Counter Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia (SEA)
Human trafficking is often described as the new form of slavery for the 21st century. Despite difficulties in collecting data, recent analyses confirm that it is a serious and ongoing problem in many areas and much still needs to be done to prevent it, protect victims and ultimately eradicate it. In recent years, work has been carried out on the impact of counter trafficking, but more is needed on counter trafficking itself.
This online course is going to examine the programmes, practices and activities of counter trafficking by analysing aspects such as raids and rescues, litigation, organising, education. In particular, it will do so by looking at the specific case of South-East Asia (SEA).
The course is going to speak to experts in this area from trade unions, NGOs, international organisations and ask them how counter trafficking is done, what kind of organisations are involved, what the successes, challenges and failures are and what the role of research is, with the aim to equip participants with valuable insights, knowledge and skills.
Course Outline
This online course will study the programmes, practices and activities of counter trafficking. It will do so by speaking to experts from Trade Unions, NGOs and International Organisations who will examine case studies from their work and will debate the efficacy of actions in this area.
The course is structured in five Classes. The first Class provides an overview of trafficking, including definitions, laws, mechanisms and tools, with a specific focus on Southeast Asia. Class 2 examines advocacy around law and policy, including the importance of harmonisation. Class 3 discusses research on trafficking and some challenges, such as determining numbers and agreeing upon a definition. Class 4 debates the role of trade unions, which is crucial in ensuring that workers are informed and their rights are respected. Class 5 examines the challenges, strengths and weaknesses of current programming in countering child trafficking.
The course is self-paced and consists of interviews, case-studies and quizzes.
Lecturers and Experts
The course has been developed under the leadership of the Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation in Asia Pacific (APMA) coordinated by Institute for Human Rights and Peace Studies at Mahidol University, Thailand, which is one of the seven regional programmes of the Global Campus of Human Rights. In line with the Global Campus approach to teaching, the course includes inputs by experts drawn from a cross-section of constituencies, enabling participants to benefit from rich and varied competences, experiences and knowledge.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:
- identify key regional/national stakeholders in business, government, and civil society sectors and map relationships between them;
- know legal standards and mechanisms at the international/regional/national level, and their inter-relationship;
- think critically about challenges to enforcement and ability to explain gaps between standards and compliance;
- identify violations and groups most vulnerable to trafficking;
- debate the effectiveness of protection measures such as raids and shelters, identifying key priorities and challenges in research on trafficking;
- understand and assess programming and actions in counter trafficking;
- identify key points of advocacy around law and policy.