal Affairs of Republika Srpska and Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Tuzla Canton Government, Dragan Grmuša and Mehmedalija Fišeković, Head of the USAID Mission in BiH, Nancy J. Eslick, Head of the Rule of Law Department of EUSR, Margriet Prins, Head of the Mission of the IOM, Peter Van der Auweraet, Head of the Office of the International Forum of Solidarity – EMMAUS, Amela Efendić, and director of the Foundation “Lara”/RING Network, Radmila Žigić.