The Council of Europe’s expert group against human trafficking (GRETA) publishes today its second evaluation report on Sweden. The report assesses developments since the publication of GRETA’s first evaluation report on Sweden in May 2014 as regards the implementation of the Council of Europe’s Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
According to the report, Sweden has made progress in a number of areas, in particular the development of the legal framework for combating human trafficking, the setting up of specialised anti-trafficking police units and the establishment of the National Support Programme which allows presumed victims of trafficking to receive assistance through the Platform Swedish Society against Human Trafficking. The adoption of a new National Action Plan to protect children from human trafficking, exploitation and sexual abuse, as well as a new National Action Plan against prostitution and trafficking in human beings, are welcome developments. However, they focus on sexual exploitation and therefore not all forms of human trafficking are sufficiently addressed. GRETA asks the Swedish authorities to ensure that the new Gender Equality Agency, which has taken over the co-ordination of action against human trafficking in Sweden since the beginning of 2018, effectively addresses all forms of trafficking in human beings, both in terms of combatting them and assisting victims.
