The government slightly increased prevention efforts. The MSP continued to lead anti-trafficking efforts at the national and local levels, but observers continued to criticize the ministry for ineffective coordination and engagement on anti-trafficking efforts, especially as Russia’s war against Ukraine affected MSP resources and personnel. With the MSP, the position of national coordinator was specifically tasked to fulfill the anti-trafficking responsibilities. The government did not convene the interdepartmental working group for combating trafficking in 2023. However, MSP coordinated a planning session with international organizations and NGOs in June to discuss anti-trafficking efforts, victim protection, forced labor in supply chains, and reducing the demand for commercial sex. In June 2023, the government, in partnership with an international organization, approved a 2023-2025 NAP which sought to account for the impacts of Russia’s war against Ukraine, strengthen cooperation among stakeholders, prevent human trafficking, establish a system for data collection, and identify and protect trafficking victims, including among vulnerable groups such as children evacuated abroad and Ukrainians abroad. MSP worked with regional officials to develop and approve corresponding action plans at the regional level; however, none were finalized by the end of the reporting period, so some oblasts may have pursued their own anti-trafficking measures. In 2023, the government drafted legislative amendments in response to social and economic hardship resulting from Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine to simplify the procedure of granting official victim status; improve victims’ access to assistance; and ensure compensation for potential trafficking victims exploited by Russian forces. MSP drafted a law to provide medical, education, and other social support to Ukrainian children who Russia forced into military activities and who returned to government-controlled territory; however, this law remained pending at the close of the reporting period. The government continued to sponsor a hotline dedicated to trafficking, GBV, and violence against children. In 2023, the government hotline received 7,465 calls, and hotline staff identified or referred 73 potential victims to protection services. A separate government hotline continued to receive international calls from Ukrainians who fled the war, including potential trafficking victims. NGOs operated additional anti-trafficking and migrant advice hotlines, which received more than 53,000 calls, resulting in the identification and referral to services of at least 77 potential trafficking victims. OPG, in collaboration with partner organizations, continued to operate dedicated channels on social media platforms to prevent and detect child trafficking. Although the national budget did not allocate funds to awareness campaigns, regional governments allocated 386,083 hryvnia ($10,140) to awareness campaigns. Authorities, in coordination with NGOs, international organizations, and local partners, conducted awareness campaigns, available in Ukrainian and English, throughout the country, including via television, news outlets, social media, phone applications, text message, print media, video, chat bots, and public awareness events. The campaigns focused on the risks of trafficking during the war for displaced persons, refugees, and Ukrainians abroad, particularly at train stations and border crossings.
Unaccompanied and separated children, children in government-run institutions, and thousands of children forcibly transferred or deported to Russia and occupied areas of Ukraine were at high risk of trafficking. To track and protect such children, the government maintained a register for “displaced” children; however, observers noted there continued to be insufficient data on unaccompanied Ukrainian children abroad. NGOs observed there continued to be insufficient data on unaccompanied Ukrainian children across Europe, which may have increased their risk of trafficking. Even before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, observers assessed protection of children in Ukraine’s government-run care system was inadequate. Human rights groups and media reported unsafe conditions in institutions, and there were allegations officials of several state-run institutions and orphanages had been complicit or willfully negligent in the sex and labor trafficking of girls and boys under their care. NGOs reported trafficking risks increased for such children because of the conflict. After the full-scale invasion, the government evacuated Ukrainian children from institutions in areas of armed hostilities to other areas in Ukraine and abroad. At least 195 education, health care, social protection, and private institutions for children were evacuated. The government continued to conduct site visits of institutions for children and worked with international law enforcement to identify possible child trafficking victims. Experts expressed serious concerns about the government’s protection efforts with consistent and troubling reports highlighting Ukrainian children’s vulnerability to exploitation, including trafficking. Experts also noted concerns about protections for institutionalized Ukrainian children evacuated to refugee host countries, including those with disabilities. Observers raised concern about abuse and neglect of Ukrainian refugee children housed in a hotel in Türkiye, although there were no confirmed trafficking victims among this group.
NPU and MIPOL continued to monitor and investigate formal and informal recruitment networks, including companies advertising jobs abroad, and worked with other stakeholders to raise awareness about known recruitment schemes. The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade oversaw the licensing of labor recruitment agencies and conducted regular and random inspections on their activities. In October 2023, the government passed a law requiring recruiting agencies to register with the government and prohibiting agencies from collecting fees from job seekers for employment abroad. In 2023, the State Labor Service (SLS) resumed planned and unplanned labor inspections, which were previously suspended because of the conflict. SLS conducted 313 planned and unplanned labor inspections which led to the identification of 25 potential labor trafficking. NGOs previously reported there was an insufficient number of labor inspectors to effectively meet their mandate. Observers expressed concern about the lack of oversight of the labor market, with reports of workers not receiving payments, although the SLS continued awareness efforts and informal monitoring. The SLS published recommendations for Ukrainians contemplating working abroad, including information on trafficking risks on its website. The government did not make efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts. Article 149 reportedly criminalized the act of knowingly soliciting or patronizing a sex trafficking victim, but an NGO noted the language in the statute is broad.
from 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report – U.S. Department of State
2024 Trafficking in Persons Report – United States Department of State
