Prevention of Trafficking in Human Beings in the Balkans through Educational Activities and Capacity-building of Schools

Project Duration: 2005 - 2006

Donors: Government of the Netherlands

The overall objective of this 18-month project (2005/2006), funded by the Netherlands with total budget of EUR 1,015,878 (Serbia mission EUR 131,075), implemented by the IOM was to prevent trafficking in human beings in the Balkans through capacity-building and educational activities, awareness-raising about the risks and consequences of trafficking among children in schools, as well as non-attendees (mainly Roma children), thereby reducing their vulnerability to trafficking. The project:

  • Increased the overall involvement of Ministries of Education in the region as per their respective national anti-trafficking plans and strategies;
  • Established a coordination mechanism between education officials in the Balkans;
  • Enabled a direct and frank comparison and exchange of practices;
  • Built capacity of schools/Roma NGOs through training of teachers/Roma educators/parents;
  • Generated a shared body of educational tools;
  • Consolidated successful models of prevention of trafficking to schools in the region.

The key results in Serbia included the following: Focal points appointed in the Ministry of Education in Belgrade and in Kragujevac (pilot area), as well as in a Kragujevac based Roma NGO; capacity built through training sessions of 20 teachers from 10 schools, three Pedagogical Advisers from the local Ministry of Education in Kragujevac and two educators from Roma NGO; awareness-raising leaflets in both Serbian and Roma language, STOP TRAFFICKING! bracelets, DVD documentary movies provided; TV and DVD sets, computers, digital cameras procured for participating schools and NGO; 4,084 students from 11 to 15 years of age involved as well as 130 Roma children and youth – non-attendees and 50 parents of Roma children involved; National Training Manual for Teachers on How to Teach Pupils About the Human Trafficking Phenomenon and Other Related Issues was published and disseminated by the Ministry of Education, in addition to the regional manual “Best Practices for Designing Trafficking Prevention Programmes in Schools”; post-programme evaluation among participating schools and NGOs in each country, involved 2,500 children (655 in Serbia)-the statistical results and qualitative analysis were also used to formulate recommendations for the future and were included in the Best Practices Manual.

Project Status: Completed