Law enforcement departments from China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand conduct the “Vision 2024” joint crackdown action exercise against illegal activities in the Mekong River region in Muong Mom, Laos.

Report airs concern over trafficking

(China Daily) -- Human trafficking for forced criminality, including committing online scams and financial fraud, has been a growing trend in the Asia-Pacific region over the past four years, posing threats to migration safety, according to a UN report.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, human trafficking related to illegal activities by call centres has accelerated, particularly in Southeast Asia, according to the second Asia-Pacific Regional Review of Implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
The report, released by the United Nations Economic and Social Council at a three-day meeting in Bangkok that ended on Thursday, noted that most victims in these scam operations are recruited through fraudulent job advertisements for skilled positions on messaging apps and social media.
Convened by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, or ESCAP, and the Regional United Nations Network on Migration for Asia and the Pacific, the meeting gathered policymakers, researchers and experts in the region to identify challenges and share good practices to harness migration as a driver of sustainable development.
“As trafficking has moved into the digital sphere, efforts against trafficking in persons must be adapted, including by engaging with technology companies to ensure due diligence and by enforcing applicable legislation and regulations,” the report said.
It noted that trafficked people are often treated as criminals rather than as victims of crime and various human rights abuses. “A human rights-based approach to trafficking in persons will avoid revictimisation. Under such an approach, it is recognised that punishing a victim of trafficking for unlawful acts committed as a result of being trafficked is unjust and hinders the possibility of recovery,” the report suggested.
While the anti-trafficking legislation of several Asia-Pacific countries extends the non-punishment provision to include immigration offenses, the report indicated that many gaps still need to be closed regarding protection and access to justice for victims of trafficking, given the often inadequate or unenforced legislation and the inadequate services and remedies for trafficked persons.
“Migration, if managed in a well-informed, planned and voluntary manner, with full respect and protection of human rights, can bring benefits to all. Migrants should have their potential fully harnessed to play key roles in enhancing sustainable development in countries of origin and destination,” said Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations undersecretary-general and executive secretary of the ESCAP.
According to the report, much of the region’s cross-border migration is propelled by the search for decent work, with women migrants playing a critical yet often undervalued role in sectors such as care and domestic work. Children also make up a significant proportion of migrants in the region, with unique needs for services and protection due to their heightened vulnerability.

(Latest Update February 10, 2025)