The Protector of Citizens possesses experience and knowledge when it comes to controlling the work of the competent authorities after learning about a suspicion of human trafficking, and efficient and professional work of this institution will be continued by performing the work of the national rapporteur in the field of trafficking in human beings, said the Deputy Protector of Citizens, Jelena Stojanović.
"On his own initiative, the Protector of Citizens launched control investigations into the legality and regularity of the work of the competent authorities in previous years, after finding out that there is a suspicion of human trafficking. Professional and efficient work has resulted in the new Law on the Protector of Citizens entrusting this institution with the work of the national rapporteur in the field of trafficking in human beings", said Stojanović.
At the lecture given to fourth-year students within the Legal Clinic for the Suppression of Trafficking in Human Beings, at the Faculty of Law, University of Belgrade, Stojanović reminded that the Protector of Citizens is an independent state body that protects and promotes human rights and freedoms.
"The Protector of Citizens has previously performed the work of the National Preventive Mechanism, and according to the new Law on the Protector of Citizens, in addition to the work of the national rapporteur in the field of trafficking in human beings, it also performs the work of the national independent mechanism for monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and has the status of a special body that protects, promotes and improves the rights of the child", Stojanović told the students.
The Deputy Protector of Citizens stated that in situations where there is a suspicion of trafficking in human beings, it is important to protect the identity of the victims, and stressed that the citizens being generally informed is a prerequisite for recognizing the risk of trafficking in human beings, and that the systematic cooperation of the competent authorities is a condition for solving this problem effectively.