MONTHLY NEWSLETTER. United Nations Action for Cooperation against Trafficking in Persons. SPA IV Development. Upcoming Events.

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1 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 2 United Nations Action for Cooperation against Trafficking in Persons MONTHLY NEWSLETTER J U L Y In This Issue: SPA IV Development 1 Upcoming Events 2 Trafficking Trends and Developments 3 News Updates 4 Monthly Focus: Making History 5 Featured Publication 6 Contact Information JULY 2014 S M T W T F S Anti- trafficking partners meeting to develop the latest Sub- regional Plan of Action to combat human trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub- region UN- ACT aims to ensure a coordinated approach to strategically and effectively combat trafficking in persons in the Greater Mekong Sub- region (GMS) Upcoming Events July 7 - Network Meeting on Labour Migration (ILO / Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare) Vientiane, Lao PDR July Workshop: The GMS Countries & Their Response to Trafficking in Persons (Caritas Asia) Siem Reap, Cambodia July 17 - UN- ACT National Project Launch in Lao PDR (UN- ACT) Vientiane, Lao PDR

2 PAGE 2 CAMBODIA Trafficking Trends and Developments AFESIP Funding: In the wake of recent revelations surrounding Somaly Mam, the Somaly Mam Foundation (SMF) has cut funding to AFESIP: Acting for Women in Distressing Situations. This has posed a big challenge for AFESIP as SMF was, until recently, its primary donor. AFESIP is currently seeking funding to support its current staff and victims in its shelters. Tens of thousands of Cambodians have left Thailand over fears of a crackdown on migrant workers by Thai authorities. Rumours and conflicting reports continue to cloud circumstances surrounding the exodus, with workers fearful of arrests and deportations, while the Thai National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has refuted claims of any such action. The latest estimates suggest that over 250,000 Cambodian workers have returned home since early June. Cambodian migrants heading to a transit zone in the Thai- Cambodian border town of Aranyaprathet CHINA Victim Support: UN- ACT China office received an emergency assistance request from the UN- ACT Cambodia Office regarding 6 presumed victims of trafficking for forced marriage. These women had escaped from their Chinese husbands/buyers in Jiangxi, arriving at a consulate in Shanghai for protection, support and repatriation assistance. As the consulate did not respond to their requests, the China office partnered with World Vision China and worked together for the next three weeks to provide the women, many of whom were pregnant, with shelter, interpretation, identification and return services. Coordination with the Chinese police, along with NGO s and the UN- ACT Cambodia office was conducted on a daily basis. LAO PDR Safe Migration Training: The International Organization on Migration completed a Training of Trainers (ToT) on Safe Migration, educating village leaders and teachers in 3 districts of Borkeo province in northern Lao PDR. The ToT was organized on three separate occasions with more than 80 participants. 2

3 PAGE 3 MYANMAR Working Group Meeting: A meeting was held in Yangon at the World Vision Myanmar office to discuss Chinese- Myanmar labour trafficking issues, a workshop engaging victims entitled Survivor Gathering, and other pressing concerns between the two countries. Representatives from World Vision, AAPTIP, Save the Children, IOM, Walk Free, UN- ACT and UNICEF attended the discussions. THAILAND TIP Report 2014: The U.S. State Department released its annual Trafficking in Persons Report for 2014, which saw Thailand downgraded to Tier 3 after four consecutive years on the Tier 2 Watch List. As a result, limited sanctions could be imposed on the Thai government as of October 1 st. The NCPO has since vowed to improve the country s current ranking by reaffirming its commitment to strengthening law enforcement capacities, protecting victims of trafficking, and punishing perpetratrators. Worker Registration Centers: In order to combat human trafficking, worker registration centres have been established and administered by the MoI in the four border provinces of Sakaeo, Chantaburi, Trat and Surin to document Cambodian workers entering Thailand. Similar centres are also expected to be set up in other border provinces. A one- stop service office for workers from Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar was also opened on 30 June, with eight offices currently operational and additional six to be opened on 15 July. VIET NAM Mission to Singapore: In an attempt to expand bilateral cooperation to non- COMMIT countries, the Vietnamese government sent a delegation to conduct a survey in Singapore, one of the main destination countries for Vietnamese migrants. The objective of the survey was to further understand the living and working conditions of Vietnamese migrant workers in Singapore, as well as the legal framework of the Singaporean government in response to crimes of human trafficking. Outputs of the survey are expected to contribute to the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries. ANTI- TRAFFICKING PARTNERS The ILO ASEAN TRIANGLE Project is currently running an online discussion on complaints mechanisms for migrant workers in the ASEAN region through the Asia Pacific Migration Network. The aim of the online discussion is to cite good practices and review the challenges of implementing effective complaints mechanisms responding to recommendations made at the 6 th AFML, and identifying key inputs to the development of a Regional Guideline on complaints mechanisms for ASEAN. Topics to be discussed will surround good practices in complaints mechanisms, barriers preventing migrant workers from accessing complaints mechanisms, addressing specific issues such as isolated worksites and gender responsiveness, priority avenues for disseminating information to migrant workers on the availability of support services, and how ASEAN can develop/adopt regional guidelines and tools on the establishment of complaints mechanisms. The online discussion can be accessed at: 3

