Since January 2018, Open Gate along with ASTRA – Anti-trafficking action and four other partner-organizations from the region: International Forum of Solidarity – EMMAUS (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Women’s Rights Center (Montenegro) Center for Legal Civic Initiatives (CLCI, Albania) and the Netherlands Helsinki Committee, are implementing the third phase of the regional project BAN III – The Balkans ACT (Against Crime of Trafficking) Now!. The project is financially supported by the European Union. Western Balkans (WB) is a region of origin, destination and transit when it comes to human trafficking, and this applies to all countries participating in this project. Moreover, all WB co-applicants in this project are leaders in the anti-trafficking field and are fighting against organized crime in their respective countries. They are active participants in the development of their governments’ strategies and action plans, in bringing about policy changes, in policy monitoring, while at the same time providing direct support to victims. The project approach has a strong regional ownership component and it focuses on specific interventions in order to build capacities of the WB CSOs and their local partners to analyze the situation on the ground, propose new solutions, monitor and report on the work of justice sector.

Phase 3 builds on the success of the phases 1 and 2 (the establishment of a strong regional network of CSO co-applicants; design of the Balkans Declaration on the suppression of trafficking and exploitation of human beings; design and testing of the regional Monitoring tool; various proposals in relation to the establishment of a compensation mechanism for victims were developed, including a feasibility study of a State Compensation Fund, as well as a model of the Law on Compensation Fund; creation of awareness-raising public campaigns). More information about the first two phases you can find here.

Phase 3 will focus primarily on strengthening cooperation and capacities of the institutions and on the adoption and implementation of the Monitoring tool. This will allow transparent and accountable monitoring of quality services provided to victims, as well as the regional data and services comparison and it will set preconditions for establishment of the future National Rapporteur’s offices.

For more information on the project click here.