Back Improved psychological forensic care strengthens support for human trafficking victims in North Macedonia

Skopje 18 March 2026
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Improved psychological forensic care strengthens support for human trafficking victims in North Macedonia

Psychologists, social workers, and police officers from across North Macedonia strengthened their capacity to provide trauma-informed care to victims of human trafficking, including children, through a specialised capacity building on psychological forensic and counselling techniques.

Victims of human trafficking often experience irrational thoughts, urges to harm themselves, memory difficulties, hypervigilance and physical symptoms relating to the trauma they had experienced. The capacity building aimed to equip 22 anti-trafficking professionals with practical skills to deliver effective counselling while supporting collection of credible evidence for fair judicial proceedings.

Participants also learned from Croatian experience about best practices in psychological forensics.

The greatest support for the child victim comes from the continuous education and expertise of professionals working through a systematic, multidisciplinary, and intersectoral approach”, said Ana Raguz Sutalo, PhD, Clinical psychologist from Croatia. “The system's key response is to provide what children require by effectively addressing their needs and rights”, she reiterated.

The participants explored the challenges and responsibilities of dealing with human trafficking victims in a trauma-informed approach, which leads to effective psychological counselling. They also learnt about the treatments and psychological services the victims receive in the State centre for victims of human trafficking. Victim-oriented approach in helping victims to heal from the traumatic experience and effectively reintegrate in the society was the central team of the training.

This initiative was organised within action “Strengthening anti - trafficking action in North Macedonia, within the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Policy, Demography and Youth of North Macedonia.

Horizontal Facility III

Zajednički program Evropske unije i Savjeta Evrope „Horizontal Facility za Zapadni Balkan i Tursku“ (Horizontal Facility III) je inicijativa za saradnju, koja traje od 2023. do 2026. godine. U okviru programa aktivnosti će se sprovoditi u u Albaniji, Bosni i Hercegovini, na Kosovu*, u Crnoj Gori, Sjevernoj Makedoniji, Srbiji i Turskoj. Pod okriljem programa se pruža podrška korisnicima u ispunjavanju reformskih agendi u oblastima ljudskih prava, vladavine prava i demokratije i usklađivanju sa evropskim standardima, što je prioritet u procesu proširenja EU.

Vrijednost ovog programa je 41 milion eura (85% finansira Evropska unija, 15% Savjet Evrope).

*Ovaj naziv je bez prejudiciranja statusa, i u skladu je sa Rezolucijom Savjeta bezbjednosti Ujedinjenih nacija 1244 i mišljenjem Međunarodnog suda pravde o Deklaraciji o nezavisnosti Kosova.