On 28 and 29 October 2026, an Austrian delegation visited two specialised protection facilities for victims of human trafficking in the Netherlands, run by NGOs Fier and Sterk Huis. The delegation also met with CoMensha, the national co-ordination centre against human trafficking in the Netherlands.
The visit was organised as part of the joint project Improving the Support Services for Child Victims of Trafficking in Austria, which supports Austria in its efforts to strengthen the identification, assistance and protection of child victims of trafficking. It is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe through the Technical Support Instrument and implemented by the Council of Europe in co-operation with the European Commission. A key objective of the project is to finalise the concept for a nationwide protection facility for child victims of trafficking in Austria. The study visit aimed to build understanding of how specialised facilities operate in practice and how victim referral and co-ordination are organised, drawing on the experience of the Netherlands.
Over the two days, the delegation gained practical knowledge of how specialised protection centres operate, which will contribute directly to the development of the protection centre for child victims of trafficking in Austria.
The delegation included members of the Austrian Working Group against Child Trafficking, representatives of the Federal Chancellery, the City of Vienna Child and Youth Welfare Service and specialised NGOs.
"I believe we in Austria can relate to and feel inspired by the motto of Fier: Protection, Treatment and a Future. This is exactly what we aim for with the establishment of the protection centre in Austria," said Paulino Menendez, Social Worker, City of Vienna Child and Youth Welfare Service
"This visit was extremely valuable and provided important insights into the practical steps and challenges involved in establishing sustainable support structures and a shelter that could ensure protection, safety and assistance for children in Austria," added Andreas Kresbach, Head of the Children's Rights Department, and Barbara Reintjes-Wagner, Deputy Head of the Children's Rights Department, Austrian Federal Chancellery.
