Within grant awarded by EU/CoE action "Strengthening Anti-Trafficking Action in Serbia" to NGO ASTRA, an updated Handbook for Lawyers has been launched, providing essential tools and expertise to strengthen legal support for human trafficking victims in Serbia.

Based on ASTRA's 25 years of experience in supporting victims, advocating in courts, monitoring trials, and analysing judgments, the handbook is designed to strengthen lawyers’ ability to represent trafficking victims effectively and by using sensitive approach to prevent secondary victimisation.

The handbook offers an overview of the phenomenon of human trafficking, explaining key definitions, risks, and statistics. It outlines the rights of victims during criminal proceedings and beyond, drawing on both international and national laws. It also addresses the health and psychological effects of trafficking, the unique challenges of working with child victims, and the support mechanisms available in Serbia.

Each chapter combines legal theory with practical examples from Serbian and international court cases, including decisions from the European Court of Human Rights. Tips and notes throughout the text provide additional guidance for lawyers seeking to specialise in this area or refine their approach to handling such cases.

 Handbook is available in Serbian and English.

This initiative was supported by the action "Strengthening Anti-Trafficking Action in Serbia" which is part of the European Union and the Council of Europe joint programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.