UNITAS Anti Human Trafficking Programs In Europe

Reaching children before traffickers do

In 2016, we launched our first program aiming to educate every teenager in Serbian schools. Two years and 60.000 students later, we are more determined than ever to reach that goal.

We partnered with the Serbian Ministry of Education and Center for Trafficking Victims Protection to develop a program that prevents and protects students from Human Trafficking.

Through this program we were able to:

1. Educate over 60.000 students and equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to identify and avoid the “schemes” of human traffickers.
2. Equip 6.493 teachers and caregivers to recognize the indicators and interrupt potential trafficking situations.
3. Raise awareness about the dangers of Human Trafficking among 4.190 parents.

The manual for this program is available in English. Please check UNITAS resources page.

Click here If you are interested in implementing the program in schools in your area

Film: The Observers

UNITAS produced and released our first social impact film, The Observers, which is based on true stories. Increasing knowledge through film making empowers large numbers of young people and concerned citizens to respond more appropriately to human trafficking. In a 2016 U.S. State Department report on human trafficking, Ambassador Susan Coppedge tells a story of how a film sparked the escape of a victim and the subsequent prosecution of her trafficker. Films, along with other forms of media, can expose the hidden tactics of traffickers, change public perception about victims and survivors, and inspire intervention. Observers has been screened on national television in Serbia, throughout Eastern European schools, and elsewhere online.

“DON’T OBSERVE. ACT!”

In 2016, we started an awareness raising campaign with the slogan “Don’t observe. Act!” A large number of celebrities have supported this action and drawn attention to the problem.

Short PSA videos were shown on national television in Serbia. You can watch them on the below displayed link:

We continue to promote our awareness campaign at various educational, cultural, and music festivals, where visitors have the opportunity to support our campaign and take photos with specially designed hashtags, which we post on our social media channels.

Fight against Child Labor Exploitation

In 2017, we produced our awareness video, Fight against Child Labor Exploitation, to draw attention to child labor. This video has been screened throughout Serbia on national television, across cinemas, and at the Congress of Europe

You can watch the video displayed on the link below:

“Nearly a quarter of a million children, or 16 out of every 100 children worldwide, are engaged in exploitative child labor—in violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Labor Standards. Almost three-quarters of them work in hazardous environments, such as mines or factories, or with dangerous substances, such as chemicals. The majority of child laborers are “invisible” – hidden from sight and behind the reach of the law. Many of these children are not only exploited, they are often denied education, basic health care, adequate nutrition, leisure time and the safety and security of their families and communities. In general, girls' domestic work is the most invisible of all and there is evidence that girls may constitute the majority of child workers."

Source: https://www.unicef.org/education/index_focus_exploitation.html

Child Shelters

Statistics show that children raised in institutions / shelters are among the most vulnerable people to human trafficking. In 2017 and 2018, we organized two workshops with the Center for Human Trafficking Victims Protection for 30 social workers who work with child shelters in Serbia. We were able to educate them to recognize indicators of potential human trafficking victims in their work environment, and we gave them the material to work with children and raise awareness about this topic. This program is accredited by Serbia’s Ministry of Social Affairs.

About children shelters:

“Hope On Today”

Hopp on to “Hope On Today” is an awareness campaign which has been initiated and is being led by the Unitas Europe team with an aim of spreading awareness on the dangers of human trafficking and providing children and young adults with information and contacts. 17 Organizations and state institutions so far!!!! (Campaign is open and aims to unite NGO, IO and state)

Please share and like us!
#HopeOn #StopHumanTrafficking
United we can – that is what UNITAS does!

Help us help our children – GLOBALLY!