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Ukraine Is Shaping a New System for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings: The Model of an Independent National Rapporteur Was Discussed in Vienna
Trafficking in human beings has long ceased to be a matter of criminal justice alone
Today, this is a matter of state capacity: whether a country is able to see the real scale of exploitation, collect high-quality data, coordinate interagency work, and shape policy based not on formal reporting, but on the real experience of survivors.
This was precisely the focus of the international event “Establishment of the institution of an independent National Rapporteur on combating trafficking in human beings in Ukraine: international models and implementation mechanisms”, which took place on 4–5 May in Vienna within the framework of the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine with the participation of the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine.
The event was attended by representatives of Ukrainian government institutions, international organizations, parliamentary and human rights institutions, and the Counter–Trafficking NGO Coalition also joined the discussion.
The key topic of the discussion was what the Ukrainian model of the National Rapporteur on combating trafficking in human beings should be and why the independence of this institution is critically important.
Today, combating trafficking in human beings is impossible without systematic monitoring. This is not only about statistics, but about the state’s ability to analyse trends, identify gaps in the protection of survivors, assess the effectiveness of legislation, and formulate recommendations for change.
During the event, international experts repeatedly emphasized:
Coordinating policy and independently assessing its effectiveness are different functions that should not be concentrated within a single body. That is precisely why the European practices presented during the event demonstrated the importance of a separate independent monitoring mechanism.
Representatives of the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Lithuania, and Finland presented their own experience of the functioning of the institution of the National Rapporteur.
Several key elements were repeated across the presented models:
- independence from the executive branch;
- a legislatively established mandate;
- access to data from various public authorities;
- regular reporting to parliament and the government;
- cooperation with civil society;
- a distinct focus on the rights of survivors.
One of the cross-cutting messages of the event was the following: without institutional independence, the National Rapporteur risks turning into a mechanism of the State’s “self-assessment.”
Counter–Trafficking NGO CoalitionPress Service
In Lithuania, in 2025, the function of the National Rapporteur was transferred from the Ministry of the Interior to the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman precisely in order to separate the functions of coordination and monitoring.
In Finland, the National Rapporteur operates within the Office of the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman and has the legislatively guaranteed right to obtain information from public authorities even despite confidentiality restrictions.
In Belgium, the independent National Rapporteur, Myria, prepares annual public reports submitted to the government, parliament, and all key actors in the field of combating trafficking in human beings.
Particular attention was paid by the participants to the fact that independent monitoring makes it possible not only to collect statistics, but also to identify systemic problems:
- survivors’ distrust of the system;
- weak identification of cases;
- the gap between official data and the real scale of exploitation;
- lack of coordination between institutions;
- problems with Access to Assistance.
During the discussion, particular attention was also paid to the issue of data quality and the need to establish a unified system for collecting information on trafficking in human beings.
According to IOM, in 2025, the organization together with its partners provided case management services to 187 survivors of trafficking in human beings. Overall, from 2000 to 2025, 20,681 persons received individual comprehensive assistance.
Labour exploitation remains the main form of exploitation. Among the most common sectors are construction, manufacturing, agriculture, and domestic work.
At the same time, official statistics do not reflect the full picture. Representatives of several countries spoke about this, emphasizing that trafficking in human beings remains a highly latent crime, and a significant number of cases never enter the field of vision of state systems.
Particular emphasis during the event was placed on the role of civil society organizations
In many European models, it is precisely cooperation with NGOs that enables independent rapporteurs to obtain a more realistic picture of the situation, analyse the practical problems faced by survivors, and formulate recommendations based on field experience.
For Ukraine, this issue is particularly important, as civil society organizations are often the first to identify cases of exploitation and to provide crisis assistance, support, and reintegration for survivors.
The participation of the Counter–Trafficking NGO Coalition in such international discussions is important not only for the exchange of experience, but also to ensure that the voice of civil society is taken into account in shaping the future Ukrainian model of the National Rapporteur.
Separate sessions of the event were devoted specifically to the Ukrainian context: discussion of the draft law, the institutional model, mechanisms for data collection, and interaction between public authorities.
Among the key issues:
- to whom the National Rapporteur should report;
- how to guarantee independence;
- what powers the institution should have;
- how to ensure access to data;
- what interaction with civil society and international partners should look like.
European experience presented during the meeting shows that an effective system for combating trafficking in human beings is impossible without an independent assessment mechanism capable of speaking openly about problems, working with data, and influencing state policy through evidence, analysis, and human rights protection.
Counter–Trafficking NGO CoalitionPress Service
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