4 PAGE 4 ANTI- TRAFFICKING PARTNERS Chab Dai is conducting a collaborative research study on the Impact and Perceptions of Short- Term Volunteers in the Human Rights Sector in Cambodia. The main research questions for this study are: 1. What is the motivation of short- term volunteers coming to Cambodia? How do volunteers perceive their experience impacting their future plans and worldview? 2. What is the impact of short- term volunteers on the programs and organisations with which they interact? 3. What are the perceptions, expectations, and lived experiences of volunteers, and organisations regarding the volunteer s work and contribution? For the purposes of this study, Chab Dai is recruiting short- term volunteers who fit the following criteria, to fill out an Entry and Exit survey: Volunteering in Cambodia from 1-6 months Volunteering in the human rights sector Arriving in Cambodia in May, June or July 2014 Chab Dai is also recruiting NGO leaders/staff who manage/host short- term volunteers, as well as Cambodian staff who interact and work with short- term volunteers, for interviews on perceptions of volunteer impact and information on volunteer program structures. To complete the survey, please follow this link: For further information, please contact Julia Smith- Brake at julia.smithbrake@chabdai.org The Anti- Trafficking Review is an open access, academic publication with a readership in 78 countries, published by the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW). The Anti- Trafficking Review calls for papers for a Special Issue entitled 'Forced Labour and Human Trafficking.' While there has been a shift to acknowledging 'all forms of human trafficking,' the current scholarship around the intersections between human trafficking, forced labour and labour rights abuses more broadly is in its infancy. There are many unresolved conflicts between varying approaches to the broader spectrum of exploitative practices referred to (in some instances interchangeably) as slavery, forced labour, and human trafficking. For instance, trafficking is addressed in an individualistic framework, whereas forced labour is linked to labour rights' approaches, presenting the possibility of collective, potentially empowering, responses. The different frameworks also result in different political organisations (with their specific histories, ideologies, forms of operating etc.) being involved in the search for solutions: including trade unions, governments, NGOs and international organisations. For more detailed information, please click here: Call for Papers Deadline for submission: 30 November 2014 Word count for Full Article submissions: 4,000-6,000 words, including footnotes, author bio and abstract Special Issue to be published in 2015 We advise those interested in submitting to follow the Review's style guide and submission procedures, available at Please the editorial team at atr@gaatw.org with any queries. 4

5 PAGE 5 NEWS UPDATES Remarks at the release of the 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report I want to emphasize this report, the Trafficking In Persons Report, June 2014, this is not just a book, it s not just a report filled with stories that will touch you. This is a call to action. It s a call to conscience. (U.S. Department of State) Washington downgrades Thailand over human trafficking The decision to drop Thailand to "Tier 3" in the annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report came after four consecutive years of holding Thailand on the Tier 2 warning list, and recommending the government take action. (Bangkok Post) Brides for sale: Vietnamese women, young girls trafficked to China The Lao Cai shelter currently houses a dozen girls from various ethnic minority groups. All say they were tricked by relatives, friends or boyfriends and sold to Chinese men as brides. (Hindustan Times) Special Report: Thailand pledges to resolve human trafficking problem While the latest TIP report did not recognize Thailand s vigorous, government- wide efforts Thailand remains committed to combating human trafficking because the issue remains a national priority and human trafficking is anathema to Thailand s core values. (National News Bureau of Thailand) ILO adopts new Protocol to tackle modern forms of forced labour A new legally binding ILO Protocol on Forced Labour aims to advance prevention, protection and compensation measures, as well as to intensify efforts to eliminate contemporary forms of slavery. (International Labor Organization) Thailand reverses earlier decision, backs ILO protocol on forced labour Thailand has reversed its stance and decided to back an international protocol on forced labour, despite initially voting against the move in Geneva several days ago. The decision reaffirms commitments to eliminate forced labour in compliance with the new instrument (The Nation) EU to combat sexual violence against minors during World Cup A campaign to raise awareness against sexual exploitation of minors in Brazil during the World Cup was launched on Thursday by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. (Xinhua News) World Cup 2014: On myths and reality of sex trafficking false rumours about human trafficking come at a cost. Not only are precious resources wasted in sensationalist campaigns rather than in social projects on the ground... Generally, the way human trafficking is represented resembles more a myth than the reality... (Al Jazeera) After Somaly Mam Resigns, Trafficking NGOs Anxious while the organization continues to remain silent on the implications of the investigation and Ms. Mam s resignation, a number of Cambodia- based NGOs said this week that they are worried about the impact on their work. (Cambodia Daily) Training in helping trafficked people The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has organised training sessions on assistance for human trafficking victims in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). (Bangkok Post) 5

