Trafficking in persons has no borders and occurs in many different sectors - its negative impacts spread across Southeast Asia. Economic downturn across the region, coupled with an increase in online activity has placed more people at risk of being recruited into false or misleading employment opportunities.
In response to these emerging trends and ongoing vulnerabilities to trafficking in persons in Southeast Asia, Australia continues over 20 years of support to ASEAN and its Member States to strengthen responses to trafficking in persons, while advancing the rights and protection of victims.
Le ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking program is a 10-year initiative (2018-2028) funded by the Australian Government and implemented by DT Global. The program supports ASEAN and ASEAN Member States to implement and report on its obligations under the ASEAN Convention against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP). The program works with and through ASEAN sectoral bodies and in five target countries – Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
Working with and through ASEAN, recent achievements include:
The program has 4 key projects to respond to common challenges in countering trafficking in persons. Recent achievements by project include: