Strengthening Judicial expertise and Frontline support to combat Child Trafficking

ongoing

SafeBorders aims to combat child trafficking by enhancing the capabilities of judicial authorities and frontline workers through a comprehensive approach. Specifically, the project will focus on strengthening the expertise of judicial authorities by facilitating knowledge exchange, identifying best practices, and conducting capacity-building activities. A central component of the project involves establishing a network of specialized prosecutors in human trafficking to enhance coordination and expertise in prosecuting cases involving child victims. In addition, leveraging technology in the digital era, the project will introduce an AI-platform to support cross-border cooperation among judicial authorities. This platform will collect data from court decisions to identify patterns, high-risk targets, and criminal networks involved in child trafficking. Moreover, the project will prioritize capacity-building efforts for frontline workers, including police officers, port authorities, social workers, legal professionals, and health and social services personnel. These frontline workers play a crucial role in identifying and assisting child trafficking victims at entry points and in communities. Furthermore, the proposal emphasizes a coordinated approach by bringing together national judicial authorities from participating 8 EU member states including Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Belgium, Finland and Portugal as well as Western Balkan countries that benefit from cross-border cooperation and capacity building activities. This collaborative effort aims to streamline efforts, enhance information sharing, and facilitate joint actions to combat child trafficking effectively. By strengthening the capabilities of both judicial authorities and frontline workers and promoting cross-border cooperation, the project seeks to address the complexities of child trafficking and protect vulnerable children from exploitation and abuse.