In its report on the fourth round of evaluation published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) welcomes the steps taken by Bosnia and Herzegovina to strengthen its response to human trafficking, while highlighting the need for further progress in the areas of prevention, victim identification, assistance, legal aid and compensation, the Council of Europe said.
GRETA notes a number of positive developments since the previous evaluation, including the adoption of the new Strategy for Combating Human Trafficking for the period 2024-2027, amendments to the Criminal Code of the Brčko District aimed at strengthening the legal framework for combating human trafficking, the proactive work of mobile identification teams, specialized training for professionals and a significant increase in convictions for criminal offenses of human trafficking.
The report points out that Bosnia and Herzegovina is still the country of origin, transit and destination for victims of human trafficking.
Between 2022 and 2025, 177 victims were identified, of which about three quarters were children. Forced begging is still the most common form of exploitation, followed by labor exploitation and sexual exploitation. GRETA also points to the increasing use of information and communication technologies by human traffickers for the recruitment, exploitation and control of victims, especially children and young people.
The report highlights the vulnerability of Roma children, asylum seekers and migrant workers to human trafficking. GRETA calls for stronger measures to prevent child trafficking and child marriage, improve detection of labor exploitation, strengthen screening procedures for migrants and asylum seekers, and provide adequate support and protection to unaccompanied migrant children.
GRETA also notes that victim assistance services are still heavily dependent on funding from international donors and that the closure of the largest shelter for victims of human trafficking in the country in 2024 has reduced accommodation capacity, especially for child victims. The report calls on the authorities to ensure sustainable funding for victim support services and to establish specialized safe houses for child victims.
While welcoming progress in the criminal justice response to human trafficking, GRETA reiterates its call for the establishment of a national compensation scheme for victims of human trafficking and for stronger efforts to ensure that acts of human trafficking are prosecuted as such. Authorities are also encouraged to further invest in digital tools and specialized technology-enabled anti-trafficking capacities and to strengthen investigations into online exploitation.
