The Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has warned of the danger that people fleeing armed conflict in Ukraine could become victims of human trafficking and exploitation, amid the fastest growing flow of refugees in Europe since World War II.
GRETA notes that already some three million people have been forced to leave Ukraine in less than three weeks, seeking asylum in neighboring countries and further across Europe. An estimated 90 percent of them are women and children. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe stressed the vulnerability of women and girls to sexual violence as they try to flee conflict, and pledged the support of member states in caring for refugees arriving from Ukraine.
Frontline civil society organizations and journalists have sounded the alarm about alleged human trafficking cases involving Ukrainian refugees. There are reports that traffickers are targeting parentless children fleeing Ukraine, and many are now missing after the hasty evacuation of orphanages and foster families. In some countries, specialized anti-trafficking NGOs distribute leaflets to refugees, warning them about the dangers of accepting transportation and housing from strangers, and informing them how to seek help and report suspicious cases to existing national helplines for trafficking victims.
Helga Geier, president of GRETA, notes "Government officials and civil society organizations in countries hosting Ukrainian refugees must be alerted to the risks of trafficking and exploitation. Urgent steps must be taken to increase coordination at border crossings and reception points, and to ensure that refugees are accurately registered and have access to the necessary documents, residence permits and basic services."
"People fleeing war are physically and psychologically weakened, unfamiliar with their new surroundings, and very vulnerable to becoming victims of criminals. Entities that receive refugees must ensure that they are informed of their rights in a language they understand and provide them with psychological and material support. Authorities should take measures to prevent fraudulent offers of transportation, housing and employment, and strengthen safety protocols for unaccompanied children by linking them to national child protection systems," she added.
GRETA has already noted in its second report on Ukraine, published in 2018, the heightened vulnerability to trafficking of millions of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have been forced from their homes since the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol in 2014 and the armed conflict in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The hardships already faced by these IDPs are exacerbated by the current military attack by the Russian Federation, which puts them at even greater risk of re-victimization.
GRETA recalls the obligations of the 48 member states of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings to prevent trafficking and to identify and protect victims of trafficking. These obligations continue to apply - and become even more relevant - in times of emergency, such as mass arrivals of refugees. The Convention recognizes the importance of States Parties ensuring that migration is lawful.
It also requires Parties to put in place adequate identification procedures to identify victims of trafficking, including among those seeking international protection, and to enable them to exercise a range of rights to assistance, protection and compensation. The GRETA Guidelines on the Right of Victims of Trafficking and Persons at Risk of Trafficking to International Protection are relevant in this regard.
GRETA continues to monitor the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings to ensure that States parties to the Convention fulfill their obligations to prevent and combat trafficking.