Annual Report -Asia ACTS by Geryon Laguna

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Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010 1

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

Asia ACTs Against Child Trafficking March 2009 to February 2010 Editors: Regina P. Florendo and Magnolia Eva H. Jacinto Editorial Consultant: Amihan V. Abueva Layout and Design: Carlos Piocos III Photo Credits: Burma ACT, Vulnerable Children Assistance Organization, Ho Chi Minh Child Welfare Foundation, Village Focus International, Yayasan Setara, Kakak, Child Trafficking Watch Thailand and PACT February 2010 Copyright Asia ACTs Asia ACTs Against Child Trafficking Regional Campaign Secretariatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office Rm. 312 Philippine Social Science Center Commonwealth Ave., Quezon City Philippines Tel.: (632) 929-08-22 Fax: (632) 929-08-20 Email: asiaacts@pldtdsl.net Website: www. asia-acts.org This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Commission and Terre des Hommes-Netherlands. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of Asia ACTs and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Commission and Terre des Hommes-Netherlands. Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

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of Contents

Foreword from the Chair Overview of Asia ACTs Report from the Regional Coordinator Asia ACTs Network: Safeguarding and Promoting the Rights of Children in South East Asia • • • • • • •

Burma ACT Cambodia ACTs Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh Child Welfare Foundation Indonesia ACTs Lao PDR: Village Focus International PACT Thailand: Child Trafficking Watch Thailand

Publications and Campaign Materials Financial Report The Board & Secretariat Acknowledgment

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

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I believe that with the strong commitment, collective work and common goal of protecting children from trafficking by the Asia ACTs network partners and secretariat, we can bring good protection and better future for our children.

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Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Foreword from the Chair As parties to the Convention on the Rights of Child (CRC), all members of the Association for Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) are legally obliged to protect children from trafficking. Article 35 of the convention prescribes that “States Parties shall take all appropriate national, bilateral and multilateral measures to prevent the abduction of, the sale of or traffic in children for any purpose or in any form.”

national and regional levels have been achieved due to the ceaseless efforts of the ASEAN secretariat and its network members.

Despite the existence of these protocols, children in Southeast Asia region are still being trafficked. When children are trafficked, not only do they lose their chance to obtain an education and a safe childhood in which to develop, they are frequently forced to work long hours in dirty or dangerous jobs for little or no pay.

This is an encouraging message. Vietnam, Association of South East Asia Nations’ Chair for 2010, and other leaders of ASEAN voiced the importance of intensifying cooperation among ASEAN member countries in combating human trafficking, particularly child trafficking.

In order to combat child trafficking in this region, since 2001 Asia Against Child Trafficking (Asia ACTs) has reached more than 25 NGOs from seven countries and set up a network for collective campaigning to protect children from trafficking. Tens of thousands of grassroots communities in the region have been involved in community awareness raising and mobilization to take action to protect children from trafficking.

At an international seminar on human security in Asia and Southeast Asia held in February 2010, Vietnamese representative Dr Dang Nguyen said that human trafficking is a problem that needs to be addressed quickly to ensure human security in Asia. He also voiced the need to formulate supportive mechanisms for victims of human trafficking in Southeast Asia to help them reintegrate into the community.

However, much future work has to be done to stop child trafficking in the region. I believe that with the strong commitment, collective work and common goal of protecting children from trafficking by the Asia ACTs network partners and secretariat, we can bring good protection and better future for our children. Congratulations to Asia ACTs!

Southeast Asian “Guidelines for the Protection of the Rights of Trafficked Children” was endorsed by the 2nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in 2007 and most of the governments in the region have enacted laws to protect children from trafficking. Many significant developments in policies and practices for both prevention of child Aung Myo Min trafficking and promoting of the rights of trafficked children at local, Chair

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

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Asia ACTs moves to advance the participation of children and young people for their own protection and development.

