Press release: Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie of York visits UN Trust Fund grantees in Serbia
Date:
HRH Princess Eugenie of York visited grantees of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund) in Belgrade, Serbia on 11 September 2018. During her visit of non-governmental originations, ASTRA and ATINA, Princess Eugenie was introduced to the work of organizations that are changing the lives of victims/survivors of trafficking in persons for the better, creating safe spaces for recovery and opportunities for socio-economic reintegration. A supporter of the UN Trust Fund and co-founder of UK-based The Anti-Slavery Collective, Princess Eugenie engages with organizations working to end human trafficking.
“I believe in being an advocate for the amazing work that organizations like ASTRA and ATINA are doing with the support of the UN Trust Fund and learning from them. Collectively we can end human trafficking and violence against women”, said Princess Eugenie during the visit. “Coming together for a common goal can affect change and motivate people to be a part of that change.”
Aldijana Sisic, Chief of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, accompanied Princess Eugenie for the day’s programme. “Building partnerships across the globe, with governments, civil society organizations, private sector and individuals is key in creating broader support for survivors of violence and advocating for their rights. We are delighted to have Princess Eugenie with us on this visit. Her work on and advocacy for ending human trafficking provides much needed visibility to this issue and gives an important platform to the experiences of women who shared their stories with us today,” said Ms. Sisic.
During her visit, Princess Eugenie talked with ASTRA activists about the support they provide to survivors of trafficking and how they established effective referral procedures through a UN Trust Fund-supported project. ASTRA provides specialized support, such as a SOS hotline for anyone seeking information. In 2017, the hotline received over 8,000 calls, most of which were directly related to human trafficking. So far, ASTRA has also provided direct legal and reintegration assistance in 503 cases related to human trafficking.
Managed by UN Women on behalf of the UN System, the UN Trust Fund invests in innovative projects around the world to prevent and end the pervasive human rights violation of violence against women and girls. It is the only grant-giving mechanism dedicated exclusively to preventing and ending violence against women and girls.
Read the full press release on UN Trust Fund website.
Media: Click here for available photos. Photo credit: UN Trust Fund/UN Women: Maja Medic
Video: ASTRA