Resources

The landmark ASEAN Guidelines provides comprehensive, practical guidance for ASEAN Member States on implementing the non-punishment principle, which ensures that victims of trafficking in persons are not penalised for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of their trafficking experience. The guidelines provides a definition of what the non-punishment principle entails, emphasising its importance in fostering…

This in-depth report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) examines the alarming rise of cyber scam operations across Southeast Asia. These operations, often run from heavily guarded compounds in countries like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and the Philippines, exploit tens of thousands of trafficked individuals to perpetrate online fraud on a global scale….

Modern slavery is increasingly recognised as a global risk. In Asia Pacific it is estimated that 28 million people are in modern slavery, of whom 15 million in forced labour. The profits are significant, estimated at an annual US$62 billion in the region. Migrant workers are at particular risk of modern slavery in the form…

Previous research by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and others has shown that trafficking in persons could not occur on a large scale without the aid of corruption. Corruption facilitates all stages of trafficking, from the initial recruitment of victims through to situations of exploitation themselves. It also hinders effective investigation,…

The ASEAN Convention against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP) is the region’s legal instrument to combat trafficking in persons. Learn more in this factsheet, an initiative of Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) and supported by ASEAN-ACT. Download PDF Learn more in this animation, developed through a partnership with ASEAN and…

Cambodia has seen a rapidly growing trend of people being recruited from overseas into ‘online jobs’ since 2021. On arrival however, they have been taken to compounds and forced to engage in online scams, and subsequently abused psychologically and physically if resisting. Local authorities have raided compounds, established hotlines and complaint systems, and repatriated hundreds…

Effective counter-trafficking responses must provide comprehensive support that addresses the needs of vulnerable groups, but also safeguards the rights of all victims. This guidebook has been developed, in partnership with the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), to support the monitoring of gender-sensitive and victim-centred approaches…

Safeguarding the rights of children coming in contact with the law, including as victims, witnesses or suspected perpetrators in trafficking in persons cases, calls for special measures. This includes measures to prevent re-traumatisation and further harm during the justice process, which recognise children’s heightened vulnerability.   Trafficked victims who are children must be given special…

The understanding of what makes a person vulnerable to trafficking in persons continues to evolve, however, the link between disability and trafficking in persons remains less well-understood. To address this gap, new research by ASEAN-ACT in partnership with Australian University La Trobe enquires into the vulnerability of persons with disabilities to trafficking in persons, as…

Journalists and news outlets play an integral role in breaking stories about trafficking in persons, influencing action and shaping public sentiment. However, the media in Southeast Asia must navigate a difficult landscape while reporting on trafficking in persons. In addition to precarious legal landscapes, the media is under financial strain. Journalists also face challenges in…

We are pleased to share our Annual Progress Report for 2023. In this report, ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking program shares brief progress and highlights of our partner’s achievements at regional and national levels. We also report on our partnerships with non-government organisations to progress inclusive public policy for counter-trafficking. Download full report.

Thailand is a country in need of overseas workers, with an aging population and key industries still reliant on low-skilled, low-cost labour. Several agreements are in place between Thailand and its neighbours to facilitate the movement of migrant workers. Yet difficulties remain for companies seeking to recruit workers using these formal channels due to a…

Migrant workers in Southeast Asia are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Wage theft can be a coercive factor in keeping workers in conditions of forced labour. Migrant Forum in Asia, supported by ASEAN-ACT, conducted this study to examine the linkages between wage theft and forced labour among migrant workers in ASEAN. The study was carried…

The ASEAN Multi-Sectoral Work Plan Against TIP 2023-2028 (Bohol TIP Work Plan 2.0) has been developed by SOMTC and relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies under the leadership of SOMTC Philippines, with support from ASEAN-ACT, through a series of consultation meetings in 2022. The draft was reviewed and considered by SOMTC and relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies from…

The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), in partnership with ASEAN-ACT, has developed human rights-based counter trafficking materials in consultation with government and non-government practitioners across the region. A training guide has been developed specifically to assist police to prevent and respond to trafficking in persons at the community level. Community policing can be…

We are pleased to share our Annual Progress Report for 2022. In this report, ASEAN-ACT shares progress stories and evidence of our partner’s achievements at regional and national levels.  We also report on our partnerships with non-government organisations to progress inclusive public policy for counter-trafficking. Download the full report here