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Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Overview of Asia ACTs Asia against Child Trafficking (Asia ACTs) is a regional campaign network committed to fight child trafficking in Southeast Asia. It promotes strong and effective protection mechanisms for all children, especially the victims of child trafficking. Asia ACTs moves to advance the participation of children and young people for their own protection and development. And it complements the efforts of the government and civil society to eliminate child trafficking. Formed in July 2001, Asia ACTs was primarily established for the three-year South East Asia campaign against child trafficking spearheaded by NGO partners of Terre des Hommes-Germany from Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Philippines and Vietnam. The campaignâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus was to work towards enactment of laws, particularly anti-child trafficking laws; the ratification of international instruments and the immediate implementation of the human rights standards for trafficked children. With child trafficking considered as an emerging issue at that time, community education became the major component of the campaign in order to promote the concept of the good life and emphasize the importance of taking concrete action against chid trafficking.

Asia ACTs provides a venue for the children to learn about the problem, express their views and create mechanisms for their own protection.

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

Two years after an in-depth research, massive awareness raising, participating in lobbying for national legislation against trafficking in persons and building the campaign machinery, Asia ACTs decided to extend the campaign and continued advocating for the enactment of anti-trafficking laws which are in accordance with the international instruments. Asia ACTs also continued to form and strengthen local and national mechanisms for the protection and recovery of trafficked children; develop the human rights standards for trafficked children; utilize national and international justice mechanism and components

to prosecute offenders and; implement community awareness and prevention campaign against child trafficking in at least 5,000 villages in South East Asia. In conjunction with the implementation of the other components of the campaign, Asia ACTs started to make the human rights standards for trafficked children a major campaign issue in August 2004. In March 2006, the South East Asian Guidelines for the Protection of the Rights of Children Victims of Trafficking was drafted. In December 2007, the draft guidelines was adopted in the ASEAN Ministersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Meeting on Social Welfare and Development in Hanoi. At the country level, the Prime Minister of Cambodia approved the Cambodian Guidelines in December 2007 while the Philippine Guidelines was approved and adopted by the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) in July 2008. The development ent of the Guidelines to Protect the Rights of Children Victims of Trafficking is Asia ACTsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; major contribution in the campaign paign against child trafficking. It continues ntinues to promote and popularize the Guidelines es in the region and it is greatly involved in building thee capacities of different stakeholders to fight this issue.

Community education sessions serve as a starting point for the setting up of child protection network. (Top photo.) Asia ACTs advocates for the strict implementation of anti-trafficking laws. It supports policy makers in their effort to develop new laws, action plans, implementing rules and regulations, ordinances and other legal frameworks that would strengthen the mechanisms for child protection. (Bottom photo.) With a common campaign theme each year, Asia ACTs country partners spearhead the December 12 campaign also known as Day Against Child Trafficking. This is an annual commemoration of the adoption by most countries of the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children. (Campaign materials at the side.)

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Report from the Regional Coordinator According to the 2008 UN Global Trafficking in Persons Report of the UN Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the most common form of human trafficking (79%) is sexual exploitation. The victims of sexual exploitation are predominantly women and girls. Thirty per cent (30%) of the countries which provided information on the gender of traffickers, reported that women make up the largest proportion of traffickers. The same report also indicated that the second most common form of human trafficking is forced labour (18%), although according to UNODC, this may be a misrepresentation because forced labour is less frequently detected and reported than trafficking for sexual exploitation. Worldwide, almost 20% of all trafficking victims are children. However, in some parts of Africa and the Mekong region, majority of the victims are children (up to 100% in parts of West Africa). Although trafficking seems to imply people moving across continents, most exploitation takes place close to home. Data show intra-regional and domestic trafficking are the major forms of trafficking in persons. Various sources cited the extent of trafficking in persons in Mekong Sub-Region, Philippines and Vietnam. n Annually, the number of people trafficked from and within the Mekong Sub-region is estimated at between 200,000 and 450,000, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). n In its report released in August 2008, Thailandbased Kachin Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association of Thailand

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

(KWAT) revealed that several young women from northern Burmaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kachin state are being sold by traffickers to Chinese men, who forcibly marry them or use them as maids and slaves. Based on interviews with 163 human trafficking victims from 2004 to 2007, nearly 37 per cent of the trafficked women ended up as wives of Chinese men, while about 4 percent are sold as housemaids or to the sex industry. n It was reported by State authorities that 713 from Laos, 334 from Burma, 13 from Vietnam and 359 from Cambodia were trafficked to Thailand from

