Volunteers at the Local Commission in Varna with a study on media coverage of the phenomenon of human trafficking
Volunteers of the Prevention Directorate monitored the media coverage of the problem of human trafficking in electronic daily newspapers for the last 1 year. 10 daily newspapers and over 107 articles and interviews were included in the study. In their analyses, the volunteers took note of the widespread coverage of human trafficking, the judgmental attitude towards traffickers and the sympathy expressed towards victims.
The initiative is part of the annual campaign for the prevention of trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation "Where are you travelling to?", organized by the Local Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and the Prevention Directorate - Varna Municipality, together with the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.
During the campaign, the volunteers actively participated in online discussions: 'Standards and conditions for working abroad', 'Employment contract. Rights and obligations of the worker and the employer", "Institutions involved in the prevention and combating of trafficking in human beings", "Regulatory framework" and a competition "Find a suspicious job advertisement on the Internet".
The Local Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, together with partners from the district town halls of Varna Municipality, the Labour Bureau - Varna, the Border Police - Varna Airport, distributed 3000 information materials among citizens and guests of the city.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising unemployment, there are preconditions for accepting dubious job offers at home and abroad. A highlight of the campaign this year is the real increase in the risk of being drawn into trafficking for labour exploitation.
The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness among the public and at-risk groups about the mechanisms used in trafficking, as well as to point attention to specific signs to identify victims of trafficking for labour exploitation.