Improved access to free legal aid for victims of trafficking in human beings and enhanced co-operation between institutions were identified as important steps towards strengthening the protection of victims’ rights in Serbia during a discussion held on 25 March in Kragujevac. The round table brought together representatives of national and local institutions, the Kragujevac Bar Association, local self-governments free legal aid services and civil society organisations.

Participants highlighted practical challenges in the implementation of the Law on Free Legal Aid, particularly regarding the timely referral of victims to legal aid providers and the need for legal support to be delivered by lawyers with specialised knowledge in the field of human trafficking. The importance of continuous training and exchange of experience among professionals working on victim protection was also emphasised.

“The City of Kragujevac is continuously working on strengthening the capacities of all stakeholders in the support system, recognising the importance of institutional co-operation in this fight,” said Gordana Damnjanović, Assistant Mayor for health and social protection and human rights, stressing the importance of ensuring access to free legal aid for particularly vulnerable groups, including victims of human trafficking.

Referring to the broader reform context, Nenad Simić, National Anti-trafficking Co-ordinator , underlined the importance of a systemic approach and institutional co-operation: “The new draft law on combating human trafficking, whose adoption is expected soon, foresees a comprehensive approach through co-operation between state institutions and civil society, in line with international standards on victim protection.”

The discussion also explored ways to further improve awareness of victims’ rights and available support mechanisms, as well as the importance of co-ordinated action between institutions at local and national levels to ensure effective and timely protection.

The discussion in Kragujevac builds on a series of similar exchanges organised across Serbia, following previous meetings held in Niš in 2025 and Belgrade in 2024, aimed at identifying concrete solutions to improve access to legal assistance and free legal aid and strengthen the support system for victims of human trafficking.

These activities are implemented within the project Strengthening anti-trafficking action in Serbia, carried out in co-operation with the Ministry of the Interior within the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye, as part of broader efforts to ensure more effective protection of victims’ rights and their improved access to justice.