Trafficking victim protection in ASEAN

Guidelines

ASEAN Do No Harm Guide for Frontline Responders

  • English
  • Thai
  • Lao
  • Khmer
  • Indonesian
  • Vietnamese
  • Myanmar

Guidelines

Thailand: Guidelines for the treatment of injured persons in human trafficking

  • Thai
  • English

Case

Philippines: A case on successful prosecution of a trafficking in persons case without a victim testimony

The Supreme Court of the Philippines published a landmark case demonstrating the successful prosecution of a trafficking in persons case without a victim testimony.

  • English

Guidelines

Victim Sensitive Courts – A Handbook for ASEAN Member States

In trafficking cases, victims are often the only source of evidence, and without their cooperation it is difficult to prosecute offenders. In order to support those victims who want to participate in the criminal justice process, it is critical that the formal justice process applies a victim-centred approach. This handbook, developed by ASEAN-ACT together with target ASEAN Member States, provides guidelines and international good practice on how to implement victim sensitive courts.

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Report

Review of the Bohol Trafficking in Persons Work Plan 2017-2020

  • English

Video

Importance of Trafficking in Persons Data

To learn more about the importance of trafficking in persons data, watch this short animation. Australia through the ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking program supports ASEAN Member States to collect data on trafficking in persons with a victim-sensitive focus and promotes transparency in the publication of national trafficking in persons annual reports to support a more robust response to the eradication of human trafficking.

  • English
  • Indonesian

Policy Brief

The Blocked, The Obstructed: Intersectionality Study on the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers and Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Migrant Care with the support from OHANA Indonesia and the Disability Rights Fund conducted a study on the interrelated issues of Indonesian migrant workers and disabilities. The paper explores the multidimensional vulnerabilities faced by migrant workers and illustrates disabilities of migrant workers as a result of work accidents or violence within the workplace.

  • English
  • Indonesian

Publication

Vietnam Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Journal 2022 – The People’s Police Academy

On the occasion of the World Day Against Trafficking In Persons 2022, the People’s Police Academy has successfully launched the publication of the Vietnam Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Journal with the support from ASEAN-ACT.

  • English
  • Vietnamese

Publication

UNODC Special Event on “Doing Better: the Principle of Non-Punishment of Trafficking Victims & Investigations of Migrant Smuggling”

The Special Event on “Doing Better: the Principle of Non-Punishment of Trafficking Victims & Investigations of Migrant Smuggling”, organized by UNODC’s Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section, focused on two essential topics related to trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants on 28 June 2022 in hybrid format.

  • English

Publication

‘Abuse of a position of vulnerability’ as a means of trafficking in persons

This Guidance Note is offered to criminal justice practitioners across the ASEAN region, to support their interpretation and application of 'abuse of a position of vulnerability' as a means of trafficking in persons. ASEAN-ACT supported the design of this document with the permission of UNODC, and did not alter the original content of the document as developed by UNODC.

  • English

Video

Understanding the ACTIP, with HE Wanchai Roujanavong

How well do you know the ASEAN Convention against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP)? Conversations with Chem has been created to support ASEAN Member States further understand this regional instrument to combat human trafficking. In this episode, Chem explores gender equality and social inclusion with His Excellency Wanchai Roujanavong, Thailand's representative to the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Rights of Women and Children. 

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Video

Thailand’s approach to victim-sensitive courts

ASEAN-ACT works with judges across the region to embed gender-sensitive and victim-centred approaches into law, policy and practice. Judge Jarimjit, Office of the President of the Supreme Court in Thailand shares her experiences and some of Thailand's initiatives to better support and protect trafficked victims in court.

Publication

How has COVID-19 affected migrant workers vulnerability to human trafficking for forced labour in Southeast Asia?—a narrative review

While migrants have been working in the very occupations and sectors essential to keeping societies and economies running during the pandemic, they have oftentimes been the least protected. This paper by ASEAN-ACT seeks to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrant workers’ vulnerability to human trafficking for forced labour in Southeast Asia.

