Protokol za postupanje u slučajevima prosjačenja, skitnje, radne eksploatacije i drugih vidova zloupotrebe djece u Tuzlanskom kantonu

The most common victims are children of various ages, while the most common perpetrators and organizers are adults. Prosjačenje is a hidden form of child labor that results in the exploitation of children for material gain by adults who induce them to engage in such behavior. The Protocol for the Handling of Cases of Prosjačenje, Skitnje, Radne Eksploatacije, and Other Forms of Child Abuse in the Tuzla Canton is based on the obligations assumed by Bosnia and Herzegovina through the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labor, and the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. The Protocol regulates intersectoral cooperation with the aim of ensuring the highest possible level of safety and protection for children who may become victims of economic, sexual, and other forms of exploitation, as well as other forms of human trafficking. All activities of competent authorities provided for by this Protocol must be carried out in the best interest of the child, with the utmost care and protection necessary for the child's benefit, taking into account the child's opinion, valued according to age and maturity. The police are obligated to take all necessary measures and actions to protect children in cases of prosjačenje, skitnje, and radne eksploatacije, to provide them with access to medical and other forms of assistance, and to take all necessary measures and actions to protect children, document the case, and transfer information to the competent prosecutor's office, as well as to coordinate with Centers for Social Work, health institutions, the Association "Zemlja djece" with the Day Center for Children and the Children's Shelter. Upon reporting a case of prosjačenje, skitnje, or radne eksploatacije in a family, the following measures and actions must be taken: - Upon reporting a case ( Annex 1 ), it is necessary to collect as much initial information as possible about the reason for the event, such as: information about the nature of the event, the address where the prosjačenje or other form of child exploitation occurred, the phone number on which the person who reported the event can be contacted, whether it is necessary to call emergency services, whether there is a person present at the scene who reported the child, and if not, to obtain a description of the suspect and information about their possible direction of movement, whether the suspect is a mental patient, whether they are prone to consuming alcohol, narcotics, and the like. - Immediately upon learning that a child is on the street, police officers will go to the scene and, depending on the complexity of the event, a complete team for criminal processing will be involved, with a mandatory presence of a representative from the local Center for Social Work. - Upon arrival at the scene, police officers will first ensure further care for the child in the nearest Children's Shelter, together with a representative from the competent Center for Social Work. - Based on the collected information, the police patrol will inform the on-duty service of the competent police station, which will immediately inform the responsible person from the competent Center for Social Work and the responsible person from the Association "Zemlja djece" in order to protect and accommodate the victim of prosjačenje or other forms of economic exploitation, depending on the severity and consequences of the committed act, they will inform the specialists from the PU/PS teams, in accordance with the instructions for procedure and division of competences. - Police officers will go to the scene and approach the collection of evidence and documentation of the event, and depending on the specific case, they will carry out the deprivation of liberty of the perpetrator, the person who facilitates prosjačenje, skitnje, or radne eksploatacije of the child, in accordance with the Law on Criminal Procedure of Bosnia and Herzegovina