Partnership for the prevention of child trafficking
The Romanian and American governments have signed a compact partnership in the field of child protection
Mihai Pelin, 17.09.2024, 13:50
Romania is the first country in Europe to benefit from an American financial support package worth 10 mln USD, designed to improve the national system for preventing and combating child trafficking. In a ceremony hosted by Bucharest, the Romanian and American governments signed a compact partnership for child protection, intended to be implemented over a period of five years.
“Human trafficking is an evil that deprives millions worldwide of their dignity and freedom. […] In order to help the most vulnerable, the United States Government will develop jointly with the Romanian Government and civil society organizations a five-year Child Protection Compact Partnership”, the United States ambassador in Bucharest, Kathleen Kavalec, said. The American official stated that the United States “will support Romania in its efforts to develop a victim-centered prevention strategy, to increase protection for child victims of trafficking, and to improve investigations in order to prosecute and convict perpetrators of child trafficking”. The Romanian Interior Minister, Cătălin Predoiu, said, in turn, that the signing of this partnership is in fact a continuation of previous cooperation, showing at the same time the determination of Bucharest authorities to combat child abuse in any form. In recent years, such phenomena have grown alarmingly all over the world, including online and other forms of child exploitation and trafficking, and Romania has not been spared from this scourge, the Romanian official argued.
The agreement is structured around four objectives: prevention, protection, prosecution and cooperation between government authorities and civil society. The signing of the Partnership opens a new front in the fight against human trafficking and seeks to ensure children’s online safety. Thus, the implementation of certain objectives assumed in the 2024-2028 National Strategy against Human Trafficking is ensured. Protecting children and teenagers against the dangers of human trafficking is a priority assumed by the Ministry of the Interior, through the National Agency against Human Trafficking. As part of the Partnership, authorities will set up the National Center for Combating Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Minors Online, which will operate within the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police, in addition to a Center of Excellence for Children’s Digital Security, created at the level of the National Authority for the Protection of Children’s Rights and Adoption. Additionally, relevant authorities expect an increase in the level of awareness of the population regarding the risks of child trafficking and their sexual exploitation online. The Ministry of the Interior reasserted its commitment to continue efforts, in cooperation with the other relevant institutions and authorities, to combat human trafficking and improve the protection and assistance offered to victims of such crimes. (VP)
