Webstory_capacity-building_TIP CRSV

Human trafficking for sexual exploitation: strengthening prevention and developing survivor-centred responses

Human trafficking crimes are exacerbated by instability, displacement, and economic hardship resulting from conflict and war. Victims and survivors of human trafficking including victims and witnesses of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) face difficulties in accessing justice and reparations. The rights and dignity of victims and survivors, including their well-being and safety, should be at the forefront of all prevention efforts and responses to fight against impunity.

In Ukraine, significant progress to address trafficking in persons and CRSV have been made in recent years but many challenges remain. The Ukrainian government is working with UNODC to strengthen its action and develop a comprehensive approach that focuses on victims and cross-border cooperation (see our webstory), as well as effective regional partnerships and local strategies to prevent and combat trafficking and protect its victims.

The fight against human and CRSV crime in the regional context

On April 2024, a team from UNODC met with senior representatives of the regional Prosecutor's Offices in Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Odesa to discuss the situation and needs in the fight against trafficking in persons (TIP) in the regional context. The discussions focused on the measures that should be taken at the local level to improve the knowledge and capacity of criminal justice professionals, with a particular focus on victims of conflict-related sexual violence (see our webstory).

As a result, and within the existed framework of the UN Inter-Agency project 'UNited Action to Empower Survivors of CRSV', jointly implemented by UNODC, UNDP, IOM, UN Women, WHO, and UNFPA in Ukraine, the Office has designed a results-oriented capacity building cycle based on advanced investigative risk mapping and risk mitigation strategies for regional human trafficking prosecutors and investigators. This includes the training, outreach mentoring and coaching of 50 practitioners across Ukraine, particularly in areas close to the front line (Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Luhansk, Donetsk regions), and in locations hosting large numbers of internally displaced persons (Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr).

"Conflicts create new risks of trafficking and exacerbate existing risks. UNODC in Ukraine is proud to work with the authorities to promote cross-border and regional cooperation, increase the capacity of justice practitioners who combat trafficking in persons and conflict-related sexual violence, and implement effective investigation and prosecution measures to prevent and mitigate the current and emerging threats of trafficking in persons." (Harsheth Virk, Head of Office - UNODC in Ukraine)

"I am grateful for the trust and collaboration that UNODC has with the Ukrainian authorities to prevent and mitigate the current and emerging threats of trafficking in persons and conflict-related sexual violence. We are doing this in various ways – by promoting cross-border and regional cooperation, increasing technical capacities, developing research and analysis, and developing standard operating procedures and other tools to combat these heinous crimes. I commend the determination and professionalism of the Ukrainian law enforcement and criminal justice practitioners who are working hard to ensure effective victim-centred investigations and prosecutions. Together, we are committed to the prevention and prosecution of this crime and to the protection of victims." (Harsheth Virk, Head of Office - UNODC in Ukraine)

Building the capacity of regional prosecutors and investigators to support the prosecution of TIP cases

The capacity-building cycle (June and July 2024) targeted 50 specialized regional prosecutors on TIP and regional investigators of the National Police of Ukraine and operatives of the Migration Police of Ukraine*. The aim was to improve the treatment of victims of trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation in criminal justice proceedings under the Article 149 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Trafficking in Persons), through two main strands:

raise awareness of the irrelevance of victim consent to the intended exploitation, especially among law enforcement, and sensitize them to the trauma suffered by victims of trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation with an emphasis on a victim-centered approach and the necessity to avoid re-traumatization;
enhance the communication with and handling of victim-witnesses, encouraging their rights-based cooperation and participation in criminal proceedings as crucial to pursuit the offenders.

* Located in the Prosecutor`s Training Centre of Ukraine, the capacity-building cycle is organized in collaboration with the Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG), the Prosecutor`s Training Centre of Ukraine (PTCU), the Coordination Center for Support of Victims and Witnesses of the OPG, the State Financial Monitoring Service of Ukraine.

The victim-centred approach: a cornerstone in overcoming barriers to prosecuting TIP and CRSV crimes

Following the activities carried out in 2023 to build the capacity of prosecutors and investigators in case identification, evidence gathering, case management and prosecution in criminal proceedings (see our webstory), the current capacity-building cycle focuses on improving the professional skills of prosecutors and investigators, including law enforcement tools (international cooperation, open source intelligence, financial tracing of proceeds of crime, procedural guidelines) and the victim-centred approach, to help prosecutors organise and conduct preliminary investigations and overcome current obstacles in prosecuting crimes of TIP and conflict-related sexual violence. By respecting the rights, needs and choices of the victims, without exposing them to further physical and psychological harm or additional stigma, the victim-centred approach is crucial to ensure better cooperation, resulting in detailed and reliable testimony that can significantly strengthen the legal case against traffickers and perpetrators of CRSV.

Photo credit: @PTCU

Read our other webstories on trafficking in persons:

UNODC joins forces with Prosecutors' Offices

Protecting Ukrainian refugees and displaced people from human trafficking

Training on ‘Identifying cases and refer victims of trafficking in persons among Ukrainians on the move'

Further information:

Inter-agency initiative

Within the framework of the UN Inter-Agency project “Strengthening national and community-based conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) prevention and response mechanisms in Ukraine through a survivor-centered multi-sectoral approach/ United Action to Empower Survivors of CRSV” also called “UNited Action to Empower Survivors of CRSV” and jointly implemented by UNODC, UNDP, IOM, UN Women, WHO, and UNFPA (2023-2025), UNODC was appointed as the leading organization to support the Government in ensuring rights-based investigation and prosecution of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) for sexual exploitation among selected criminal justice practitioners (read more). The project “UNited Action to Empower Survivors of CRSV” is funded by UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN Action), which has the goal of ending sexual violence during and in the wake of armed conflict.

UNODC

https://www.unodc.org/unodc/human-trafficking/

Latest UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons

UNODC Research (December 2022). Conflict in Ukraine: Key Evidence on Risks of Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, update 2022: https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/tip/Conflict_Ukraine_TIP_2022.pdf

World Anti-Trafficking Day 2024 (30.07): This year's global campaign urges accelerated action to end child trafficking. Thematic 2024: "Leave No Child Behind in the Fight Against Human Trafficking".

UN Standard

UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Woman and Children supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and related European and national legislations.

Recent developments within the legal and institutional frameworks in Ukraine

In June 2023, the Government of Ukraine has approved the State targeted social programme for combatting human trafficking for the period until 2025. The programme aims to improve the mechanism for preventing human trafficking, to increase the effectiveness of identifying persons who commit such crimes, as well as to ensure the protection of the rights of persons who have suffered from human trafficking and to provide them with assistance.

As of October 2023, the prosecution service introduced a new TIP Unit established at the central level (Office of the Prosecutor General) and assigned prosecutors at the regional level Ukraine-wide. In addition, the Office of the Prosecutor General launched an interdepartmental working group on detection termination and investigation of crimes related to human trafficking and a Coordination Centre for the Support of Victims and Witnesses. A total of 217 investigators (Main Investigation Department of the NPU) and 212 prosecutors (appointed in September 2023) work on investigating and prosecuting in proceedings related to human trafficking.