Addressing exploitation of labour migrants in Southeast Asia: Beyond a counter-trafficking criminal justice response

Large numbers of young people in Southeast Asia seek work opportunities outside their country of origin, migrating both regularly and irregularly, and with little power to access or negotiate safe and fair migration and work conditions. The risk of exploitation is high.The potential for human trafficking in these situations has attracted
significant attention. Yet much of the response by regional governments and international donors has focused on identifying and prosecuting ‘traffickers’ rather than addressing the many vulnerabilities and forms of exploitation that many labour migrants experience. This thematic brief sets out a diversity of forms of exploitation that labour migrants in Southeast Asia experience, and the implications for how efforts to respond might need to adapt. This includes broadening beyond the dominant frame of criminal justice in order to address exploitation at scale and in a manner that is realistic about the prevailing political economy.

Addressing exploitation of labour migrants in Southeast Asia: Beyond a counter-trafficking criminal justice response- Australian Aid, 2023 DOWNLOAD

Recent Migration Trends in the Americas

News & AnalysisGuidancePublications

This report seeks to inform the discussions at the Summit of the Americas in June 2022 by providing background on migration on the continent and in particular recent dynamics pending data availability. The Global Compact of Migration recognized in t...Read More

TAGS: Latin America and the Caribbean North America

Child Criminal Exploitation and The Need for Consistency

News & Analysis

From survivors’ testimonials to those working in statutory agencies, the system response to child criminal exploitation was categorised by all participants at the roundtables as ‘inconsistent.’ Pervading both roundtables was a frustration of ...Read More

TAGS: Europe

Accelerating the use of tech to combat human trafficking

News & Analysis

Authors: Hannah Darnton, program manager in ethics, technology and human rights at Business for Social Responsibility.Thi Hoang, analyst at the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime. There is a growing need for the developmen...Read More

TAGS: Information and Communications Technology Global

Modern Slavery Bill: Strengthening Transparency in Supply Chains (TISC)

News & AnalysisGuidance

The forthcoming Modern Slavery Bill, announced in the 2022 Queen’s Speech, presents a significant opportunity for the UK Government to implement its outstanding commitments in relation to strengthening Transparency in Supply Chains (TISC) provisio...Read More

TAGS: Europe