BELGRADE and ONLINE 20-21 SEPTEMBER 2022

The conference is organised in the framework of the joint European Union - Council of Europe programme Horizontal Facility (HF) for the Western Balkans and Turkey. It is intended to contribute to the Council of Europe’s efforts to strengthen action against trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation.

Building on the work by the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human beings (GRETA) and the lessons learnt from the anti-trafficking projects implemented under the HF Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia, the conference aims at raising awareness and increasing the understanding of the scope and nature of labour trafficking in the region and beyond, the challenges and strategies for combating it.

 Press release 

  Conclusions

 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

This event will provide a forum for:

  • Presentation of the work conducted by the Council of Europe and other international organisations on combating human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation;
  • Testimonies of survivors of trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation;
  • Debate on challenges and strategies for overcoming them, including examples of promising practices and practical solutions, with a particular focus on:
    • Strengthening the role of labour market actors and the private sector;
    • Overcoming challenges of victims’ access to justice and effective remedies.
  • Presentation and discussion of three studies on labour trafficking in Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia. 
SERBAZ CAse

Mr Seudin ZOLETIC and Mr Marko TAMINDZIJA, applicants in the case Zoletic and Others v. Azerbaijan (application No. 20116/12)“ before the European Court of Human Rights will give their testimony as former victims of labour trafficking. The "SerBaz case" concerns 33 Bosnia and Herzegovina nationals who were recruited in 2009 and taken to work in Azerbaijan as temporary foreign construction workers by representatives of the company Serbaz Design and Construction LLC.

benefits

Follow a risk assessment approach to addressing labour trafficking and exchange on steps needed to develop comprehensive prevention and protection strategies

Learn from concrete cases of labour trafficking and survivors’ perspectives

Explore the ground for future co-operation activities aimed at overcoming the challenges and strengthening prevention

 PARTICIPANTS

The event will bring together participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia (representatives of anti-trafficking bodies, law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, labour inspectorates, NGOs, survivors of trafficking, trade unions, businesses, researchers and the media), as well as representatives of the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), the European Court of Human Rights, the European Union (EU), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and experts from other countries.

 STUDIES ON LABOUR TRAFFICKING - RISK FACTORS, TRENDS AND CHALLENGES