THE MATRIFOR PROJECT

The MATRIFOR project addresses forced marriages as a new form of trafficking in human beings in Europe. 

Objectives of the study

The main objectives: 

• To study the characteristics of FM in the participation countries, in order to better understand the factors, victims' profile, and possible instruments to identify FM's cases.
• To study the main obstacles and difficulties in seeking legal redress in cases of FM in the participating countries.
• To propose specific legal mechanisms to address FM within context of the European Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA.
• To analyze the way the participating countries are transposing into their national law the obligations imposed under the above cited EU Directive
• To develop training and awareness raising materials specifically addressed to target groups and beneficiaries.

The study started on November 16 2012 and will finish November 15 2015 (36 months). 

There are 3 countries involved in the study: Belgium (project partner), Italy (project partner) and Spain (project coordinator). The institutions involved are: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain), International Centre for Reproductive Health – Ghent University (Ghent, Belgium) and le Onde Onlus (Palermo, Italy).

The study is financed by the European Commission’s programme “Prevention of and fight against crime” (DG Home Affairs).