On 13th November 2025, RENATE member Ms. Natalia Holynska, Project Manager at Caritas Ukraine, presented online at the Regional Conference on Enhancing Cross-Border Cooperation of National Referral Mechanisms to Address Trafficking in Persons in Contexts of Displacement and Mixed Migration Flows, held at the Hotel Marriot, Skopje, North Macedonia.
Her presentation, “Ensuring Victim-Centred and Trauma-Informed Support in Displacement Contexts,” highlighted the grave impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine on civilians and displaced populations:
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12.7 million people in need, including children, older adults, and people with disabilities
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6.8 million refugees, mostly in Europe, and 3.6 million internally displaced
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63% of households reporting mental health challenges, with 1.5 million children at risk of PTSD
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Human trafficking trends, including mixed exploitation, sexual exploitation, forced labor, domestic servitude, and increasing online exploitation, with 292 identified survivors by October 2025
Caritas Ukraine’s response includes:
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Proactive screening and identification of trafficking survivors, including internal and cross-border cases
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Culturally sensitive, trauma-informed support, referrals, and protection
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Awareness raising about cyber trafficking and AI-related risks
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Cross-border cooperation with Caritas Romania and Moldova to reduce trafficking and support refugees
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Advocacy efforts, including the Fragile Life docudrama and book, highlighting survivors’ experiences
The session emphasized strengthening cross-border cooperation, training stakeholders, and implementing survivor-centred approaches as essential measures to protect displaced populations and address human trafficking in conflict contexts.Presentation at REGM in Skopje_13.11.25