2005 to 2007. About 416 minors were trafficked to Thailand from n In Laos, 27 cases of cross-border trafficking were investigated October 2006 to December 2007. from 2005 to 2007, 14 of which led to convictions. In 2006, 250 girls were repatriated to Laos from Thailand. The Lao Women’s n In the Philippines, the Department of Social Welfare and Union sheltered 13 victims from May 2006 to December 2007. Development reported 179 girls and 25 boys were trafficked in Four of the victims were trafficked for sexual exploitation and nine 2007. for labour. According to the Laos’ Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, from 2001 to 2008, a total of 1,229 n In 2007, 150 children were reported to trafficked victims, mostly women and girls, have have been trafficked in Indonesia. been repatriated to Laos from Thailand under the Lao-Thai memorandum of understanding on n The National Police Agency in Japan human trafficking. has reported that from 2005-2006, there were 58 Indonesians, 70 Filipinos and n According to Thailand’s Bureau of 54 Thais trafficked to Japan. Anti-Trafficking in Women and Children, 278 Thais were repatriated in 2007. With this situation on trafficking in persons, different sources reported on how However such responses necessitate further governments in South East Asia responded improvement as may be gleaned from the in terms of prosecution, repatriation and 2009 Report of the US State Department on reintegration of trafficked persons: Trafficking in Persons.

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Although trafficking seems to imply people moving across continents, most exploitation takes place close to home.

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n In Cambodia, a recent study conducted by a Cambodian NGO, found that close to 7 per cent of direct sex workers interviewed had been trafficked (SIREN Human Trafficking Datasheet, March 2008).

n Official repatriations of Cambodians from Thailand for 2008 involved 205 persons; 745 from Vietnam and 18 from Malaysia. While Eight Vietnamese were repatriated from Cambodia in 2007. n According to the Indonesian National Task Force to Combat Trafficking in Persons, about 18 children victims of trafficking were sheltered in 2006.

The report categorized Lao PDR, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam under Tier 2. While Cambodia and Philippines fell under Tier 2 Watch List. Being under Tier 2 means the government has not fully complied with the minimum standards of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) but is making significant efforts to do so. As for Cambodia, it was ranked under Tier 2 Watch List because aside from not being able to comply with the minimum standards of the TVPA, the Cambodian government has failed to “show evidence of progress in convicting and punishing human trafficking offenders, including complicit public officials and protecting trafficking victims.” The Philippines, on the other hand, has failed to “show evidence of progress in convicting trafficking offenders, particularly those responsible for labor trafficking.”

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

For the past year, while Asia ACTs country networks and the Regional Secretariat have painstakingly implemented two regional projects in relation to the care and protection of trafficked children, other initiatives were still undertaken to contribute in addressing the issue. What follows are some of my initiatives as well as the significant achievements of the Asia ACTs Secretariat and the regional partners.

Documenting and Disseminating the Good Practices of the Campaign The three-year regional project, Human Rights Standards of Protecting Children from Trafficking funded by Terre des Hommes-Netherlands and Oak Foundation included the documentation of the good practices not only of the project but of the whole Asia ACTs campaign in general.

