Macedonia

Macedonia is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour. Macedonian women and children are subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour within the country in restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and for forced begging. Children, primarily ethnic Roma, are subjected to forced begging. The age of identified victims is increasingly younger and more victims originate from neighbouring countries. Foreign victims subjected to sex trafficking in Macedonia most commonly originate from Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, and Kosovo. Macedonian citizens are subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour in Greece, Belgium, Croatia, and other countries in South, Central, and Western Europe. Traffickers use fraudulent promises of employment to deceive young women and subject them to trafficking abroad. International organized crime groups are reportedly involved in human trafficking within the country and abroad.

Macedonia is rated as a Tier 1 Country by the US Department of State’s 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report indicating that the Government of Macedonia fully complies with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.

WATCH THE FILM IN MACEDONIAN

"More than 300 young people took part in an interactive moving caravan theatre production, bringing Two Little Girls and its characters to life."

H.E.R.A - HEALTH EDUCATION AND RESOURCE ASSOCIATION

H.E.R.A. – Health Education and Research Association was founded in 2000 as a volunteer’s movement of university students in response to the country's need for improved HIV education and treatment and care of People Living with HIV. Since the very beginnings HERA recognised the need of linking sexual and reproductive health intervention in their HIV activities and services, seen as a comprehensive public-health approach that significantly improve the quality of people’s lives. Today HERA is a leading national NGO working in the field of HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights. HERA’s vision is to establish a world in which sexual and reproductive rights are guaranteed and a world in which all men, women and young people are healthy and free, celebrating their sexuality and diversity as a basic principle of human lives.

KEY CAMPAIGN ACHIEVEMENTS:

The Macedonian Two Little Girls campaign was delivered by lead partner HERA in collaboration with Open Gate La Strada and the Red Cross.
More than 300 young people took part in an interactive moving caravan theatre production, bringing Two Little Girls and its characters to life
At least 2000 people have seen Two Little Girls in Macedonia through television screenings of the animation
A docudrama of the Two Little Girls moving caravan was made by the Macedonian campaign coordinator and is now used as another resource in the TLG campaign
The Two Little Girls campaign in Macedonia received extensive media coverage with 3 TV stations, 2 radio stations and five print medias covering it in their reporting
At least 2000 young people have participated in TLG workshops
Two Little Girls was used to sensitize Macedonian journalists to the issue of human trafficking.
Two Little Girls campaign materials were disseminated at Exit Festival 2012.