Ombudsman Lubynets: 793 Ukrainians granted status of victims of human trafficking

According to data from the National Social Service of Ukraine, as of 1 October 2026, the status of victims of human trafficking had been granted to 793 citizens. Among them are 22 minors.

Ombudsman presents statistics and specific cases

Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubynets announced these figures. This information was released on 18 October, which marks the European Day against Human Trafficking. On this occasion, the ombudsman detailed five stories of children who became victims of the crime and required state support.

Sale of a newborn and sexual exploitation

According to Lubynets, in one case, parents sold their own newborn child. After learning about the situation from the media, the ombudsman contacted the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration. As a result, the child was granted the status of a victim of human trafficking for a period of two years.

In another episode, a 16-year-old girl was recruited for sexual exploitation. Media reports indicated that a 50-year-old woman was involved. Following the ombudsman's appeal to the Sumy Regional Military Administration, the girl was also granted the corresponding status.

Temporary transfer of children and cases from occupied territories

Another mother handed over her children to strangers for two weeks in exchange for $1,000 for the purpose of further exploitation. After the ombudsman's intervention, the children were granted the status of victims of human trafficking.

Lubynets also spoke about a boy from the temporarily occupied Luhansk region who remained in the occupied territory after the death of his relatives. After being placed under guardianship, he was forced to do hard labour, threatened with violence, and had his documents, including his Ukrainian passport, taken from him by deception. The boy managed to obtain the status of a victim of human trafficking.

In the fifth case, a mother attempted to sell her child. Following repeated appeals by the ombudsman to local military administrations, the responsible officials prepared the necessary documents, and the child was granted the corresponding status.

Victims' rights and ombudsman's quote

As Lubynets noted, this status allows individuals to receive free medical, psychological, social, and legal assistance, as well as a one-time material payment.

"Жодна дитина не може бути товаром. Наш обов’язок – вчасно реагувати на такі випадки, захищати постраждалих і забезпечувати їм доступ до допомоги" (No child can be a commodity. It is our duty to respond to such cases in a timely manner, protect the victims, and ensure their access to assistance), the ombudsman emphasised.