On 2 June, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the State Targeted Social Programme for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings until 2025.
The purpose of the state programme is to improve the mechanism for preventing human trafficking, increase the effectiveness of identifying persons committing crimes related to human trafficking, and ensure the protection of the rights of victims of human trafficking and provide them with assistance.
Implementation of the programme will make it possible to:
- improve the regulatory framework in the field of combating human trafficking;
- strengthen interaction and cooperation between entities involved in combating human trafficking, including social services and the National Police, international organisations and NGOs, to ensure reliable and rapid exchange of information between them;
- increase the level of professional competence of civil servants of local state administrations and local self-government officials in the field of combating human trafficking;
- reduce the vulnerability of Ukrainian citizens to getting into a situation related to human trafficking and increase the number of self-identified persons through information campaigns covering various demographic and social groups;
- increase the number of people who have used all types of free assistance and specialised services;
- introduce a system for collecting data on victims of human trafficking in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On personal data protection”;
- strengthen border control to prevent human trafficking;
- ensure a proper response to the facts of human trafficking (documentation and proper investigation of criminal proceedings) and increase the level of detection and disclosure of crimes related to human trafficking.
The decision will also facilitate Ukraine’s movement towards European integration and is aimed at implementing the provisions of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union.