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The first phase of the project has been characterised by major advances in conceptual understanding of the issue. Through its wide networks, both within and outside the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), UNIAP has consolidated lessons learnt from the nascent response to trafficking, as well as from the body of knowledge in other sectors. As such, highly significant strides have been made in terms of conceptual clarity, demonstrated in papers to regional conferences, inter-agency working group meetings, newsletter articles and project design. These include:
- widespread and growing understanding of the ‘push-down, pop-up’ phenomenon, which often sees locally effective trafficking interventions merely succeed in moving the problem elsewhere. Understanding of this phenomenon, is absolutely fundamental to the development of an effective anti-trafficking response, including combating of organised crime;
- the root cause of trafficking is demonstrably not absolute poverty (which is held to be falling, while trafficking is held to be rising) and as such trafficking cannot be addressed primarily by poverty alleviation programmes, although these remain an important component of a holistic, multi-sectoral response;
- trafficking cannot be addressed on the supply side alone. Income disparities in the GMS, both within and between countries, are so great that people will continue to move in search of better opportunities. Supply side efforts need to be complemented by increased efforts on the demand side;
- law enforcement, within the Mekong Region, is a key aspect of reducing demand. It must focus on impacting the economics of the trafficking businesses by targeting the brothel, factory and boat owners at the end of the trafficking chain, including through asset confiscation;
- responsible migration management, including bringing immigration policies into line with labour market realities, is central to an enhanced response to trafficking. For example, many people, particularly women, are highly vulnerable to traffickers because current policies do not allow them to cross borders legally to meet legitimate demand for labour; and
- men are also trafficked. Particularly nasty reports have been received about apparently systematic murders of trafficked men on fishing boats. These will be investigated in phase two (initial plans were delayed as concerned parties view this research as potentially dangerous).
In its second phase, UNIAP will increase its role in advocacy to ensure that these lessons learnt are reflected in the development of new programmes and policies.
Other high-impact outcomes of UNIAP in the first phase include:
- establishment of the repatriation system between Thailand and Myanmar, in close collaboration with the respective Governments as well as IOM, Save the Children (UK), and World Vision International;
- identification of the issue of citizenship for minority groups in northern Thailand as the single greatest factor in their vulnerability to trafficking. After strong initial progress, attempts to assist these citizens to claim their citizenship entitlement have hit some bureaucratic roadblocks. However, this issue is now in the international spotlight for the first time;
- support for the region’s first ever prevention programme in a destination community. This project, run at minimal cost by Healthcare Centre for Children in Cambodia, has the potential to be adapted throughout the region;
- initiation of a new project, TRACE, which will attempt to trace child trafficking episodes from the village to destination points, and potentially find some missing children. Originating from a meeting between UNIAP staff and a distressed father in a small village in Lao PDR, this Project has evolved to include a network of young researchers, conducting ‘non-rapid’ research through being based in selected villages over a period of time. Information collected by the researcher is being collated and analysed to provide a basis for the tracing activities;
- pilot of a GIS-sentinel surveillance project with UNESCO. This project, looking to track out-migration from selected villages over time, offers the most promising avenue to date for developing more accurate estimates of the extent of trafficking in the Mekong Region;
- development of case management databases which will allow all information collected from trafficked victims to be collated and analysed with a view to use in prevention and enforcement activities;
- establishment of a pilot interpretation and translation project for Burmese migrants in Thailand. This project will better help migrants understand Thai laws and help trafficked victims access assistance. It has also linked a previously voiceless community with the UN system. Ma Suu’s story in the box above indicates the potential impact of this; and
- provision of secretariat service for a regional inter-agency working group on human trafficking, which allows interested stakeholders to link with an expansive regional network and access the latest trafficking discourse.
UNIAP aims to fill a catalytic role, supporting generally small-scale initiatives not being addressed by the other agencies. Each initiative focuses on one or more of the following: bridging gaps; exploring new approaches; bringing in new actors; and building new linkages while strengthening existing ones, particularly across borders. Such initiatives are then intended to be picked up by partner agencies.
UNIAP also aims to play an enhanced role in advocacy in Phase Two, as there is an immense potential and a pressing need for an increased UN role in advocacy. Examples of current issues which require advocacy are:
citizenship registration;
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increased recognition of the rights of trafficking victims;
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monitoring and follow-up of specific legal cases;
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recognition of the relevance of responsible migration management to trafficking, nothing the discriminatory nature of some existing policy towards women;
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recognition of trafficking of men in programming, including legislative development and review; and
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working more closely with the media to encourage responsible, accurate and constructive reporting of trafficking-related stories.
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