MOSCOW, September 20 (RIA Novosti) - The Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) released its first report on Ukraine on Friday, stating an increase in internal trafficking and trafficking for the purpose of labor exploitation.
The 68-page report states that "since 2010, there has been a significant increase in the number of Ukrainian victims of trafficking for the purpose of labor exploitation . . . insufficient attention is paid to trafficking within Ukraine. GRETA urges the Ukrainian authorities to strengthen action to combat trafficking for the purpose of labor exploitation."
The expert group welcomed positive steps, taken by Ukrainian authorities to create a legal and institutional framework to combat human trafficking. However, the country's leaders must "pay increased attention to identifying foreign victims of trafficking in Ukraine, and to take steps to address internal trafficking".
GRETA noted a lack of public awareness in regards to children trafficking, a problem that is further aggravated by inefficient public institutions. "The lack of staff in law enforcement bodies and social services, capable of identifying child victims is another important factor allowing for trafficking in children to go unnoticed," the report states.
Local authorities must also address "the problem of disappearance of unaccompanied foreign children".
The expert group expressed its "deep concern" over the negative impacts of the Ukrainian conflict on anti-trafficking activities, noting that internally displaced persons are especially vulnerable to human trafficking.
Last week, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said that over 270,000 people had fled their homes in the war-torn Donbas region.
According to the Russian Federal Migration Service, about 820,000 Ukrainian citizens have entered Russia since Kiev launched a military operation in April against independence supporters in eastern Ukraine, who refused to recognize the legitimacy of the new government after a February coup.
