Jointly organised by the ASEAN Secretariat and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the event aimed to bolster cooperation in preventing and combating human trafficking, especially women and children, as well as providing support to victims.

ASEAN Deputy Secretary General Vongthap Arthakaivalvatee said the event marked the implementation of legal frameworks in combating and managing human trafficking among ASEAN’s country members. 

Human trafficking has reached alarming level and effective measures are urgently needed to address this problem, he said.

Delegates at the event acknowledged that the establishment of the ASEAN Community has fostered free trade and movement among nations; however human trafficking has also increased. The situation needs close cooperation between countries.

ASEAN’s country members have developed the ASEAN Convention against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP and APA) in order to combat such crime.

A standard process for member countries to identify victims of human trafficking will be built and discussed at the 11 th Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking (COMMIT) which is scheduled for November, 2016 in Laos.

VNA