Human Trafficking in Serbia: A Crisis That Has Been Ignored for Too Long

On the occasion of receiving the National Order of Merit in the rank of Knight, Marijana Savić, founder and director of the NGO Atina, spoke in an interview with NOVA TV about the data and systemic issues in the fight against human trafficking in Serbia. While Serbia is witnessing increasingly alarming statistics on human trafficking, there is a demand for more effective responses. Last year, 70 victims of human trafficking were identified, with women and girls being the most common victims. Even more concerning is the fact that the youngest victim was only 12 years old. However, these numbers only represent the tip of the iceberg, as systemic issues in victims' identification, protection, and support continue to accumulate.

Marijana Savić, founder and director of Atina, an organization that has been fighting human trafficking for over two decades, warns that Serbia is not moving in the right direction. "There have been ups and downs, but the last three years have shown a regression. Victim identification is insufficient, protection mechanisms are weakened, and systemic support is almost non-existent. The services that organizations like Atina have been providing for years have never received financial support from the state."

Serbia has committed to adopting European standards in human rights protection, but the reality is far from this. Organizations like Atina fight for victim protection, essential recognition, and systemic support. "Our safe house has never been empty for a single day in the past 22 years. Thanks to the European Union, we have finally secured permanent space for women and girls. But that’s not enough. We are missing programs for children, long-term recovery, or reintegration into society."

International recognition that Atina receives, such as the French National Order of Merit, shows that the world acknowledges the significance of their work. However, while the European Union and international organizations point out Serbia’s unfulfilled obligations, domestic authorities continue to neglect solving these problems for the benefit of the victims. "The rights of women and girls in Serbia are under attack, and there is no political will to resolve this issue. The number of identified victims is only a partial indicator of the real scale of human trafficking in our country. When a 12-year-old child is sexually exploited, it means that as a society, we have failed."

At a time when all of Europe and the world are facing the rise of misogynistic and regressive movements, as well as attacks on fundamental human rights, the fight against human trafficking cannot be an isolated issue. It is about protecting victims and showing how willing a society is to fight for justice. At this moment, Serbia is not showing that it is on the right side of history. The question remains – how long will we continue to turn a blind eye to those who need our support the most?

You can watch the full interview at the link: Winner of the French Order of Merit in the rank of Knight, Marijana Savić, on the Fight Against Human Trafficking.