Photo: RTV (Kristijan Takač)

Refuge brings numerous challenges and dangers, with women and children being most at risk on that journey into the unknown. Passing through different countries whose language they do not speak, where they meet strangers every day, makes the refugee population particularly vulnerable.

"The experience of fleeing from war-torn areas, fleeing reprisals, fleeing because their lives or basic human rights are threatened, because they have already suffered various forms of discrimination or gender-based violence in their countries of origin, makes them even more vulnerable to everything that awaits them during that journey. They are also exposed to persons who recognize them as an easy target, in the sense that they can be additionally exploited in different ways, whether in labour or sexual exploitation," explained Lidija Đorđević, representative of organization "Atina".

Women and girls with the experience of refuge, who were granted asylum and now live and work in Serbia, shared their experiences with members of the Local Anti-Trafficking Team - representatives of relevant institutions and bodies.

Fotografija: RTV (Kristijan Takač)

"Today, we gave an opportunity to our professionals from the Local AT Team, primarily from the police, Higher Public Prosecutor's Office, and this time we also invited the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration, i.e. representatives of the reception center in our city, to exchange experiences on the subject of migration and life experiences of these women, all in the context of the fight against human trafficking in our city," emphasized Ilija Đukanović, coordinator of the Local Anti-Trafficking Team.

World Refugee Day is marked on June 20, and after that date, more precisely in July, Local AT Team will mark that day in cooperation with the Red Cross in Subotica.

More photos from the event can be found via the following link: https://www.subotica.com/fotografije/gradska-kuca-plava-sala-okrugli-sto...

This event has been organized within the project Refugee Women's Advocacy Group, which Atina is implementing with the support of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.