Nicosia: The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has recognized Cyprus for its adoption of the 2023-2026 National Strategy against human trafficking, while also emphasizing the necessity for improved protections for migrant workers and asylum seekers to prevent their vulnerabilities to human trafficking.
According to Cyprus News Agency, GRETA’s latest evaluation report on Cyprus, which covers the period from 2020 to 2024, assesses the country’s initiatives to mitigate vulnerabilities to human trafficking, provide support to victims, and penalize offenders. The report acknowledges advancements such as the creation of an anti-trafficking unit within the Social Welfare Services and the expansion of the staff at the Police Office for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.
GRETA commends the establishment of the National Referral Mechanism, which has increased the detection of presumed trafficking victims, especially among asylum seekers and victims of labor exploitation. However, the report notes a decline in the number of formally identified trafficking victims, with only 110 identified from 2020 to August 2024. It highlights the need for more proactive victim identification, independent of prosecution possibilities, pointing to six-month delays in the identification process that may hinder critical assistance for victims.
The report expresses concern over the situation of migrant workers, especially those from third countries who are not included in the minimum wage regime and are often confined to vulnerable sectors. GRETA urges Cypriot authorities to strengthen measures for migrant workers by ensuring equal labor rights, increasing oversight of domestic work, and reducing workers’ dependence on individual employers.
The report also highlights the plight of asylum seekers, particularly those entering through the northern part of Cyprus, and reports of pushbacks into the buffer zone since mid-May 2024. It stresses the need to end forced returns and ensure early access to support, healthcare, and employment for asylum seekers, who face prolonged exclusion from the labor market, increasing their trafficking risks.
GRETA emphasizes the vulnerability of unaccompanied and separated children to exploitation due to limited access to healthcare and education. It calls for immediate access to education and safe accommodation for these children, as well as prompt and accurate age assessments.
Additional recommendations include ensuring victim assistance, providing sustainable funding for NGOs aiding victims, improving access to legal aid and compensation, and establishing a state compensation fund. The report also stresses the need for a legally defined recovery and reflection period for trafficking victims.
GRETA engaged with Cypriot authorities during the report’s drafting, incorporating several of their comments into the final version. The authorities received the final report on 20 December 2024 but opted not to provide further comments.