Lao PDR

Under the MPS, Anti-Trafficking Department (ATD) have been established at the provincial level. Their roles and duties are to implement the strategies, find out and be abreast of situations and the tricks of human traffickers in order to develop measures to prevent, combat human trafficking and rescue the victims and prosecute the trafficker in accordance with the laws.

ADWLE is the first NGO to establish legal aid clinics in Vientiane Capital to provide free legal aid service to women who experienced VAW including victims of trafficking. Many of these women are from the ethnic minority such as Hmong. Its also partners with secondary and law schools in Laos to raise awareness on TIP and safe migration, gender equality under the law, and women’s voices in policy and legal issues.

CARE works closely with some of the most affected marginalised urban women and remote ethnic women in Laos on income generation, sustainable farming, access to safe migration and employment, and disability. Its long term program aims to strengthen health and economic empowerment for ethnic women and girls with strong focus on gender equality and GBV. The Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) component focuses on enabling significant income options for women as well as promoting dignified work. CARE’s programme interventions also focus on strengthening informal system at the community levels as well as build capacities of relevant duty bearers on the grounds.

Child protection program provides training on child rights for judges, prosecutors and the police. It works with the Lao Women’s Union to provide preventive and responsive services to violence against children through parenting education to better respond to the needs of victims of violence and human trafficking. It supports the Child Protection and Assistance Committees at the central, provincial and district levels and the Child Protection Networks at the village level

Criminal Case Inspection Department serves as the secretariat to the OSPP on the criminal case inspection, juvenile case throughout the country including the inspection the judgement enforcement

Adjudicate criminal case including TIP cases as well as consideration for compensation; and cooperate with other organizations.

GDA advocates for civil society involvement in human rights reporting in relation to gender equality and climate change. It is working on three key issues:(1) Unpaid & Informal Women Workers, (2) Women’s Political Participation, and (3) Child, Early & Forced Marriage. It has presented at the Universal Periodic Review Pre-session for Lao PDR. GDA has a project in the north of Laos to stop child early marriage and fake marriages for the purpose of exploitation.

HI Laos work on these areas: Mine clearance; improve maternal and child health; ensure economic inclusion; support organizations for People with Disabilities; provide rehabilitation care.

TIP case consideration and judgement, Legal assistance for the victims of trafficking

To consider the application for international adoption of Lao children; to advise and provide legal assistance/legal aid

LBA provides pro bono and legal aid to the poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged people in rural areas, including victims of human trafficking.

Membership-based organisation for people with disabilities advocating disability rights and providing services to members based on their needs.

LYU is responsible for conducting campaigns to raise public awareness on trafficking in persons and its consequences to the youths of ethnic groups. It promotes and encourages young people to get education, to have access to employment, and to gain incomes.

LWU is responsible for the provision of safe shelters, physical rehabilitation, basic care services, short-term vocational trainings, counseling, legal advice, protection of legitimate rights and benefits of victims of trafficking, preparing the victims for legal case proceeding, and acting on behalf of victims in legal case proceeding, reintegration services within its areas of responsibilities. It maintains a presence across the country and down to the village level providing direct linkages within institutions, between communities and the capital and to other anti-human trafficking stakeholders.

To disseminate the laws and relevant legislative documents in relation to anti- trafficking in persons;

MOES is part of the NSC and supports the following areas of the National Plan: prevention, education, vocational training, etc.

MOICT is part of the NSC and supports the prevention of TIP.

MOJ is part of the NSC; The justice sector is responsible for collaboration and cooperation with the Ministry of Public Security and other relevant organizations to review, draft and amend the laws, organize and supervise the dissemination of the laws and relevant legislative documents in relation to anti- trafficking in persons; to supervise, consider the application for international adoption of Lao children; to advise and provide legal assistance; to supervise and enforce the court’s decisions in complete, correct, speedy and fair manners

MOLSW is part of the NSC and supports the prevention of TIP and the protection and assistance of victims. Together with the Lao Women’s Union, it assists with needs for the victims: safe shelters, rehabilitation, counselling, legal, vocational training and returning victims, within its areas of responsibilities.

MPS serves as the Secretariat of the NSC and oversees and coordinates the National Plan on Combating and Preventing Human Trafficking.

The Education and Sports sector is responsible to create the enabling conditions for Lao citizens to have access to basic general education in particular for children and women living in remote areas; to supervise, administer, guide, monitor, inspect educational institutions in particular the schools to prevent the school boys and girls, students including the Lao students studying abroad from victimization of trafficking in persons; to incorporate the activities on anti-trafficking in persons into education curriculums; to create favorable conditions for the victims to continue their education in different levels free of charge.

NCA works to develop optimal education for children, promote gender equity, and ensure protection from violence against children and women. It works with the Village Child Protection Network, District and Provincial Lao Womens’ Union, district office and provincial department of Justice and Police to assist victims of violence including human trafficking. It also raises awareness of CEDAW and CRC at the local level through the Village Child Protection Network and peer educators.

