Photo: Profimedia

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: V.Veličković “Freedom has no price”

What is your understanding of the "Circle of support“

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.

Photograph: NGO Atina's archive

Raise your voice and make a difference

“I had to give a statement five times, once to the police, once to the prosecutor, and three more times when I appeared in court. I want us to try to change that, and stop making other victims feel as if they are the ones standing trial.”

Maja, twenty-year-old victim of human trafficking

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

Photograph taken from the website RoditeljSrbija.rs

Amendments and addenda to the Family Law are being prepared: Expert associations question how prohibition of child marriages will be controlled

Some 2,000 child marriages occur every year in Serbia, and our country is only now preparing to prohibit them, according to the latest amendments and addenda to the Family Law ("Official Gazette of RS", No. 18/2005, 72/2011 - ot. law and 6/2015).

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.

Graffitti by Banksy

Child marriage is yet another term for sexual abuse of minors, particularly underage girls, which is “legitimized” in certain social and cultural contexts through marriage. This practice is not unique to any country or religion, nor is it solely a phenomenon of the Global North or the Global South.

Child marriage and slavery

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?