Child and forced marriage is an issue in the ASEAN region that cuts across countries, cultures and religions.
During Laos' year as Chair of ASEAN, the ASEAN Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), supported by ASEAN-ACT, is developing a new regional guideline on preventing and responding to child and forced marriage involving trafficking in persons.
In this episode of Conversation with Chem, our ASEAN Program Director Archemides Siguan spoke with H.E. Mrs Soukphaphone PHANIT - Permanent Secretary for Lao Women’s Union, ACWC Chair 2024 and Lao PDR’s ACWC Representative for Women’s Rights.
They discuss the critical issue of child and forced marriage against the backdrop of this year's World Day Against Trafficking in Persons theme 'Leave no child behind in the fight against trafficking', and how the implementation of the ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP) can address this.
Conversations with Chem is a video series dedicated to unpacking the region's legal instrument - the ACTIP - through the voices of different champions in the region and beyond.
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