With the aim of identifying the criteria of what constitutes a good practice, a Regional Workshop was conducted in Hanoi in October 2008. From January to March 2009, each of Asia ACTs’ country networks went through the process of screening, selecting, validating and drafting the stories based on the agreed criteria in Hanoi. In its April 2009 meeting in Chiang Mai, Asia ACTs finalized the main themes of the good practices with the assistance of a Technical Working Group composed of selected members of the Asia ACTs Board, the Regional Director and the Regional Coordinator for Child Protection of TDH Netherlands. The country partners also presented the process they went through and sample stories they have chosen during the meeting in Chiang Mai. The book Aspirations and Explorations: Good Practices of the Campaign Against Child Trafficking in South East Asia features the country partners’ experiences in the areas of policy advocacy, alliance building, awareness raising, child protection network and child participation. The book was translated and published in Burmese, Khmer, Bahasa Indonesia and Vietnamese. These experiences were also shared to members/partners of Cambodia ACTs, Burma ACT, PACT and Ho Chi Minh Child Welfare Foundation. The external evaluator of Cambodia ACTs gave a brief background on the methodologies used to gather the information; how the stories were written; and also shared some tips on how to put into writing their good practices. As for Burma ACT, the researchers and evaluator shared their views and experiences while working on the stories. Many of the participants expressed their interest in learning more about the practices of Asia ACTs’ network on Policy Advocacy and Alliance Building, which they might be able to replicate. Members of Burma ACT felt proud of their work which were acknowledged and recognized as good practices. As for PACT, the publication on good practices was presented during its General Assembly. According to the members, the presentation was a learning experience since they were able to reflect on the good practices which can be replicated at the local level.

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

The stories on good practices aim to inspire people who are involved in initiatives to fight and stop child trafficking. It also serves as an inspiration for Asia ACTS’ partners in their effort to expand the campaign.

Experience-Sharing in the Inter-Regional Conference Less than five (5) months before concluding the project: Enhancing capacity to address trafficking in especially children from a human rights perspective funded by Terre des Hommes-Netherlands and the European Commission, project partners gathered together in Chiang Mai, Thailand from October 12 to 16, 2009 to share experiences and evaluate the global project implemented in: South Launching of Asia ACTs AVP and the Good Practice East Asia (Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Thailand and Indonesia); Latin America (Peru, Colombia and Bolivia) and South Publication on the Global Project Eastern Europe( Kosovo, Albania, and Former Yugoslav Republic of On February 23, 2010, Asia ACTs Secretariat launched its second Macedonia). audio visual production (AVP) entitled “Empowering Southeast The Inter-regional conference provided a venue for 36 implementing Asian Children and Communities to Overcome Child Trafficking” partners to discuss the child trafficking situation and related issues in Quezon City, Philippines. in the three regions; the implemented activities, their achievements, challenges, recommendations; and the good practices of the project The AVP focuses on the network’s good practices in collaborating which was being consolidated by external consultant Mike Dottridge with stakeholders for the establishment of child protection networks, child participation and in ensuring the human rights standards for the at that time. treatment of children survivors of trafficking. It features the initiatives The Terre des Hommes International Federation (TDHIF) also shared undertaken by the Asia ACTs Secretariat, Burma ACTs, Child information on the activities of the International Campaign Against Trafficking Watch Thailand, Philippines against Child Trafficking and Child Trafficking (ICACT) in Western Europe, other activities of the Indonesia ACT with its project partners namely: SAMIN Foundation, Federation as well as lessons learned by TDH member organizations Kakak Foundation, and SARI. in other programmes in South Asia and West Africa. On the same day, the publication entitled “In Pursuit of Good Practice in Responses to Child Trafficking. A Report on Experiences from Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Latin America, Southeastern Europe and Southeast Asia” was launched. The publication shares the good practices of the global project. It highlights, among others things, the efforts undertaken by Asia ACTs to develop the Philippine Guidelines for the protection of trafficked children which accounted the recommendations and inputs of child trafficking survivors/victims. The publication also recommends that “when seeking to adapt or implement guidelines at national or regional level to protect trafficked children, seek to replicate the experience of the Philippines in enabling such children to express their view about the provisions of the guidelines and having their views taken into account.” In its launching, the executive summary of the book was presented by Retired Undersecretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Department on Policy and Programs and now Asia ACTs Board Member, Lourdes G. Balanon Representatives from the Council of the Welfare of Children, Department of Social Welfare and Development, British Embassy, TDH Netherlands, European Commission, Philippine NGO Coalition on the UNCRC, Plan International, International Justice Mission, ECPAT Philippines, Save the Children, Laura Vicuna Foundation, Child Hope, ERDA Foundation, some local media practitioners and members of the Philippines Against Child Trafficking (PACT) joined both events.

