Vulnerability and resilience to exploitation and trafficking among people fleeing Ukraine, in Berlin, Bern and Warsaw

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia on February 24, 2022 triggered a mass displacement crisis displacing millions both within Ukraine and across Europe (6.2 million) and beyond. Over 6.7 million people have fled Ukraine, raising concerns about increased risks of human trafficking and exploitation. Research by the UNODC and others highlights how conflicts create and exacerbate vulnerabilities, such as lack of economic opportunities and disrupted services.

The EU activated the 2001 European Union (EU) Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) in March 2022, streamlining refugee registration for Ukrainians and non-EU nationals fleeing the conflict, providing legal status, essential services, and preventing asylum systems from being overwhelmed. Ukrainians can also enter almost all European countries visa-free. However, concerns about the vulnerabilities of people from Ukraine in Europe persist as the conflict continues, displacement risks becoming protracted, and data is scarce.

In response to these challenges, the UNODC and the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) conducted a Rapid Actionable Assessment of human trafficking and migrant smuggling in the context of the Ukraine war, funded by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), and the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The research project conducted between 2022 and 2024 aims at better understanding the risks and incidence of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in the context of the journeys of both Ukrainians and non-Ukrainians fleeing Ukraine, covering the cities of Bern, Berlin and Warsaw.[1]

Please join us on 1 October 2024, 14:00-15:30 CET for the launch of MMC’s report under this project, based on 1,602 surveys collected with people displaced from Ukraine and 57 key informant interviews. We will discuss the following and more:

• What factors make individuals displaced from Ukraine more vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking, and how do financial pressure and lack of language skills contribute to this vulnerability?
• How have visa-free travel and temporary protection status in host countries helped build resilience against exploitation and trafficking for people fleeing the war in Ukraine?
• What role do social networks, political will, and anti-trafficking measures play in protecting refugees from Ukraine?

The presentation of key findings will be followed by a panel discussion on the implications of the research results for policymakers, practitioners, and civil society actors from the three cities and beyond.

Agenda

Welcome and introduction

Roberto Forin, Head of MMC Europe

Anna Sandi, Advisor, Human Rights Diplomacy, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

Presentation of research findings

Julia Litzkow, Research Officer, MMC Europe

Panel discussion: implications of the research for practitioners, policy makers and civil society

Moderator: Roberto Forin, Head of MMC Europe

Implications for policy making

• Dr. Claire Healy, Head of the UNODC Observatory on Smuggling of Migrants

Implications for operational responses:

• Anna Geller, Child Protection Technical Adviser, Save the Children Poland

Reflections from local actors/civil society

• Dr. Yücel Meheroglu, Research Officer, Reporting and Information Centre on Antigypsyism – MIA
• Olena Krylova, Ukraine Schweiz Bern, Switzerland

Q&A and Closing

Click here to register.