
On March 13th, 2019, specialized training for pedagogical counselors and psychologists from the region was held in 101 Hall of the Municipality of Blagoevgrad on the topic "Internet - a safe space for children and young people in the context of the risk of involvement in human trafficking". The event was organized by the Local Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings - Blagoevgrad (LCCTHB), the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in partnership with the Municipality of Blagoevgrad and the Regional Department of Education - Blagoevgrad.
Lecturers were Antoaneta Vassileva and Ralitsa Mihailova - experts from the National Center for Safe Internet and the Parents Association.
Ms Zornitsa Kraleva, Deputy Mayor for European Programs and Projects and Chair of the LCCTHB opened the event by welcoming the participants and emphasized that children and minors are a particularly vulnerable group and praxis shows that they are daily exposed to risky situations, which puts them at risk of being involved in human trafficking.
The work of the participants in individual groups for specific cases helped to upgrade their competencies, create sensitivity to the topic and motivate them to carry out preventive activities, identify potential victims of trafficking in human beings and effectively partner with the LCCTHB - Blagoevgrad.
The training was conducted in consideration to the widespread practice of involving in traffic through new methods, tools and approaches, not least of which are based on the use of information technologies, the Internet in particular.