go to the original language article
The non-governmental organization Faros from Bosnia and Herzegovina warns of the high risk of human trafficking among people without legalized residence in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially among members of the Roma population. Young women and mothers with multiple children are the most vulnerable, it is emphasized on the occasion of the European Day for Combating Human Trafficking.
As stated, many citizens of neighboring countries such as Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Croatia, who have formed families in Bosnia and Herzegovina, face problems due to the lack of residency status. Such people are often targets of exploitative criminal groups.
Ingrid Halbritter from the association Faros notes that people without residence permits do not have access to basic social services, health insurance, or legal jobs, which further exposes them to risks.
Foreigners who do not have approved residence in Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot establish a legal employment relationship, do not have health insurance, and therefore have limited or no access to the healthcare system, and do not have the right to social services. Particularly problematic is the situation of those who do not have personal documents and cannot obtain them without support from their country of origin. The children of these women cannot be registered in the civil registry. They are de facto stateless – said Halbritter.
The association has been helping foreigners regulate their residence for years, including assistance in obtaining documents from their country of origin. They also emphasize the need for greater support for these people, not just as lawbreakers, but as potential victims of human trafficking.
Every year, on October 18, the European Day for Combating Human Trafficking is marked, established by the European Commission , intending to draw public attention to the importance of eradicating human trafficking . This day has been observed since 2006 to highlight the danger of human trafficking.
(10/18)