Regional Perspectives in Central and Eastern Europe

While most victims identified by authorities are women trafficked for sexual exploitation, the number of identified cases involving men trafficked for labour exploitation is growing. For example, in 2004 Ukraine's identified cases of trafficking for sexual exploitation were more than double those for labour exploitation. In 2007 the gap between the two categories had almost disappeared and in the first six months of 2008, the number of labour exploitation cases exceeded those of sexual exploitation.
Ukraine is now a country of transit, destination and origin for trafficked people, whether for sexual or labour exploitation. Most foreigners trafficked into or through Ukraine over the past six years came from Moldova, followed by Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and the Russian Federation.

Moldova is a country of origin for people trafficked to a range of Western European countries as well as Russia and Turkey. A pilot survey carried out in the country in 2008 showed that 24.2 per cent of Moldovan migrants were exploited, 8 per cent were both deceived and exploited and 7.8 per cent were victims of trafficking for forced labour.

Main means of coercion included withholding of salary, obligation to perform tasks against the worker's will, threats of violence or denunciation to the authorities and confiscation of travel or personal identity documents. These findings were based on questions on labour migration that were included for the first time in 2008 in the country's Labour Force Survey.

ILO Programmes to Combat Trafficking in Central and Eastern Europe

The ILO is involved in a number of programmes that aim to prevent and eradicate trafficking in Europe and Central Asia.
A recently concluded project to combat human trafficking from Moldova and the Ukraine combined work to strengthen anti-trafficking laws and policies with efforts to raise awareness about the problem among the migrants themselves and other key actors.

A joint ILO/International Organization for Migration (IOM) project on labour migration in the Balkans aims to develop and integrate efficient information, advice and referral services for migrant workers, while fostering local capacity and knowledge in the area of labour migration policy and practice. Training sessions will be held in all seven participating countries.