Bulgaria is a source and, to a lesser extent, a transit and destination country for women and children who are subjected to sex trafficking and men, women, and children subjected to forced labour. Bulgarian women and children are subjected to sex trafficking within the country, particularly in Sofia, resort areas, and border towns, as well as in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Bulgarian men, women, and children are subjected to forced labour in Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Zambia, predominantly in agriculture, construction and in restaurants. Ethnic Roma men, women, and children represent a significant share of identified trafficking victims. Some Bulgarian children are forced into street begging and petty theft within Bulgaria and also in Greece, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Bulgaria is rated as a Tier 2 Country by the US Department of State’s 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report indicating that the Government of Bulgaria does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so.
Bulgarian Family Planning and Sexual Health Association (BFPA)
BFPA is a non-governmental organisation in public benefit, founded in 1992. Its main areas of interventions are in the spheres of sexual and reproductive health and rights and it covers topics such as family planning, sexually transmitted infections and HIV, gender issues and community development. Since 2006 BFPA is actively involved in prevention of trafficking for sexual exploitation through provision of services and behaviour change communication amongst vulnerable communities in Bulgaria. Joint actions in this area were conducted in Bosnia Herzegovina in 2007. The organisational experience in terms of international cooperation with state and non-governmental institutions is significant as BFPA is/was a partner in numerous projects with representatives from Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, UK, the Netherlands and Italy.
KEY CAMPAIGN ACHIEVEMENTS:
- In 2013, an original animation was developed with a Roma artist and a group of Roma children telling the stories of two young Roma girls growing up in Bulgaria. The two stories illustrate the different opportunities and expectations of the two girls with the ultimate message to stay in school. The film was made in collaboration a local Roma artist from Shumen (a small town in North Bulgaria with a large Roma population), TLG partner organisation BFPA, the UK TLG team and an animation company in London. Although the film does not explicitly look at sex trafficking, it tackles the underlying issues that lead to Roma girls being more vulnerable to sex trafficking.
- An estimated 27,000 young people have attended some kind of Two Little Girls workshop in Bulgaria
- More than 4,000 Roma young people have participated in Two Little Girls activities
- More than 900 pedagogical staff have been trained to teach workshops on trafficking using Two Little Girls
- 5000 Two Little Girls booklets, 200 Two Little Girls CDs, 70,000 Two Little Girls postcards and 80,000 Two Little Girls bookmarks have been produced and disseminated through the collaboration of our the Two Little Girls Bulgarian partner organization, the BFPA, and the National Commission for the Fight Against Trafficking.
- An estimated 4 million people have seen the TLG film through media coverage.
- Two Little Girls was played 1760 times on screens in metro stations in Sofia and three of the central stations were branded with images of the film on the metro seats. Information on where to seek information and support on trafficking and safe migration was also provided.
- Two Little Girls was promoted using 4 mega boards situated on motorways and 9 billboards in 8 cities throughout the country.
- Three bus stops in Sliven were branded with Two Little Girls images and information was provided on where to seek information and support on trafficking and safe migration.
- The TLG film and materials are now available to be used by the National Network of Children in Bulgaria - an umbrella organisation of 48 civil organisations working with children and families.
SECOND PHASE KEY CAMPAIGN ACHIEVEMENTS FOR FILM 'EMI AND ANI':
- Roma animation launch – 80 professionals aged 26-59 years old (estimated to be 48 women and 32 men) from NGOs, UN agencies, government officials, artists and musicians.
- 5200 participants reached all from marginalized Roma communities and 80% young people 11-24.