The eLiberare Association and UNICEF presented the results of partnership for the prevention of human trafficking of children in Romania

BUCHAREST, 27 February 2026 – The eLiberare Association and UNICEF Romania today highlighted the results of their partnership dedicated to preventing human trafficking of children. The impact of the partnership was discussed at an event which brought together representatives of public institutions working to prevent human trafficking, and professionals in child protection, education and mental health, including civil society.

Data show that nearly 44 per cent of human trafficking victims in Romania are children. In 2025, eLiberare and UNICEF Romania joined forces to assist child protection authorities in strengthening mechanisms for early detection, reporting, notification, and referral of child trafficking cases. Through this partnership, a curriculum on communicating with victims of human trafficking was developed for specialists and community actors, aiming to build practical and empathetic communication skills that facilitate identification, support and appropriate referral to specialized services.

The two organizations established a network of trainers in eight counties, and more than 500 professionals and caregivers in the childcare system received training. Additionally, a set of guidelines was developed on the proactive identification of child trafficking in residential childcare services and rural communities, as well as on risk assessment during identification, referral, and intervention processes. These guidelines are included in the National Action Plan for the Implementation of the National Strategy against Trafficking in Persons 2024–2028.

“Emotional manipulation and online grooming are some of the main ways in which children can be exploited or trafficked. Trafficking puts children’s lives, safety and entire futures at risk. It can and must be prevented. UNICEF continues to invest in developing modern and effective mechanisms and tools to protect children and prevent human trafficking," said Anna Riatti, UNICEF representative in Romania.

Among the institutions represented at the event were the Ministry of Family, Youth, and Equal Opportunities, the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (ANITP), the National Authority for the Protection of Children's Rights and Adoption, the Ministry of Education, civil society, and specialists in prevention and mental health.

During the meeting, the need for accessible, age-appropriate tools that translate the recruitment mechanisms associated with human trafficking into language that adolescents can understand and recognize in their daily lives were emphasized. Participants stressed the importance of applied education, which enables children to recognize early signs of control, isolation, and emotional dependence.

"In our direct work with adolescents, we constantly see how difficult it is for them to recognize emotional manipulation when it comes in the form of a promise of a better life in a relationship. We need practical tools that help young people ask questions, notice signs of control, and understand what is not normal in a relationship. Prevention begins when adolescents have the language and context necessary to say that something is wrong before it is too late," said Loredana Urzică-Mirea, Executive Director of the eLiberare Association.

Almost 1 in 5 victims of child trafficking came from foster care, were in foster care, or were in the care of relatives at the time of exploitation. Sexual exploitation of victims through forced prostitution and child pornography are by far the most common forms of exploitation, accounting for 63 per cent of victims exploited in 2023, with more than half being children[1].

[1] https://anitp.mai.gov.ro/ro/docs/studii/Analiza_succinta_victime_2023.pdf