Ex-Post Evaluation Of The Project ‘Strengthening The National Capacities In Counter Trafficking In Human Beings In North Macedonia’

The object of the external ex-post evaluation was the project ‘Strengthening the National Capacities in Counter Trafficking in Human Beings in North Macedonia’. The objective of the project was to contribute to the national efforts to effectively counter human trafficking and strengthen its efforts in protecting trafficked persons, vulnerable migrants and groups vulnerable to migration related risks. Considering the geostrategic position of the country, at the main sub-route at the Western Balkans route, it could be expected that it will remain an attractive route for smuggling of migrants.

This is particularly because this is the fastest sub-route towards EU Member States (members and non-members of the Schengen zone) with a well-developed road infrastructure and fewer border crossings to pass. With the arrival of nearly one million people who needed assistance from crisis areas in 2015 and 2016, North Macedonia, and other countries in the region, faced a massive influx of refugees and migrants that surpassed existing capacities for reception, accommodation and management of the new situation.