Education advisors participated in a 3-day online training on preventing and recognising child trafficking and exploitation, offering knowledge on risk factors, vulnerability of children and indicators of human trafficking. The training was organised by the action “Preventing and combating trafficking in human beings in Serbia” in co-operation with NGO Astra.

Inherent elements to child trafficking, trends in Serbia, gender dimension of the phenomenon, different forms of child exploitation, the role of the education system in the area, and victim referral mechanism were presented by experts and further demonstrated through case studies and movies. Special focus was given to the need of a proactive detection and referral of children potential victims by the educational advisors.

Melita Randjelovic, secondary high school pedagogist and ASTRA’s associate, shared her view that “although the education curriculum is very extensive on different important issues, the school, local community, civil society organisations have great capacity to keep drawing the attention on child trafficking and exploitation and to increase awareness and knowledge on this topic. Teachers, parents and other people should know who to contact and where to seek for support”.

The 20 participants were joined by the National Anti-trafficking Co-ordinator, representatives of the Centre for Human Trafficking Victims’ Protection and civil society organisations, who presented the existing strategic and operative anti-trafficking frameworks, as well as the victim referral mechanism and available assistance services for victims.

Participants praised the organisation and quality of information and materials provided and evaluated the training as useful and important.

The action “Preventing and combating trafficking in human beings in Serbia” is implemented under the joint European Union/Council of Europe programme „Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019 – 2022”.