Networking in Destination Countries Efforts to establish links with NGOs that provide services to victims of trafficking as well as meetings with the Philippine Embassies based in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore were done in April and October 2009 and January 2010. In Malaysia, a meeting with Tenaganita, Voice of the Children, Nurssalam, Philippine Ambassador, Consul General and Social Welfare Attache to Malaysia were arranged. And in Singapore, a

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

meeting with Third Secretary, Vice Consul and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Welfare Officer at the Philippine Embassy were also done. In these meetings, actual cases of trafficking reported to Asia ACTs were updated and there were exchanges of new developments in terms of interventions and efforts to address child trafficking and assist the victims in each country. They also hoped to establish better links between NGOs and the embassies in order to appropriately assist Filipino trafficked victims and facilitate their reintegration. The networking meetings in Malaysia and Singapore were done with PACT National Coordinator, Sally Ujano. PACT is currently handling a case of a young woman trafficked to Singapore for commercial sexual exploitation.

Exploring new strategies and techniques A link has been established with professionals in the field of science, the DNA Analysis Laboratory of the University of the Philippines in particular, which could facilitate the identification of traffickers and the reunification of trafficked children, especially babies with their biological families. The UP DNA Laboratory organized a forum entitled “DNA-Prokids: Using DNA to Help Fight Child Trafficking” on January 19, 2010. The forum brought together representatives from the academe, judiciary, law enforcers, science and medical profession, international and local non-government organizations. Keynote messages were delivered by Secretary Esperanza I. Cabral of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Secretary Ricardo R. Blancaflor of the Department of Justice who also sits as the Chairperson of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT). And the lectures on how DNA testing can support the fight against child trafficking were given by Dr. Jose A. Lorente of the University of Granada, Spain,

Dr. Arthur J. Eisenberg of the University of North Texas and Dr. Maria A similar round table discussion was organized on January 29, 2010 Corazon A. De Ungria of the UP DNA Laboratory. to introduce the Asia ACTs and the network to seminarians from Scalabrinian Formation Center and Claret Formation Center, Superior In response to the lectures, Assistant Court Administrator Jenny of the Claret Formation Center, Presidents and members of two Rotary Delorino, Senior State Prosecutor Deana Perez and I were invited to Clubs (RC of San Francisco del Monte and RC of Midtown Diliman), give reactions to this new effort. a member of the Soroptimist International of the Philippines Region, and a member of the Inner Wheel Club of Caloocan participated in the activity. The event included a brief orientation on the problem of child trafficking and was geared towards looking for possible avenues Engaging religious groups and civic organizations for different groups to work together towards the elimination of the problem

in the campaign against child trafficking

On August 28, 2009, in contribution to Caritas Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pan-Asia wide program of addressing the trafficking of women and children, representatives of 11 religious congregations who are members of the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP) and 3 dioceses and social action centers gathered together for a round table discussion on trafficking in persons. As a result, they have come up with action plans on the aspect of prevention, protection, prosecution, recovery and reintegration.

The formation centers have seen the possibility of contributing to the campaign in the aspect of the healing process of trafficked victims for their full recovery. While the civic organizations have signified their commitment to get involved in the campaign and link it with their programs in the areas of awareness-raising, livelihood projects, medical and legal services.

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Caritas Philippines, also a main program partner of Caritas Asia attended these RTDs and has shared updates in terms of its initiatives on educating the basic ecclesial communities specifically in Zambales, Baguio, Malolos and Gumaca, through monthly recollection of priests, trainings and seminars among priests and sectoral leaders, community education and other awareness raising activities. Asia ACTs and Caritas Philippines printed and disseminated prayer cards and posters in commemoration of the Day Against Trafficking.