Practical training resources have been developed for frontliner responders working with trafficked victims, as part of a multi-year partnership with the ASEAN Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the rights of Women and Children (ACWC) and ASEAN-ACT. The training resources focus specifically on gender-sensitive and victim-centred approaches. Using an eLearning platform, an introductory course…

Sheltering victims of trafficking requires a gender-sensitive and victim-centred approach, which provides safety and protection for victims whilst also ensuring their freedom of movement and autonomy. As part of a multi-year partnership, ASEAN Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) supported by ASEAN-ACT developed a policy brief on…

ASEAN-ACT partnered with La Trobe University, and with support from University of Auckland, to document experiences of trafficked fishers in accessing justice in the offshore fishing sector. The research team conducted a detailed legal review of human trafficking in fisheries cases in Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines, with key justice, law enforcement and civil…

ASEAN-ACT supported the Supreme Court of Indonesia in using a set of victim sensitive court indicators to analyse trafficking in persons decisions made between 2019-2021. The analysis provides an overview for the Court of the way trafficking in persons cases are prosecuted, the evidence relied upon in the trial, the outcomes in the case and…

The ASEAN Convention against Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (ACTIP) is a legally binding convention that standardises the understanding and application of trafficking in persons legislation, promotes cooperation between ASEAN member states, and enhances the protection of, and support provided to trafficked victims. To date, ASEAN member states have made progress in enacting…

Migrant workers are among the most vulnerable populations to human trafficking in the region and elsewhere, however few are ever officially identified as victims of trafficking. The different levels of economic and industrial development across the region, inequalities in human development and security, labour supply and demand, demographic profiles and changes, governance and access to…

Frontline responders play a key role in combatting trafficking and supporting victims of human trafficking. They are often the first contact point for victims of trafficking during the identification process. They also support the protection, health, shelter and long-term recovery and rehabilitation needs of the victims. Frontline responders and support persons play an important role in…

In this report, we take a look at some of our work in 2021 and share examples, evidence and stories at a regional level, and by country. We also share updates of our partnerships with nine non-government organisations which commenced in June 2021. Download a copy of the ASEAN-ACT Annual Progress Report for 2021.

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. The objectives of a victim-centred approach are to:…

In November 2016, the ASEAN Cross-Sectoral Work Plan on Trafficking in Persons, or the Bohol Trafficking in Persons Work Plan 2017-2020 (BWP), was developed under the initiative of the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) of the Philippines through the collaborative efforts of relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies / Organs, with the aim of…

This paper by ASEAN-ACT published in the Journal of Public Health and Emergency seeks to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrant workers’ vulnerability to human trafficking for forced labour in Southeast Asia. Migrant workers already make up a large proportion of those most vulnerable to the coercion and exploitation that define human…

The non-punishment principle sets out that victims of trafficking should not be prosecuted or otherwise punished for unlawful acts they commit as a consequence of trafficking. It does not offer blanket immunity, but is a critical tool for victim protection and human rights-based criminal justice response to human trafficking. The ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking In…

Marking the 5th anniversary of the ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP) entry into force (8 March), we speak with a regional leader in countering-human trafficking: Usec. Bernardo C. Florece Jr, Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) Voluntary Lead Shepherd on Trafficking in Persons. In this exclusive interview, he…

As a way of marking 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. The findings and recommendations from this Baseline Report can be downloaded here. To…

Data is fundamental to every decision made by victims, courts, government agencies or civil society organisations to prevent and combat human trafficking. Without data, it is difficult to tell the impact of allocated funds, whether trafficking patterns are changing, and what efforts might be needed to improve counter-trafficking responses. More importantly, without data it is…

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. As part of the stakeholder mapping, a stakeholder directory was developed and featured on the ASEAN-ACT portal. The Directory lists the key players…

This Do No Harm guide has been summarised to support frontline responders working with trafficked persons. The Do No Harm principle requires any individual or organisation coming into direct contact with victims of trafficking including the justice sector, government and non-government service providers, development donor and implementing partners, academia, advocates and researchers, and the media…

An analysis of law, policy and practice in the ASEAN Region

ASEAN-ACT partner resource portal includes research, resources and tools to continue counter trafficking work in times of crisis.

Published: 31 July 2020

Covers the potential impacts that COVID-19 may have on human trafficking, highlights potential government policy responses and examples of good practice.