Report airs concern over trafficking

Human trafficking for forced criminality, including committing online scams and financial fraud, has been a growing trend in the Asia-Pacific region over the past four years, posing threats to migration safety, according to a UN report.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, human trafficking related to illegal activities by call centers has accelerated, particularly in Southeast Asia, according to the second Asia-Pacific Regional Review of Implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

The report, released by the United Nations Economic and Social Council at a three-day meeting in Bangkok that ended on Thursday, noted that most victims in these scam operations are recruited through fraudulent job advertisements for skilled positions on messaging apps and social media.

Convened by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, or ESCAP, and the Regional United Nations Network on Migration for Asia and the Pacific, the meeting gathered policymakers, researchers and experts in the region to identify challenges and share good practices to harness migration as a driver of sustainable development.

"As trafficking has moved into the digital sphere, efforts against trafficking in persons must be adapted, including by engaging with technology companies to ensure due diligence and by enforcing applicable legislation and regulations," the report said.

It noted that trafficked people are often treated as criminals rather than as victims of crime and various human rights abuses.

"A human rights-based approach to trafficking in persons will avoid revictimization. Under such an approach, it is recognized that punishing a victim of trafficking for unlawful acts committed as a result of being trafficked is unjust and hinders the possibility of recovery," the report suggested.

While the anti-trafficking legislation of several Asia-Pacific countries extends the non-punishment provision to include immigration offenses, the report indicated that many gaps still need to be closed regarding protection and access to justice for victims of trafficking, given the often inadequate or unenforced legislation and the inadequate services and remedies for trafficked persons.

"Migration, if managed in a well-informed, planned and voluntary manner, with full respect and protection of human rights, can bring benefits to all. Migrants should have their potential fully harnessed to play key roles in enhancing sustainable development in countries of origin and destination," said Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations undersecretary-general and executive secretary of the ESCAP.

Critical role

According to the report, much of the region's cross-border migration is propelled by the search for decent work, with women migrants playing a critical yet often undervalued role in sectors such as care and domestic work. Children also make up a significant proportion of migrants in the region, with unique needs for services and protection due to their heightened vulnerability.

"In the area of labor migration, much remains to be done, such as discrimination and protection concerns, as well as limited skills recognition, in particular in the women-dominated sectors of domestic and care work," said Alisjahbana.

Progress has been made regarding decent work for migrants. She noted that there have been positive developments, such as the lowering of visa fees and the establishment of bilateral arrangements and other agreements to facilitate the mobility of migrants and develop their skills.

"With more than 40 percent of the world's migrants calling Asia and the Pacific home, the region has a unique opportunity to lead by example — expanding regular pathways, protecting lives and ensuring migration benefits all," said Catalina Devandas, coordinator of the UN Network on Migration.

Moving forward, she said it is necessary to ratify and comply with relevant human rights instruments and labor standards as the foundation of decent work, in order to ensure greater benefits from migration.