>>18042070
https://eeagrants.org/news/unsung-heroes-ukraine-romania-border
I am sure our work prevented many Ukrainians from becoming human trafficking victims. For example, I have personally identified two older people who were victims of human trafficking during one of my visits; they managed to escape. Of course, due to the sensitive nature of the case, I cannot disclose any more details.
Many Ukrainian citizens, especially women, are contacted online and offered hospitality jobs in countries like England, Germany, Spain, and France. The offers exceeded the average pay for that job 2-3 times, which is always alarming.
IJM’s mission is to protect vulnerable people from violence. Right now, more than a million Ukrainians are fleeing their country to escape the invasion. This crisis has displaced an entire nation of people, making them vulnerable to exploitation.
For two years, our team has been in Romania addressing cross-border trafficking in Europe. As more and more refugees cross the border from Ukraine, the risk of trafficking increases drastically. In response, we are taking action to protect refugees from being exploited.
https://www.ijm.org/news/special-update-ijm-response-ukraine-romania-border
“The team at the border of Romania and Ukraine is seeing a significant increase in the number of people crossing. As the days have passed, we have seen that a majority of those arriving at the border are women and children. Fuel shortages have also meant that people are forced to walk great distances in winter weather, posing even greater risks to those fleeing. The team has identified a critical need for communication between refugees and their families, so our IJM team is partnering with companies to issue SIM cards and emergency response numbers in cases of trafficking,” said Shawn Kohl, IJM Director for Central and Eastern Europe.
IOM Romania coordinates and cooperates closely with stakeholders and partners, including UN agencies, civil society, central government, and local authorities.
https://romania.iom.int/ukraine-response
IOM Romania provides humanitarian assistance; organizes safe and orderly movements; delivers capacity building to organizations, authorities and frontline responders in key areas of humanitarian response; ensures access to information and counselling; provides screening for vulnerabilities; supports with shelter and accommodation; distributes non-food items (NFIs) and hygiene products; provides medical, health and psychosocial support (MHPSS); as well as facilitating and organizing educational and socio-relational activities.