This report is based on the Monitoring and Evaluation of Anti-trafficking Policies: A Handbook for Victims’ Advocates (hereafter: the Handbook) developed in 2016. The Handbook was designed with the idea to enable monitoring of national anti-trafficking policies and practice.

The Handbook gives a comprehensive list of indicators divided in two sections. Section 1 looks at the legal and policy development. Section 2 looks at the practice. Both policy and practice are examined through seven areas: general investigation and prosecution, identification of trafficking victims, the protection of victims of human trafficking, assistance and support to victims, compensation and legal redress, institutional framework, and finally data protection, data availability and protection of private life.

The Handbook uses as its reference points the obligations accepted by governments by signing and ratifying international instruments in the area of combatting human trafficking. The Handbook was developed by independent experts in close collaboration with civil society organizations from Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, the Netherlands, and France.