A high-level conference held in Warsaw on 18 September 2025 brought together over a hundred policymakers, experts and civil society representatives to take stock of progress in combating human trafficking and call for renewed action.
Hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Administration of Poland, the event was co-organised with the Council of Europe Anti-Trafficking Division, Poland’s La Strada Foundation against Trafficking in Human Beings and Slavery, and La Strada International. It marked the 20th anniversary of the opening for signature of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, which took place on 16 May 2005 in Warsaw, as well as the 30th anniversary of La Strada International, a European NGO platform against trafficking in human beings which brings together 33 members from 24 European countries.
In his opening statement, Czesław Mroczek, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Interior and Administration of Poland, noted: “The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and tensions on the border with Belarus create new threats related to human trafficking. The large number of refugees and migrants increases the risk of their exploitation by criminal groups.”
“The adoption of the Convention 20 years ago bore witness to unprecedented pan-European unity. Today, in these difficult times of changing geopolitical landscape and growing challenges to multilateralism and human rights, it is even more important to make sure that the provisions that the Council of Europe member states agreed upon are complied with in practice,” stated Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, noted: Drawing on the monitoring work of GRETA, Ms Nestorova highlighted the rise in trafficking for labour exploitation and the growing number of child victims, as well as low conviction rates and the need for governments to reinvest in specialised police and prosecution units.
The conference examined how the trafficking landscape has evolved over three decades and how Europe must respond to new threats. It featured presentations by Siobhán Mullally, UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children, Diane Schmitt, EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, Jean-Benoit Manhes, Deputy Co-Ordinator of the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Human Trafficking, Agata Furgała, Director of the Department for Public Order (Ministry of the Interior and Administration) and Poland’s Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, Suzanne Hoff, International Coordinator of La Strada International, and Irena Dawid-Olczyk, President of La Strada Poland.
