In septemeber 2013, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) commissioned a six-month needs assessment on the human trafficking situation in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina [BiH], UNSC resolution 1244-administered Kosovo, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,Montenegro and Serbia).
The purpose of the needs assessment was to collect and summarize stakeholder views of the current landscape of mechanisms and resources available to combat trafficking in persons (TIP) in the region. The assessment sought to identify stakeholders’ perspectives on key gaps related to the identification, referral,assistance and support for trafficked persons. Stakeholders were also asked for their recommendations on how to strengthen existing responses, correct inappropriate processes, and rectify fundamental gaps in regional counter trafficking resources.
The needs assessment involved six primary steps: (1) a desk review consisting of collection, coding and analysis of documents identified and requested by IOM and supplemented by the research team; (2) development of two tools for identification of stakeholders and their roles to include in the needs assessment; (3) interviews with 37 identified stakeholders in-person and by telephone;(4) an online survey of regional, sub-regional and extra-regional IOM staff and other stakeholders (yielding 99 out of 135 completions for a response rate of 73%); (5) analysis and triangulation of all data sources using a structured coding scheme to develop findings and initial recommendations; and (6) presentation and correction/validation of study findings and recommendations at a stakeholders workshop.