Kosovo is a source and destination country for women, children, and some men subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour. Most sex trafficking victims in Kosovo are female citizens, though in previous years women from Moldova, Slovakia, Albania, Serbia, Turkey, and Poland also face forced prostitution by criminal groups in Kosovo. Children from Kosovo and neighbouring countries, including Albania, are subjected to forced begging within the country. An increasing number of girls aged 14-17 are victims of sex trafficking. Women and girls are subjected to sex trafficking in private homes and apartments, night clubs, and massage parlours. Traffickers deceive victims by promising employment as dancers and singers in restaurants, and instead forcing them into sex trafficking in private apartments. Traffickers subject Kosovo citizens to forced prostitution and forced labour throughout Europe. Traffickers reportedly exploit the visa-free regime to bring victims into Europe.
Kosovo is rated as a Tier 2 Country by the US Department of State’s 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report indicating that the Government of Kosovo does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so.
Children’s Rights Centre of Albania & Kosovo (CRCA/CRCK)
CRCK works in the area of child protection, child development and child participation. The main programmes of the organisation include: child labour programme; socio-legal centre; training programme; education on children's rights in schools; children's clubs; monitoring and reporting; child trafficking and prostitution.
KEY CAMPAIGN ACHIEVEMENTS
- The TLG film was presented at a conference in November 2010 entitled ‘How to Protect Children from Exploitation and Trafficking’. 35 people participated in the conference representing government institutions, EULEX, the British Embassy, NGOs and INGOs, and the Youth Council of Kosovo
- CRCK worked with the British Embassy and the Office for Good Governance (Government of Kosovo) to deliver the conference.
- The conference was covered in the media by two national newspapers, one regional radio station and a national TV station 'Klan Kosova'. The conference was subsequently also reported by the Public Radio and Television of Kosovo (RTK) and Top Channel, the biggest television channel in Albania.
- The Two Little Girls Campaign became a campaign of the network Coalition for the Protection of Children.