Faced with the influx of people fleeing Ukraine (90% of whom are women and children), the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) published, on Wednesday 4 May, a “Guidance Note” listing emergency measures.
It stresses the need for the registration of all refugees, including those who are undocumented, and for an increased presence of specially trained law enforcement officers at border crossings, as well as at railway and bus stations.
GRETA also recommends the creation of official and safe routes and the introduction of free transport, whether public or run by trusted organisations.
In order to avoid the risk of trafficking, it is also important to verify and register all volunteers, individuals and private companies offering assistance, to locate accommodation in safe areas, to ensure easy and free access to health care and psychological support for adults and children and to sexual and reproductive health care for victims of sexual violence.
Information about the risks of being trafficked is essential at every stage, the note says, and it also stresses the need to monitor online job offers and sexual services sites.
With regard to children, GRETA recommends the registration and immediate protection of unaccompanied minors and children travelling with adults from outside the family.
Other recommendations include the presence of women among border guards and other staff, and the provision of sleeping and sanitary facilities for single women, with or without children.
Link to the guidance note: https://aeur.eu/f/1hi (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)