On February 10-11, 2026, a two-day multidisciplinary training "Identification of victims of human trafficking and ensuring access to assistance within the framework of the National Interaction Mechanism" was held in the city of Dnipro.
The event was held within the framework of the project "Building the capacity of the subjects of the national interaction mechanism in the field of counteraction to human trafficking to identify victims of human trafficking and provide them with assistance" by the Public Union "Coalition of NGOs to Combat Human Trafficking" with the support of the International Organization for Migration in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine and the National Social Service Service of Ukraine.
The training was attended by representatives of the subjects of the National Mechanism for Interaction at the regional level of Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhia regions - specialists from structural units of departments and departments of social protection of the population, departments of family, youth, and mass events of national and patriotic education of regional state administrations, social service centers, migration police units, juvenile prevention, Children's Services, municipal institutions, and public organizations.
The training aimed to increase the capacity of the subjects of the National Mechanism for Interaction to timely identify victims of human trafficking and ensure the provision of comprehensive assistance to them using effective interagency interaction. Particular attention was paid to improving access of victims to social, legal, psychological, and other necessary services.
The program of the event combined theoretical and practical blocks. Participants discussed current trends and statistics on human trafficking in Ukraine, the role of stereotypes in the process of identifying victims, and reviewed the international and national regulatory framework in this area.
A separate module was dedicated to the structure and tasks of the National Mechanism for Interaction, criteria and indicators for identifying victims, the procedure for establishing the status of a person who has been trafficked, and opportunities for receiving state assistance.
The second day of the training had a pronounced practical component. Participants took part in a simulation exercise on identifying a victim, determining their needs, organizing the establishment of the status of a person who has been trafficked, and coordinating the provision of assistance. This allowed them to practice the algorithms of interagency interaction and consolidate the knowledge gained in practice.
A separate focus of the event was to highlight the specifics of combating child trafficking and the application of a trauma-oriented approach in working with victims, which is an important component of high-quality and sensitive assistance.
The training ended with a summary, discussion of the learning outcomes, and awarding of certificates to participants.
Conducting such interregional training events contributes to strengthening the professional capacity of the subjects of the National Interaction Mechanism, establishing effective cooperation between regions, and increasing the level of protection of victims of human trafficking.