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Ukrainian women, children fleeing war vulnerable to human trafficking – Global issues

A little girl searches for toys among gifts left for refugees fleeing war-torn Ukraine. With the majority of women and children fleeing the country, human rights groups are concerned about human trafficking and sexual violence. Credit: Ed Holt / IPS
  • by Ed Holt (bratislava)
  • Joint press service

Since the Russian invasion on February 24, an estimated 3.5 million people have left the country, while another 6.5 million have been internally displaced.

National and international humanitarian organizations have warned that these people – mostly women and children – are particularly vulnerable to trafficking and gender-based violence at home and abroad when they regularly make trips. long, dangerous journeys in a desperate attempt to achieve safety.

“Wherever people have to leave their homes, there will be holes. Risk is rampant in any such situation. Shabia Mantoo, a spokesperson for UNHCR, told IPS.

The refugee crisis in Ukraine – described by the United Nations as the world’s fastest growing since World War Two – has seen millions flee to neighboring countries Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Moldova.

Although there has been a massive humanitarian response in those countries and across Europe and in other states, much of the help that refugees have been given has been specifically organized by aid groups. sponsors and individual volunteers.

Organizations and volunteers working with refugees at border crossings and transit points have warned that the lack of formal organization puts those arriving at serious risk of exploitation.

Nico Delvino, a researcher at Amnesty International who has been monitoring the situation at Poland’s border crossings with Ukraine, told IPS: “The system puts them at risk, not just human trafficking and violence. sexual force but also other predatory behaviors.

“The solidarity from volunteers is heartwarming, but it has not been matched by a state organization. There is little or no coordination and lack of management at the borders. Anyone can show up and put on a vest and say they’re a volunteer. There is no check on volunteers. It was a chaotic and dangerous situation.”

There have been anecdotal reports of human trafficking and sexual violence against refugees.

Volunteers and support groups who spoke to IPS said they had heard of women being raped, assaulted, solicited or approached by men in places that appeared to be attempted by criminals. catch them.

Interpol has now deployed officers to help investigate alleged human trafficking in Moldova, where 376,000 refugees have fled since the war began, while the local police force is said to be investigate alleged incidents in other countries.

Meanwhile, the specific profile of the refugee crisis may have exacerbated the vulnerability of those fleeing, aid organizations said.

The majority of those trying to leave Ukraine are women and children – UNHCR told IPS they make up 90% of those fleeing the war – as a Ukrainian government order bans men between 18 and 60 age to leave the country.

“What is different about this displaced people crisis is that when you have women with children and the elderly, they have many responsibilities, and that responsibility is always used as a means of control by traffickers – the Threats to the family are made. But now, they can be done directly. Eliza Galos, Migrant Protection and Support Program Coordinator at the International Organization for Migration in Ukraine, told IPS.

Children are at particular risk, with some of the latter often going on unaccompanied journeys.

UNICEF said in a statement that the war in Ukraine has caused More than half of Ukrainian children displaced after a month of war (unicef.org) 4.3 million children, of which 1.8 million have gone to neighboring countries as refugees.

Children’s Europe, an umbrella group for 24 child protection organizations across Europe, has warned that many unaccompanied minors are disappearing at the border.

“There are so many children that we lose track of them,” said Aagje Ieven, general secretary of Children’s Europe. international media: “This is a big deal, not only because it means they are easy to go missing and hard to find, but also because it makes trading so easy.”

However, it is not only those who leave Ukraine who are at risk of exploitation.

There are an estimated 6.5 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in Ukraine, and humanitarian groups say many of them are also at risk of falling into the hands of traffickers or experiencing sexual violence.

“Like refugees, IDPs are also facing threats. Threats against women are violence and sexual exploitation. For IDP children, for a variety of reasons – men having to stay in Ukraine, for example, and mothers working abroad – we see many of them end up traveling alone. We are concerned about the risk of trafficking these unaccompanied children,” said Galos.

Past experience shows that trafficking gangs are taking advantage of the dire situation in Ukraine, with many women and children forced to abruptly leave their homes with their family networks disrupted and secure. Their financial security is often threatened.

2018 Report by the Council of Europe has highlighted the vulnerability to human trafficking of millions of IDPs, who were forced to flee their homes following the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and armed conflict in the regions. Donetsk and Luhansk regions. While, Estimated IOM that 46,000 Ukrainians have suffered from human trafficking between 2019-2021.

“Human trafficking cases are difficult to identify, especially given the current state of war, but it is reasonable to assume that it is happening – it happened before the annexation of Crimea and the conflict. conflicts in Luhansk and Donetsk – and it Galos said.

Aid groups say authorities in receiving countries of Ukrainian refugees must put in place appropriate systems to register and track arrivals and ensure they do not fall victim to criminal gangs or others seek to take advantage of their vulnerability.

International humanitarian groups, such as UNHCR, UNICEF, and others, are working with local authorities in host countries to establish systems, among them, situations veterinary volunteers at border gates and transshipment centers.

Meanwhile, in some places, NGOs are handing out information leaflets to refugees, warning them to be careful when accepting offers of accommodation or transport from strangers. when a hotline has been set up for people to report any suspicions they have of potential criminal or dangerous activity. .

In a statementHelga Gayer, President of GRETA, the European Council’s expert group on human trafficking, said: “Fulners from war are physically and psychologically impaired, unaccustomed to new environments and very vulnerable to becoming ill. fall prey to criminals. Reception structures must ensure that they are informed of their rights, in a language they can understand, and receive psychological and material support. Authorities must take steps to prevent fraudulent offers of transportation, accommodation and workplaces, and strengthen safety procedures for unaccompanied children, involving link them to national child protection systems”.

However, at some border crossings and transit centers, there still seems to be no way for refugees to check the authenticity of any offers they may receive.

“One refugee we spoke to told us she was looking for transport and was aware she needed to be careful and check that anyone she hitchhiked with was trustworthy. or not, but she doesn’t know how to check that. We don’t know what she ended up doing because there’s no way to track people down. Delvino said there are no registrations about who will come to or leave the center, nor who they will be traveling with.

Despite the authorities’ efforts to strengthen protections against exploitation, the situation of women and children involved in the crisis, and the risks they face, has not improved. Soon.

“Women and girls face greater risks in conflict displacement situations. The number of refugees is increasing and until the end of what is happening in Ukraine we will continue to see people moving and we can expect the displacement to continue,” Mantoo said.

Report of the United Nations Office IPS


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© Inter Press Service (2022) – All rights reservedOrigin: Inter Press Service

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