6 PAGE 6 Fearing a Junta Crackdown, Cambodian Workers Stream Out of Thailand The abrupt departures threaten to strain relations between the two countries and could hurt both Thai industries that rely on Cambodian workers and the Cambodian economy, which benefits from the workers remittances. (New York Times) Cambodia wants workers to return to Thailand Thai Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Sihasak Phuangketkeow said at a press conference that NCPO does not plan to eradicate migrant workers, but only wants to regulate them to provide legal protection and to protect them from human traffickers. (Channel News Asia) Bangladesh to sue Thai, Myanmar nationals for firing at illegal migrants in Bay of Bengal the human trafficking gang opened fire on the illegal migrants after a clash erupted between them over insufficient food supply to the passengers, many of whom were awaiting for weeks in the vessel. (Xinhua News) US ambassador lauds junta s labor policy Only days after the United States cut military aid to Thailand, US Ambassador Kristie Kenney yesterday praised the ruling junta for its new regulation on migrant labor, describing it as "a good policy" to tackle human trafficking. (Phuket Gazette) Feature: Poverty forces out Nepalese kidney trade Kidney trafficking operates in various ways. Victims can be forced to give up an organ but some, out of financial desperation, agree to sell it. (Xinhua News) The Somaly Mam Story: What We Still Know About Sex Trafficking The Somaly Mam episode cannot be used as an excuse to deny or ignore the undeniable exploitation of countless human beings in the sex trade (Huffington Post) The celebration, themed "Together to eliminate violence against children", brought together some 2,500 participants including officials, diplomats, development partners, teachers and students. (Xinhua News) Cambodia marks Children s Day, calling for end to violence against children Myanmar man nabbed for trafficking abuses Phuket police have netted a Myanmar man for allegedly scamming four compatriots into working on a fishing trawler for six months without pay. (The Nation) Vietnamese police bust ring trafficking women to China Police in the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong arrested two men on Tuesday and launched a manhunt for another for trafficking women into brothels in China. (Thanh Nien News) 6 arrested for trafficking Vietnam women to China Ka Thuy Linh, 28, was arrested on Wednesday in Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ho Chi Minh City when she prepared to fly three Vietnamese women to Hanoi before taking them to China police said four foreigners were with Linh at the airport, but refused to reveal their nationalities. (Thanh Nien News) 6

7 PAGE 7 Exploitation in Taiwan s $2bn fishing industry What is especially disturbing, local NGOs say, is that human trafficking - where large portions of salaries are deducted by agencies for repayment of a supposed recruitment debt by the worker - are happening right under local authorities' noses, but they are not taking a proactive approach. (BBC News) US man sentenced 1 year for abusing boys Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday sentenced the American director of a Christian orphanage to a year in prison for sexually abusing five underage Cambodian boys who were in his care, a charge the defendant maintained had been trumped up by a prominent child protection group. (Phnom Penh Post) Burmese Trafficking Gang Busted in Thailand Five Burmese nationals who allegedly trafficked their countrymen into neighboring Thailand were arrested in a joint operation by Thai authorities and Burmese advocacy groups last week (The Irrawaddy) Police block alleged plan to sell brides An alleged human trafficker was charged and another escaped yesterday after a roadside stop revealed they were transporting two women to Phnom Penh so they could fly to Australia for marriage. (Phnom Penh Post) Revealed: Asian slave labour producing prawns for supermarkets in US, UK Thai 'ghost ships' that enslave, brutalise and even kill workers are linked to global shrimp supply chain, Guardian investigation discovers. (The Guardian) Globalised slavery: how big supermarkets are selling prawns in supply chain fed by slave labour (Video Clip) Police raid terminates alleged virginity sale A 42- year- old woman was charged with procurement of prostitution on Saturday for allegedly coordinating the sale of a 16- year- old Vietnamese girl s virginity to a man for $2,500. (Phnom Penh Post) Deceived farmers locked in Thai jail Three men and a woman from Prey Veng province each paid 9,500 baht ($300) for documents they believed allowed them to work in Thailand to broker Huy Tom, said So Heurn, 56, whose son was arrested in possession of fake documentation. (Phnom Penh Post) Burmese Migrants Cite Safety Concerns Amid Crackdown by Thai Junta Burmese migrants in the construction and fishing industries, including those with legal rights to work in the country, are reporting mistreatment by their employers and the police. (The Irrawaddy) Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions expressed in the above news articles do not express the views and opinions of UN- ACT or any of its affiliated agencies or partners 7

