Albania, Kosovo Intensified bilateral cooperation efforts to combat trafficking in persons

Project : MARIO 1 Nov 2011 | child migration child trafficking children on the move

Tirana, Albania, October 2011: Representatives of the governments of Albania and Kosovo, including officials from line ministries and central agencies, as well as representatives of civil society organizations met to discuss the draft of a supplementing Cooperation Protocol of the Agreement between both countries ‘on police co-operation’, specifically on “Intensifying Cooperation on Combating Trafficking in Persons and Improving the Identification, Informing, Referral and Assisted Voluntary Return of Victims and potential Victims of Trafficking, especially Children”. This event, held at the Tirana International Hotel, was organized with the financial support of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe-Presence in Albania and technical support from Terre des hommes and Save the Children in Albania, under their joint Mario project.

Moderated by Ms. Iva Zajmi, Albania’s National Anti-trafficking Coordinator and Mr. Sasa Rasic, Kosovo’s National Anti-trafficking Coordinator and Deputy Minister of Community and Return, the bilateral event aimed to facilitate a dialogue between partners involved in cross-border cooperation programs and to define the required draft list of service delivery organizations available in both countries, who will be responsible for assisting and protecting identified victims or potential victims of trafficking, including children.

To give an opportunity to representatives of each country and institutions to present their vision and main priorities on the content of this draft Protocol, the meeting was structured in a way which allowed for group discussions on specific focus points such as the identification, referral and assistance to be provided to victims and/or potential victims of trafficking.

Aside from serving to improve the existing broader Cross-Border Police Cooperation Agreement signed on October, 2009, in an effort to combat trafficking of human beings, this Cooperation Protocol will also address issues raised by Mario project partners in the “Observation Report: Exploitation of Albanian Children in Street Situation in Kosovo”.

This Observation Report concluded that the issues of unsafe child migration and child trafficking continue to be persistent in both Albania and Kosovo. The cross-border migration of Albanian children to Kosovo for purposes of begging or forced labour continues. Published in 2010, the Report identified 91 cases of Albanian children involved in begging activities or collecting tin-cans and scrap metal materials from garbage cans or landfills, for re-sale. These children faced a multitude of difficulties, lacking proper nutrition, health care and education and living in extreme poverty and unsafe environments.

This initiative clearly denotes the increased efforts of both countries in combating trafficking in human beings, especially that of children. This Cooperation Protocol will be signed immediately after the draft has been revised to include comments provided during this meeting. (FG)