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A central challenge of a modern-day response to human trafficking, nationally and internationally, is putting in place co-operative frameworks to enable state actors to fulfil their obligations to protect and promote the human rights of trafficked persons and co-ordinate their efforts in a strategic partnership with civil society. On the occasion of the European Union (EU) Anti-Trafficking Day on 18 October 2023, the Anti-Trafficking Programme of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) stresses the importance of cross-border and multi-agency cooperation in combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims.

The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) will hold the eighth annual Vienna Migration Conference (VMC) on 10-11 October. The most important migration conference in Europe will bring together decision-makers and high-level stakeholders from Europe, Africa and Asia ahead of key European and the EU 2024 elections, where, once again, migration will prove a central theme of the global debate.

The annual World Day against Trafficking in Persons, marked on 30^th July, brings together policy-makers, operational specialists and the general public to reflect upon the response to trafficking in human beings (THB) in their own country, region and globally. This year, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) marks this occasion by emphasising the importance of regional approaches in combatting THB and supporting its victims.

Between the 7^th and 9^th of March 2023, under the scope of the KOMPLEKS project, ICMPD organized a study visit for representatives of Polish local authorities and project partners to the Czech Republic.

On 7–10 March 2023, in Freetown, Sierra Leone, the ICMPD Anti-Trafficking Programme held a validation workshop on the newly developed Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) of the National referral mechanism for victims of trafficking.

The EU could see an influx of up to four million more Ukrainians in 2023, and Russia will seek to further weaponise migration from North Africa and the Middle East. These are just two of the forecasts made in the latest Migration Outlook report 2023 from the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).

This year ICMPD’s Anti-Trafficking Programme (ATP) is celebrating its 20 year’s anniversary. The Programme took the opportunity to mark the occasion by reflecting on its history, milestones in its development and flagship initiatives.

Between the 7^th and 9^th of November 2022, under the scope of the KOMPLEKS project, ICMPD organized a study visit for representatives of Polish local authorities and project partners to Austria.

On 4 October 2022, the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT), chaired by ICMPD, met with the European Union Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, Diane Schmitt, to exchange on policy matters and strengthen cooperation to counter conflict-related human trafficking.

On 25-26.10.2022, the Anti-Trafficking Programme facilitated two meetings of the anti-trafficking stakeholders in Cabo Verde aiming at the validation of the National Strategy and Action Plan against Trafficking and at setting the next actions of the National Observatory against Human Trafficking.
 

Between July and September 2022, under the scope of the KOMPLEKS project, ICMPD organised a first series of training on gender-based violence and risk of human trafficking of unaccompanied minors. 

As a Secretariat of the Network of Anti-Trafficking Coordinators in South-East Europe (NATC SEE), ICMPD supports the Slovenian chairmanship of the Network to mark the EU Anti-trafficking day. The Network issued a Joint Statement addressing the vulnerability of the millions affected by the war in Ukraine to exploitation, abuse and human trafficking.

Between the 5^th and 7^th of September 2022, under the scope of the KOMPLEKS project, ICMPD organized a study visit for representatives of Polish local authorities and project partners to Norway.

ICMPD and international organisations call on states to harness the opportunities presented by technology to counter trafficking in persons. On the occasion of 30 July, the International Day against Trafficking in Persons, a joint statement was published by the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT), that ICMPD is co-chairing this year.