  • English

Video

What is trauma informed care?

Victims of human trafficking experience trauma in various forms, which impacts how they may remember their experiences and their ability to trust and talk about it. Law enforcement, prosecutors and judges play a crucial role in minimising re-traumatisation, and supporting recovery and reintegration. IJM Thailand Director Andrew Wasuwongse explains trauma-informed approaches in this video.

Research

Implementing the Non-Punishment Principle to protect victims of trafficking

  • English

article

What counts for victims of trafficking?

Sharing data is key to combatting human rights abuses against vulnerable groups from the ASEAN region, article by ASEAN-ACT senior adviser and author of the ASEAN TIP Data Baseline Report, Cate Sumner.

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Study

ASEAN TIP Data Baseline Report

To mark the 5-year anniversary since the ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (ACTIP) entered into force, ASEAN-ACT has studied Trafficking in Persons Annual Reports that ASEAN Member States have published in 2020, and their approach to national reporting of ACTIP.

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Study

Non-Punishment Principle Study – Regional Validation Workshop

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Publication

Blood Bricks: untold stories of modern slavery and climate change from Cambodia

Blood Bricks is a research project (2017-2019) undertaken by Royal Holloway, University of London, and funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council and Department for International Development (ESRC-DFID) Development Frontiers Research Fund.

  • English

Law & Agreements

Briefing Note on Human Trafficking Implications of Draft Lao Agreement 43

The ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking program had the opportunity to review the Draft Agreement on the Establishment and Management of the Employment Service Enterprise of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Agreement 43), Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare Lao PDR.

  • English

Roundtable

Video: non-punishment of victims of trafficking roundtable

An expert roundtable on the non-punishment of victims of trafficking was a special side event to the 47th Human Rights Council, co-convened by the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking Persons and the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children.

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Directory

Stakeholder Mapping summary

ASEAN-ACT undertook stakeholder mapping from June to October 2020 to identify potential government and non-government partners for the program’s victim rights and equality and inclusion work, both at the national and regional level.

  • English

Vietnam Trafficking in Persons Journal 2021

The Vietnam Trafficking in Persons Journal 2021 was prepared by the Hanoi Procuratorate University with contributions from national and regional experts in the field, and supported by the ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking program.

  • English
  • Vietnamese

Policy Brief

Lessons from COVID-19 in responding to trafficking in persons in times of crisis

To better understand the impact of COVID-19 on human trafficking and responses to it in the Philippines, ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking convened two online roundtable consultations with key stakeholders.

  • English

Policy Brief

Briefing Note on Draft Law on Vietnamese Workers Working Abroad Under Contract of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Briefing note outlining the relevant international, regional and national legal frameworks on Trafficking in Persons and recommended changes to the Draft Law 72 on Vietnamese Workers Working Abroad Under Contract.

  • English
  • Vietnamese

Publication

Freedom of movement for victims of trafficking

Throughout the ASEAN region, victims of trafficking often find themselves in some form of detention.

  • English
  • Indonesian
  • Khmer
  • Thai

Publication

Situation analysis by ASEAN-ACT

As part of ASEAN-ACT's update to its' 2020 Annual Work Plan, the program consulted with its partners to analyse the trafficking in persons operating environment across ASEAN and how COVID-19 had and will change each country's response to counter trafficking in persons.

  • English

Policy Brief

Vulnerability, human trafficking and COVID-19

COVID-19 does not discriminate, however those most a risk of contracting COVID-19 are the most vulnerable. This paper includes good responses from ASEAN Member States and provides policy recommendations to ensure those vulnerable to trafficking are protected.

  • English
  • Lao

Policy Brief

Closing borders will not stop human trafficking in ASEAN

A blog that highlights the increased risk vulnerable people in ASEAN face as COVID-19 causes systems in place to support victims of trafficking to break down.

  • English