ASEAN-Australian cooperation in combating human trafficking enhanced

The ASEAN Secretariat has announced a new programme of work to strengthen close coordination between the Australia-Asia Programme to Combat Trafficking in Persons (AAPTIP) and ASEAN member countries and the Secretariat.
The ASEAN Secretariat has announced a new programme of work tostrengthen close coordination between the Australia-Asia Programme toCombat Trafficking in Persons (AAPTIP) and ASEAN member countries andthe Secretariat.

This plan of work was endorsed by the 15thSenior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC), which wasconvened last month in Siem Reap, Cambodia, according to theSecretariat.

Australia is the only dialogue partner of ASEANthat has been working closely with ASEAN member countries since 2003 forthe strengthening of criminal justice systems in responding to humantrafficking crimes through a victim-centered approach.

The workplan represents the Australian government's strong commitment to ASEAN'sfight against all forms of trafficking in persons, and reflectsAAPTIP's responsiveness to the new emerging mandate of the ASEANConvention against Trafficking in Persons, especially Women andChildren, which is expected to be adopted by ASEAN leaders by the end ofthis year.

AAPTIP is committed to increasing its work with theSOMTC, the SOMTC's Working Group on TIP, and the associated Heads ofSpecialist Anti-TIP Units over the coming years, and to support thesesectoral bodies to delve deeper into the new areas of the criminaljustice system's support for victims of trafficking and the traffickingof migrants for labour exploitation, including in the fishing industry.

AAPTIP is a five-year regional programme started in August 2013.

AAPTIPhas built both national level and regional-level programmes andcurrently has offices and activities in seven ASEAN countries as well asa programme to work regionally with ASEAN bodies addressing traffickingin persons. All AAPTIP programmes and activities therein are supportedand endorsed by 10 ASEAN member countries.-VNA

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