European Union allocates EUR 600,000 to tackle child trafficking in Ukraine
Kyiv, June 1 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The European Commission has allocated EUR 600,000 to fund a child trafficking prevention project in Ukraine, the head of programs on healthcare and social security of the European Commission's delegation in Ukraine, Serhiy Poliuk, said at a press conference in the Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Monday.
According to him, this is one of the biggest projects ever realized in Ukraine through European Commission supported NGOs.
Poliuk said that Ukraine has the proper legal basis to tackle child trafficking. However, although Ukraine has signed the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, it is not being implemented.
The National Mechanisms and Potential Management in Fighting Child Trafficking in Ukraine project lasts from 2009 to 2011 and will be realized by the Chernivtsi-based regional youth association Suchasnyk and Migration Organization in Ukraine as well as governmental and public institutions in five regions of Ukraine: Chernivtsi, Zakarpattia, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Luhansk.
The project stipulates providing reintegration help to 150 children and medical help to 70 children.
The project also stipulates lobbying for necessary legal amendments.