Yesterday’s strategies will not meet tomorrow’s challenges. A recent conversation among leaders tenaciously combating human trafficking against the backdrop of the Ukraine War highlighted this important idea. Moderated by Libertas Council’s President, Ambassador John Cotton Richmond, the panelists included: Aleksandra Choluj (Poland’s Ministry of Interior and Administration), Iryna Horban (Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine), Tetiana Rudenko (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), Julia Sachenko (Libera, Ukraine), and Dr. Jennifer Schuetze-Reymann (The Council of Europe).
Drawing on perspectives from different sectors, agencies, and governments, the conversation traced the arc from the early days of invasion and mass displacement to today’s challenges and plans for post-war reconstruction. As Ukraine enters its fifth winter of full-scale war, its experience is unique in scale, but many of its challenges are not. Four lessons stood out:
1. Protecting Children Is Essential to a Nation’s Future
Ukraine’s children face fast-changing risks of exploitation during this war. The forcible cross-border transfer of children, online recruitment, and blackmail to commit crimes requires that justice systems recognize these children as victims, not suspects. The anti-trafficking architecture and mechanisms of prevention, protection, and prosecution are integral to their practical safety. The panelists pointed out that migration and trafficking are not the same thing, but they sometimes intersect. As countries across Europe respond to the displacement crisis, screening children to identify victims and ensuring continuity of care are critical.
2. Yesterday’s Strategies Are Not Enough
Anti-trafficking efforts need clear-eyed focus on prosecution, protection, and prevention mechanisms, while identifying and addressing barriers to implementation. Wartime demands focus on the conflict, but it does not lessen the importance of justice for crime victims. This war is exposing gaps in existing infrastructure combating trafficking. The panelists pointed out that low numbers of identified victims do not mean low risk. The war also highlights why strategies must adapt in real time. Practical action matters.
3. Reconstruction Requires Infrastructure Combating Trafficking from the Start
Ukraine has a unique opportunity to model what post-conflict anti-trafficking work can look like. Tetiana Rudenko of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) noted that of 57 national anti-trafficking action plans reviewed across the OSCE region, only one included measures for post-conflict reconstruction. In response, the OSCE’s R.E.S.T.O.R.E Ukraine Alliance is developing a sector risk-mapping methodology and practical tools (such as model procurement clauses and business due diligence checklists). But for these tools and others like them to move from aspiration to reality, they must be both practical and enforceable.
4. Hope Is Practical
When asked about what gives them hope, the panelists pointed to the dedication of their colleagues and the tenacity of Ukraine’s anti-trafficking institutions in the middle of war. But the lessons from Ukraine are not meant for observation. Julia Sachenko emphasized that hope has to translate into better services, strong institutions, and fewer people exposed to exploitation. This requires implementation at every stage. The international community should not simply admire Ukrainian resilience. It should help sustain it and draw practical lessons for how to combat trafficking in other conflict zones now.
Watch the full conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4rkp2rcnwA
Recommended Reading
This conversation is the culmination of this three-part essay series, War & Trafficking: Lessons from Ukraine, by anti-trafficking and child protection expert, Julia Sachenko:
- War & Trafficking Lessons from Ukraine (Part One) - Trafficking Protection Mechanisms During War: https://libertascouncil.org/war-and-trafficking-lessons-from-ukraine-part-one
- War & Trafficking Lessons from Ukraine (Part Two) - Child Trafficking in War - From Deportation to Risks of Exploitation: https://libertascouncil.org/war-and-trafficking-lessons-from-ukraine-part-ii/
- War & Trafficking Lessons from Ukraine (Part Three) - Rebuilding Ukraine Without Exploitation: https://libertascouncil.org/war-and-trafficking-lessons-from-ukraine-part-three