The Child Trafficking Response Programme combines the advocacy efforts of Save the Children Norway, Italy, UK and Sweden, operating together in Albania.

This initiative aims to bring an end to child trafficking in seven countries in South Eastern Europe - Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia. In this region, child trafficking is a serious concern as young people continue to be exploited.

The first phase of the programme addressed the issues of prevention, identification and support to victims, and was followed by extensive research into "Risk and Resilience", which gave valuable insights into the lives of children at risk, and provided a basis for designing programmes to prevent child trafficking.

Now in its third phase, the programme is focusing on advocacy.

The programme aims to:

• Influence govenments and national institutions to develop and implement effective policies on child services and protection.
• Ensure that children at risk have access to informal venues where they receive quality support from trained professionals.
• Encourage the development of regional and national advocacy/communication strategies to address unsafe child migrations and trafficking.

• The widely publicised Children Speak Out report, launched at a special ceremony in Brussels in 2007 (see picture) is the result of phase II of the Child Trafficking Response Programme.
  
  Three years of research involving a large number of children considered 'at risk' in seven countries in South East Europe led to substantial new insight into their lives, and a basis for desigining programmes that can reduce the risks these children face and prevent unsafe migration and child trafficking.
  
  

  Children Speak Out

• The following evaluation covers the aims and challenges faced by efforts of Save the Children in Albania against child trafficking.
  

  Evaluation of the Child Trafficking Response Programme

• This document provides guidelines on the protection of the rights of victims of trafficking.
  

  Guidelines on the Protection of Rights of trafficking victims

• This position paper represents the internal SC/SCEP framework for formulating and pursuing shared advocacy goals in the field of trafficking of children in Europe.
  

  Position Paper

For further information, see the Save the Children in Albania and SC Norway websites.

More details can also be found on website for the Oak Foundation, which is a donor for this programme.