Duties of the NCMC include research and data collection; proposals to improve policies related to preventing violence against women and children and promoting gender equality; and coordinating with local sectors and foreign countries in regards to preventing and combating violence against women and children.

NSC is an inter-agency body, headed by the Ministry of Public Security. It is chaired by the Deputy-Prime Miniseter and has the roles and functions as a coordinating body for the Secretariat for the National Anti-Human Trafficking Committee and as the Centre for coordination and cooperation with relevant domestic and international organizations on anti human trafficking effort in Lao PDR. The NSC is supported by Provincial Steering Committees (PSCs) in all 17 provinces of Laos. The NSC Secretariat is headed by the Deputy Director of the MPS Police Department.

People’s Prosecution oversees criminal proceedings including TIP case and judgement enforcement; monitoring and inspecting adherence to the court’s absolute decision; cooperate with the investigation organizations and other concerned organizations that are working on prevention and stopping crimes or offenses, and other breaching of laws including the preventing of conditions which might be the causes the offenses

The press department is responsible to conduct propaganda on anti trafficking in persons; to administrate, monitor, inspect the mass media, electronic media, publications

First and only LGBT advocacy organisation in Laos. It aims to create a positive environment for young underrepresented people, young girls, and boys, men and women who have diverse sexual orientation & gender identity in Laos to be empowered and valued.

The provincial and Vientiane Capital Anti-Human Trafficking Committees are non-standing bodies which are appointed by provincial governors or Vientiane Capital Mayor. Their roles are to implement the strategic plans, programs, projects and activities with regard to anti-human trafficking, perform a central role for coordination and cooperation with relevant stakeholders within their areas of responsibilities. The provincial and Vientiane Capital Anti-Human Trafficking Committees are under the supervision of the police offices of the provinces or of the Vientiane Capital.

Before 2015, Sengsavang was known as AFESIP. Sengsavang provides protection and assistance to victims and girls at risk of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Laos. It runs a rehabilitation centre which provides legal support including filing complaints against perpetrators and works to ensure compensation for the victims. All of the victims are referred by government agencies such as ATDs, LWU, MOLSW, etc.

Social Welfare Department serves as the secretariat to the MOLSW in the development of social welfare, prevention and reduction of the risk of disaster, prepare and respond to disasters, prevention and assistance to children, vulnerable people and victims of trafficking

TAF in Laos works with local partners and Lao government agencies to strengthen governance and improve access to justice for all Lao citizens, empower women leaders and advance women’s rights and opportunities, help communities manage development and safeguard their natural environment, and increase international cooperation and access to information. It has a Legal Aid Project, Community Based Water Resource Management Project, Disaster Risk Management, Women’s University Scholarships (National University of Laos), and J/TIP. The J/TIP Project is a three-year project to improve local-level identification of TIP victims and those at risk of trafficking, link TIP victims to legal aid, and provide support for TIP victims through the prosecution process.

The National Anti-Human Trafficking Committee is a state body with non-standing function appointed by the Prime Minister and serves as the secretariat to the Government to supervise, monitor, inspect and support relevant ministries, organizations, and sectors in the areas of studying and formulation of the policies, strategy plans, laws and regulations related to anti-human trafficking and has duty to organize awareness campaigns, to mobilize financial and technical supports; plays role as the central body to coordinate and cooperate with all relevant sectors nationally and internationally on anti-human trafficking activities.

People’s Court oversees court proceedings; Adjudicate criminal case including consideration for compensation; and cooperate with other organization

Tourism Promotion Department is responsible for awareness raising of sex tourism, monitoring and inspecting the tourism businesses, hotels and entertainment businesses in order to prevent the trafficking in persons and other illegal activities.

Triangle in ASEAN delivers services directly to migrant workers and their communities through a network of Migrant Worker Resource Centres (MRCs). In Laos the four MRCs are run by Lao Federation of Trade Unions in close collaboration with the Provincial Department of Labour and Social Welfare.

USAID Laos CTIP is a five year program that supports vocational training and employment opportunities for targeted populations in Laos to reduce their vulnerability to trafficking. In turn, these efforts will offer a model of prevention and protection for the Government of Lao PDR to learn from, support and sustain as it builds its response to counter human trafficking through the implementation of related national laws, policies and programs, and provision of high-quality support services to trafficked persons.

VFI supports vulnerable young women and children, including victims of trafficking. It operates two shelters in Pakse (Champasak province) and Vientiane Capital for young women and girl survivors of trafficking, mostly from villages in southern Laos. VFI also built and operates a Transit Centre located at the Lao – Thai border checkpoint (Vangtao-Chongmek) in southern Laos. It also organizes the Youth Action Against Trafficking to raise awareness of the issue, create village-level protection networks, and prevent trafficking at the village level.