International Conference on On the Move: Critical Migration Themes in ASEAN" Gender Dimensions of Trafficking in Persons: Working to Support Male Victims (Cambodia s Experiences) Ms. LIM Siv Hong, Program Officer, The Asia Foundation, Cambodia Abstract Cambodian labor migration has risen significantly over the past decade. Migrant workers remain at high risk of labor exploitation and trafficking, especially youths, most of whom are generally uneducated and unskilled workers. Poverty, lack of employment and dreams for a better life are common rationale to migrate. Migration through irregular or undocumented channels remains widely practiced--it costs less and is faster. This irregular migration often leads to labor exploitation, right abuses and entrapment in trafficking. The irregularity associated with labor exploitation and trafficking are often reported from Cambodian migrants working as fishers, fish-processors and construction workers in Thailand, while alarming abuses have been reported from Cambodian migrants working as female domestic helpers in Malaysia. There has been a growing concern about the severity of abuse of hundreds of Cambodian male migrants who were formally recruited through a registered company, but who ended up being cheated and made to work on the fishing vessels trapped in forced labor, facing severe abuses, working in inhumane conditions (slaverylike) or being trafficked. Cambodian youth, who make up roughly 60 percent of the population and who are highly vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation, still have limited awareness of the dangers and of steps they could take to prevent themselves from becoming victims. While increased attention to this problem has catalyzed some policy changes at the national level aimed at generating a stronger protection system and better regulation of the recruitment agencies, Cambodia s management of labor migration and protection of the rights of labor migrants from abuses remain less strong. The current system is not effective in assisting fishermen who escape trafficking situations while overseas on Thai or other foreign vessels. Systems to identify victims of trafficking, especially in the fishery industry, are either weak or non-existent in destination areas. No agreements exist for safe and timely repatriation of trafficking victims from Malaysia and from other countries. For those who have been returned to Cambodia, there are few reintegration or other support services available.
Gender Dimensions of Trafficking in Persons: Working to Support Male Victims International Conference on On the Move: Critical Migration Themes in ASEAN December 17-18, 2012: Chulalongkorn University Ms. Lim Siv Hong, Program Officer, TAF/Cambodia
Outline 1) Labor migration and gender dimensions of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) 2) Issues of labor recruitment agencies 3) TAF and Government responses 4) Challenges and lessons for practitioners 2
1) Labor Migration and Gender Dimensions of TIPs 30% of Cambodians live under the poverty line About 32% of Cambodians are aged below 15-29 Job demand (about 300,000/year) accelerates labor migration Migration through regular and irregular channels, but irregular remains widely practiced faces consequences 3
Truck transporting deportees back to Thai and Cambodian border 4
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Labor Migration and Gender Dimensions of TIP Female sexual trafficking better understood. Growing understanding of trafficking for males Male labor trafficking (forced labor) found commonly in fishing industry, while females trafficked for domestic work. No freedom of movement, abuses and threatened with cruel violence(treat as slavery-like) are commonly reported among male victims Trafficking destinations for fishing industry: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and beyond Asia 7
Labor Migration and Gender Dimensions of TIP 2012: increased male victims forced into fishing boats were repatriated (following their escape and rescue). More than100 Cambodia male victims repatriated over the first four-month No data on number of men trafficked--men do not want to be reported as trafficked, merely unlucky, but more cases have been reported/complained Male victims are less likely to seek shelter support compared to female 8
2) Issue of Labor Recruitment Agencies 40 Recruitment Agencies licensed by MoLVT to recruit workers mainly for Thailand and Malaysia Increasing scandal about malpractices of Recruitment Agencies complaints filed increased from regular migrants/families Giant Ocean (GO)--recruited hundreds of men to work as fishermen on foreign vessels but ended up with right abuses/trafficked 9
3) TAF Response/Intervention First to support male victim shelters and services Training/awareness on smart labor migration--change public perception that trafficking does not just happen to women. Vocational training skills for at-risk boys and scholarships to keep boys and girls in schools/university Initiated on-going information exchange/collaboration through a labor exploitation forum held among CSOs 10
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Government Responses Sub-decree 190 issued and prakases being drafted to better regulating Recruitment Agencies practices Development of MoUs (for employment and countertrafficking) with Malaysia are under progress Migration Working Group newly established under the National Committee against TIP 13
4) Challenges Scant research done on male trafficking Lack of comprehension about TIP and guidelines for Trafficked Victim Identification Magnitude of labor migration among youth via irregular migration remains widely practiced Male victims are still treated as illegal immigrants and imprisoned Limited resources and assistance to support male victims of trafficking 14
Lessons for Practitioners Awareness on risks of labor migration should not only target men and public, but national policy makers Assistance for males different than for females (gender dimensions in projects) Lobby their own government to ratify the international instruments and international labor standards that would result in better protection of migrant workers rights Conduct independent program evaluation to inform future direction 15
Thank you! THANKS YOU 16