Serbia MINIMAL ADVANCEMENT

In 2013, Serbia made a minimal advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, in a partnership with several NGOs, created anti-trafficking teams in seven locations to raise awareness of trafficking, create prevention programs, and assist in victim identification. However, children in Serbia, particularly Roma children, continue to engage in the worst forms of child labor, including forced begging and commercial sexual exploitation. In addition, the National Assembly did not adopt the 2013–2018 national strategy to guide the government’s work in preventing and protecting children from child pornography and trafficking. Serbia’s laws also fail to protect children fully from the worst forms of child labor. Serbia does not specifically prohibit the use, procurement, or offering of a child for the production and trafficking of drugs. In addition, the Government does not have a list of hazardous occupations prohibited for children, and there is a general lack of coordination among government agencies to address the worst forms of child labor. I. Prevalence and Sectoral Distribution of Child Labor Children in Serbia are engaged in the worst forms of child labor, including forced begging and commercial sexual exploitation.(1-5) Table 1 provides key indicators on children’s work and education in Serbia