After drug and arms trafficking, human trafficking is one of the most lucrative illegal businesses. The most common victims are children and women. The number of people globally at risk of falling prey to this crime ranges between tens of thousands to several millions. Since the beginning of the year, 25 victims of human trafficking have been identified in Serbia. On European Anti-Trafficking Day, a message is sent to all the citizens that they are obliged to report this criminal offense.

Photograph: Vesti Online

Jelena Hrnjak, Programme Manager of Citizens’ Association for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and All Forms of Gender-Based Violence Atina, points out that the greatest challenge lies in the fact that this position of victims before the court depends on judicial discretion. That is, whether a person has the status of a particularly sensitive witness that can provide them with a lower degree of stress and secondary victimization, depends solely on the judge's decision.

On World Tourism Day, Friday, September 27, 2019, a press conference was held at 3 pm in the Conference Room of the Mercure Belgrade Excelsior Hotel on the occasion of signing a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Mercure Belgrade Excelsior Hotel and Citizens' Association Atina. The formalization of cooperation between these two parties marked the beginning of joint work to create safer tourism and actively fight against sexual exploitation in tourism in Serbia.

Accor, ECPAT and WATCH PROGRAM

Bagel Bejgl – social enterprise with a soul

The second story we bring to you is the story of NGO “Atina” from Belgrade. We have had a pleasure to welcome Jelena Hrnjak who agreed to talk about the social enterprise this nongovernmental organization that assists human trafficking victims founded to facilitate the mission they have been dedicated to for decades.

Be one of us

Interview: Jelena Hrnjak, Bagel Bejgl

Bagel is certainly a product that requires ultimate culinary artistry. It is not easy to make and that is why it is a delicacy. While we were still developing this idea, we agreed that we will sell only what we ourselves eat and love. We have kept this principle, and that is why we are maintaining the quality of not only the product but also the catering we deliver.

What inspired you to make this product?

Trafficking and Femicide: ultimate forms of violence against women

Lately, NGO Atina has been increasingly asked about the connection between femicide and trafficking. However, before the issue was raised at a conference organized in order to mark Women Violence Victims’ National Remembrance Day in May 2019, this very connection wasn’t considered as a specific topic in Serbia. 

Despite numerous campaigns aimed at its suppression, human trafficking still represents one of the greatest issues of not only Serbia, but the whole world. Speaking of her experience in dealing with women who survived human trafficking, Sanja Kandic from “Atina” points out that they had previously been victims of violence, and that they were not recognized by the system at all. “Consequently, this leads to the fact that, as victims, they are invisible which means that the femicide itself is invisible.

Recognizing criminal offense of human trafficking in Vranje

Local team for prevention and combating human trafficking organized a training on May 10, 2019, in Medical High School “Dr Isabel Emslie Hutton“ in Vranje, intended primarily for the expert workers and associates of elementary schools and high schools, representatives of the Local team for prevention and combating human trafficking of the city of Vranje, and other relevant actors in charge of early detection and provision of assistance and protection to potential victims of human trafficking.

On November 25, 2018, Association Žene na prekretnici organized a panel discussion "Challenges, Results, Plans: Social Entrepreneurship as a Model for Economic Empowerment and Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups", as part of the Serbian Visions multicongress. The panel included Marija Radovanović from the German Organization for International Cooperation (GIZ), mentor and trainer Sonja Dakić, Milica Gudović from social enterprise Bagel Begl, Ivanka Stamenović from Ekobag, Vladica Jovanović from Brodoto, while the panel was moderated by journalist Maja Kukavica.