8 PAGE 8 MONTHLY FOCUS Making history: The Journey to Modernize Action against Forced Labour Thetis Mangahas Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific International Labour Organization The 2014 International Labor Conference (ILC) stands out in my mind primarily with the adoption of the Forced Labor Protocol and its Supplementary Measures Recommendation. The new instruments constitute a major advance in the world s movement against forced labor and its modern forms, more importantly as it targets the structural factors that make workers vulnerable to forced labor. The overwhelming number of positive votes at the ILC 2014 represents a strong endorsement of ILO s global mandate on forced labour. Interestingly, the endorsement for the new Protocol and Recommendation supersedes the milestone convention on domestic workers in terms of the number of votes. Though I went to the Conference to support the Regional Director and also undertake an assignment on the implementation of ILO internal reform measures, I had the happy privilege to witness at least 3 key forced labour committee sessions on the decision to formulate both the protocol and a recommendation, on the adoption of the final language of the two instruments; and finally, the plenary voting. It was also gratifying to see Piyamal Pichaiwongse of the ILO Myanmar Liaison Office serve as an expert in the forced labour committee. Observing these three events personally reaffirmed the value of the ILC at its best - in forging compromise, consensus, and commitment. Despite initially divergent positions several countries and employers groups had intended to support only a recommendation the final conference vote demonstrated near- consensus on measures to prevent and eliminate the use of forced labour, including on protections for those vulnerable, on ensuring workers access to remedies and compensation and, ultimately, on sanctioning perpetrators. The ILO instruments go far in specifying the structural factors that make workers vulnerable to forced labor - inadequate protection in labor law, absent or insufficient labor 8

9 PAGE 9 inspection, and the continuing inability to regulate abusive recruitment and provide supervised channels for safe and legal migration. On a personal level, the adoption of the new protocol at the ILC validates, to a very large extent, the vision and purpose in establishing the office s concerted efforts in 2002 to refocus overall ILO action on forced labor, from state- sanctioned forms (such as forced prison labor and state recruitment into the military), bonded labor and to work against forced labor in new workplace settings domestic work, fishing, informal manufacturing. At that time, the Governing Body approved the creation of the Special Action Program on Forced Labor, as a response to the groundbreaking ILC conference report Stopping forced labour in I joined this team of three specialists based in Geneva, Roger Plant as head of the program, Caroline O Reilly, a specialist on bonded labor, particularly South Asia, and I work on human trafficking with special attention on migrant labor and domestic work. The team pursued its tasks with a special sense of mission, undertaking almost immediately an investigative research program on the diverse aspects of forced labor in bonded labor, human trafficking, forced aspects of domestic work, rural servitude and forced prison labor. In the early stages of the program, global discussions on human trafficking centered almost exclusively on prostitution and commercial sexual exploitation. Pro- forma project interventions concentrated on border and immigration control and advocacy for stronger criminal law enforcement. There was little, if any, discussion on interventions focused on the labor market. So a new program calling for labor market interventions including changes in labor policy, intensified training of business entrepreneurs and trade unionists, and setting up pilot programs on labor inspection was often met with raised eyebrows and obvious skepticism. It was not rare to receive harsh questions on ILO motives, challenging the usefulness of the proposed interventions. Accusations were often intense, arguing that the ILO was diverting attention away from sexual exploitation and the commercial sex sector, where coercion was most blatant. Speaking on the necessity of addressing forced labor dimensions in both origin and destination countries of migrant labor, I faced cynical responses nearly everywhere, including in many so- called expert circles. Field projects provided the most direct validation of the reality of forced labor in its various forms. Managing an Asian program on the trafficking in children and women (TICW) in the Greater Mekong Sub- region was for me an opportunity to try new approaches on verifying and acting on forced and child labor resulting from growing internal and cross- border migration in the sub- region. The Mekong Challenge, TICW s landmark 2006 publication, identified fishing, domestic work and family farm labor as key economic sectors vulnerable to forced labor, and questioned prevailing 9

