Director of the Citizens' Association “Atina” Marijana Savić with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Department of State (Photo: REUTERS/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)

Marijana Savić: Heroine of the Fight Against Human Trafficking

Marijana Savić from the Belgrade-based NGO “Atina” received this year's TIP HERO (Trafficking in Persons Hero) award. The U.S. Department of State annually awards individuals from around the world this award in recognition of their overall work in this field. At the same time, the State Department announced the TIP Report on State Efforts in Combating Human Trafficking.

Marijana Savić was honoured for her twenty-one years of work in victim protection and her unique contributions, tireless efforts to achieve sustainable solutions, and insistence on victim-centered approaches. Marijana was recognised for prioritizing the vulnerable, her innovations in work, and promoting long-term economic reintegration for victims to prevent re-victimization,” stated the U.S. Department of State during the award ceremony.

The award was presented to her at a ceremonial event in Washington by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Cindy Dyer, United States Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, who leads the Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.

“I am most proud of the unwavering commitment of the organisation “Atina” in protecting victims of human trafficking over the years, as well as the fact that we have managed to maintain our integrity. We have worked hard - on ourselves, we have changed and learned from women and girls who have survived trafficking; the two-decade joint effort of all Atina members is crucial in supporting trafficking victims in Serbia but also in understanding the importance of collective impact and contribution of all of you to this fight,” said Marijana Savić.

Marijana Savić is an activist dedicated to advancing the rights of women and girls in Serbia. In 2003, she founded “Atina,” a citizens’ association for combating human trafficking and all forms of gender-based violence. With a group of activists, she established the first shelter for human trafficking victims, which to this day serves as a refuge for many girls and women with experiences of trafficking. Her efforts have led to significant steps in policy reform and advocacy, particularly in the areas of combating human trafficking and supporting women and girls who have suffered sexual exploitation. Besides her role in Atina, Marijana actively contributes to integrating survivors' experiences into broader human rights policies. She is engaged in international bodies, such as the Council of Europe, as an expert in combating human trafficking, especially labour exploitation.

Marijana Savić holds a law degree and completed the HRAP program for human rights advocacy at Columbia University in New York. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Global Fund for Children, the Investment Council of the Canadian Equality Fund, and this year, she was appointed by the UN Secretary-General to the Board of the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking, Especially Women and Children (UNVTF). Her commitment extends to women's economic empowerment from hard-to-employ categories through Bagel Bejgl, a women’s social enterprise founded by Atina in 2015. This initiative supports Atina’s sustainability by directing all profits to assist survivors, significantly helping women and girls secure employment. To date, Atina has provided direct assistance and support to a total of 1047 identified victims, half of whom were minors; among them were victims of forced marriage, labour exploitation, forced criminal activities, and sexual and labour exploitation.

Marijana’s activism and leadership have earned numerous recognitions, highlighting her role in shaping a safer, fairer society for women and girls across Serbia and worldwide. Her work exemplifies a deep commitment to human rights and empowering the most vulnerable groups.

Marijana Savić is the second person from Serbia to receive the TIP Hero – Hero in the Fight Against Human Trafficking award. Before her, this award was given to her colleague Ivana Radović from Astra in 2018.

Link to the ceremony: (https://www.glasamerike.net/a/video-nagrada-marijana-savic-stejt-department/7668293.html)