We are living in the emerging complex security challenges era. It is important to strategically and comprehensively understand every vector that successfully drives our societies towards more democratic, secure and resilient setting. Existing global and regional powers are inevitably shaping the future of international relations and power dynamics, but smaller nations and countries like Serbia and other Southeast European countries were always important segment of global concerns, due to their important Geo-political and Geo-strategic position as well as their historically implicated influence on contemporary balance of powers within the international arena. Addressing of Human Trafficking is an important segment for bridging and synchronizing wider security policies of the region but more importantly it represents a contemporary security challenge that should be addressed pro-actively through cross-sector collaboration, multilateral partnerships and intelligence and information sharing. Serbian response is directed towards modern and comprehensive strategic approach, including successful implementation of the National Strategy for Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking in Humans, Especially Women and Children and Protection of the Victims, from 2017-2022.

Western Balkans is a relatively small but culturally and demographically very diverse region of Europe. It is one of the regions currently vastly affected by the irregular migrations with the high influx of refugees and migrants from the Middle East, hence, the problem of Human Trafficking along the migration routes is emerging and rising every day. The Republic of Serbia is geopolitically positioned in the center of the Balkan route. Although the problem of Human Trafficking is addressed with high priority in Serbia, there is still much more to be done in respect to cooperation and coordination between various organizations and agencies, resulting with creating of synergy for countering this rising problem. Through the recent years, the understanding of this important security and humanitarian concern has developed and Ministry of Interior of the republic of Serbia is constantly synchronizing and adapting its legislation and regulations towards comprehensive and adequate response through partnership and cooperation with various organizations and stakeholders present in the region and globally. The importance of regional and international cooperation is definitely crucial. Many cases of Sex and Labor Trafficking are organized and transnational in their nature and only strong and sustainable international cooperation can bring us to satisfying results such is adequate protection of victims and dismantling of the criminal groups of perpetrators. A case study of child sexual exploitation that took high publicity in Serbia in 2017, and its international criminal nature involving Germany, Austria, USA, Australia and Sweden should be thoroughly analyzed as an example of emerging shapes of Sexual Exploitation of Children with using Internet by traffickers as a highly efficient asset.

After the closure of Romania the adoption agencies opened up Ethiopia for intercountry adoptions. Thousands of children have been send abroad.

The adoption program was riddled with trafficking from day one. Scandal after scandal came out and in 2018 Ethiopia finally stopped intercountry adoptions.

What did exactly happen ? Why and how do we deal today with the victims of this trade ?