10 PAGE 10 private sector practices of restraining workers movements, confiscation of identity documents such as passports, denial of days- off and imposing forced overtime. The project also tested different types of labor market interventions drop- in complaints centers, public opinion campaigns, revision of recruitment law and regulation, and targeted labor inspections. As a project named to act specifically against the trafficking of women and children, it was especially satisfying to point to the severe exploitation of men in fishing vessels and construction sites. As we fast forward to June 2014, we discover that committee discussions are no longer questioning the existence of forced and compulsory labor in both its old (yes, state sanctioned forced labour still exists!) and its new forms (no, there is no denying the truth). As the conference was starting to vote, I stood on the 2nd floor of the Assembly Hall of the UN Palais des Nations cheering along with young colleagues working on forced and child labor, human trafficking and irregular migration. Together, we felt a wonderful sense of ILO history being made. But, much more needs to be done. Asia and the Pacific is home to half of the world s victims of forced labor and there is very little room for complacency. Progress is so easily set back and reversed, so international, national and local scrutiny will be needed for years to come. But for the moment, let s take a moment to celebrate. Thetis Mangahas 27 June,

11 PAGE 11 FEATURED PUBLICATION PROFITS AND POVERTY: The Economics of Forced Labour International Labor Organization (2014) The global integration of economies, including labour markets, has brought many opportunities for workers and businesses. Despite the past years of economic crisis, it has generally spurred economic growth. However, the growth in the global economy has not been beneficial for all. Today, about 21 million men, women and children are in forced labour, trafficked, held in debt bondage or work in slave- like conditions. The publication of this new ILO report on the economics of forced labour takes the understanding of forced labour, human trafficking, and modern forms of slavery to a new level. It builds on earlier ILO studies on the extent, cost and profits from forced labour. For the first time, it looks at both the supply and demand sides of forced labour, and presents solid evidence for a correlation between forced labour and poverty. What s more, it provides startling new estimates of the illegal profits generated through the use of forced labour, as well as new evidence of the key socio- economic factors that increase the risk of falling victim to coercion and abuse. The profits from forced labour, as generated on the International Labour Office (ILO) Special Action Programme to Combat Forced Labour (SAP- FL) Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Branch (FPRW) A full copy of the report can be found online at: backs of largely working poor who are desperately searching for a decent job and a better life are more than three times the ILO s previous estimates. Put into perspective, the 21 million victims in forced labour and the more than US$150 billion in illegal profits generated by their work exceeds the population and GDP of many countries or territories around the world. Yet this vast nation of men, women and children, along with its resources, remains virtually invisible, hidden behind a wall of coercion, threats and economic exploitation. Since its first Global Report on Forced Labour was issued in 2001, the ILO s Special Action Programme to combat Forced Labour has led the way in marshalling concrete global action. The ILO s two international standards on forced labour have been nearly universally adopted, and today form the basis of binding international law that has been embraced by most ILO member States. This new report builds on the 2012 Global Estimate, and new methodologies and surveys, to take the understanding of forced labour, its extent and its profits to a new level. 11

12 PAGE 12 UN- ACT Regional Management Office United Nations Building, 12 th Floor Rajdamnern Nok Ave., Bangkok, Thailand Tel: +66 (0) Fax: +66 (2) Cambodia Country Office UNDP Building No. 162, Corner of Pasteur St. and St. 334 Boeng Keng Kang, PO Box 877 Phnom Penh, Cambodia Tel: ext. 334 Fax: / / China Country Office Tayuan Diplomatic Compound, No.1 Xindong Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China Tel: Fax: Lao PDR Country Office Office of UN Resident Coordinator, Lane Xang Avenue, PO Box 345 Vientiane, Lao PDR Tel: Fax: / Myanmar Country Office No. 5 Kanbawza Street Golden Valley (2) Quarter, Bahan Township, Yangon, Myanmar Tel: (95 1) / Fax: (95 1) Thailand Country Office United Nations Building, 12 th Floor, Block A Rajdamnern Nok Ave., Bangkok, Thailand Tel: +66 (0) Fax: +66 (2) Viet Nam Country Office UNDP Building Phan Boi Chau Hanoi, Vietnam Tel: +84 (4) Fax: +84 (4) For further information, queries, or if you would like to contribute an article or event to the newsletter, please contact us at: unact@undp.org