About the Project

The project supports Austria in its efforts to implement reforms and improve the system for identification, assistance and protection of child victims of trafficking in human beings. As part of the project, Austria will finalise the concept for setting up a nationwide protection facility for child victims of trafficking and revise the Guidelines on identifying and referring potential victims of child trafficking. The Council of Europe will provide technical support to the Austrian authorities, including guidance on international standards and good practices, expertise related to institutional, structural and administrative reforms for the development of multidisciplinary interventions and integrated child protection systems, as well as tools for strengthening the capacity of relevant professionals.

 Funding: The project is co-funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument and  the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the European Commission.

 Duration of the project: 1 January 2025 – 31 December 2026

What do we expect to achieve?

The Project is expected to achieve key results in supporting the Austrian authorities in its efforts to implement reforms in identification, assistance and rehabilitation of child victims of trafficking in Austria by using a multidisciplinary approach to:

• The setting up of a nationwide protection facility for child victims of trafficking;
• Strengthened capacities of national and Länder authorities to identify, protect and rehabilitate child victims of trafficking;.
• The development of tools and training materials for relevant professionals.

Who are the project beneficiaries?

The Department for Family Law Policies and Children’s Rights, within the Directorate General Family and Youth of the Austrian Federal Chancellery is the lead institution for the project on behalf of the Austrian authorities.

Other stakeholders will include:

• The Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior;
• Child and Youth Welfare Services;
• Victim protection facilities;
• Other members of the Task Force on Combating Human Trafficking and its permanent Working Group on Combating Child Trafficking;
• Civil society organisations.

How does the project work?

The project is implemented by the Council of Europe’s Anti-Trafficking Division in close cooperation with the European Commission and the Department for Family Law Policies and Children’s Rights within the Directorate General Family and Youth of the Austrian Federal Chancellery (Abteilung für Familienrechtspolitik und Kinderrechte, Sektion Familie und Jugend, Bundeskanzleramt).. The development of all project deliverables is led by the Council of Europe in close collaboration with national experts and stakeholders.