Trainings on Anti-Trafficking in Persons Asia ACTs Secretariat and Plan International ventured into a joint partnership to raise more awareness about child trafficking and the efforts to address the problem. Community education sessions were conducted in Samar on September 15 to 19, 2009 attended by their partners in Northern, Western and Eastern Samar and in Leyte Province and in Masbate on November 16-22, 2009 with Plan International’s partners from Masbate and Mindoro Oriental. The

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

partnership will also result in the development of a trainer’s manual on community education campaign against child trafficking. On October 21-23, 2009, Asia ACTs, in cooperation with the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines –National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-NASSA)- Caritas Philippines, Caritas Asia and Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP), conducted a training on anti-trafficking in persons to around 40 individuals coming from different dioceses and religious congregations. The training focused on equipping the participants with comprehensive knowledge on child trafficking, the AntiTrafficking in Persons Act of 2003, the mechanisms for the prevention of child trafficking, and the mechanisms to protect the children and the children victims. Trainings on the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Database were organized by Asia ACTs Secretariat with support from UNICEF. The trainings were geared towards enhancing the capacity of social service providers in handling cases of child/human trafficking; deepening their knowledge on the situation and related laws and institutionalizing the database for trafficked victims. The trainings for social service providers were conducted on May 26-29, 2009 in Antipolo City; June 22-25, 2009 in Cebu City for Region 7; and September 22-25, 2009 in Davao City for

the social service providers in Region 11. As of December 2009, four members of PACT, namely Bahay Tuluyan ng mga Bata; ECPAT; Laura Vicuna Foundation, Inc.; PACT – Quezon, and the PACT Secretariat have been trained and are using the database.

Attending Case Conferences and Supporting Trafficked Victims and Child Advocates Case conferences were held with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); the Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking (IACAT); prosecutors and social workers handling the cases of child trafficking. The case conferences discussed cases referred by social service providers and PACT’s network and the protection of social workers whose lives have been put at risk due to the nature of the case. These efforts provided government agencies with pertinent information regarding verified trafficking cases resulting in the rescue and reintegration of trafficked victims. By closely coordinating with the different agencies, the case of cross-border trafficking referred to the Asia ACTs Secretariat was duly acted upon. The trafficked victims – 2 women and a child – were located, rescued and reintegrated to Mindanao. Other active trafficking cases are continuously being coordinated and monitored. Meetings with law enforcers of other countries were also realized in order to probe on other cases referred to Asia ACTs Secretariat. The Asia ACTs Secretariat also strongly expressed its support to all social workers and advocates seeking justice for the death of Director Finardo G. Cabilao, Social Welfare Attache to Malaysia, who had been helping Filipino trafficked victims. A statement to condemn the act of his brutal murder and to call on the Philippine Government to protect social service providers was circulated to local and international networks.

Piloting a Case Tracking Database in the Philippines On December 16, 2009, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) launched the Philippine Anti-Trafficking in Persons Database (PATD), a web-based data banking system that can provide timely and qualitative data essential for policy formulation and program development. The PATD aims to systemize the data on trafficked persons as well as the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases. The database pertaining to the profile of victims, which is known as the National Recovery and Reintegration Database (NRRD), was developed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development in partnership with the International Labour Organization and other non-government organizations. While the Law Enforcement and Prosecution Database (LEPD) was developed through the collective efforts of Asia ACTS, IACAT, the National Prosecution Service – Department of Justice, law enforcement agencies, UNICEF and other key stakeholders. Trainings on the use of the PATD for social workers, service providers, law enforcers and prosecutors in different regions started last year through the efforts of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Asia ACTs, ILO and UNICEF.

Advocacy against child pornography I joined a number of press briefing/press conference on the issue child pornography to support the call for the enactment of a bill to protect children from this form of exploitation. On November 17, 2009, President Macapagal Arroyo signed the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 (Republic Act 9775). A technical working group is currently working on the implementing rules and regulations of the new law.

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Working on emerging issues Hearing the voices of children left behind A youth camp provided a venue to gather the experiences and conditions of 34 children of migrant workers who are beneficiaries, members and partners of Batis-Yoghi, KAKAMPI, Veritas Mothers Circle and Veritas Maritime Corporation, PINASAMA, Center for Migrant Advocacy, Assumpta Technological High School, Save the Children and Kanlungan in the context of self, peers, school and larger community through various art forms.

Participated in the International Girl Child Conference

The approaches used in the workshop were participatory and creative processes facilitated by Ernie Cloma, Marichu Belarmino, Fredyl Hernandez and Vernie Severo of the Philippine Educational Theater Association and by Nick Arcilla of Anak Migrante.

At the end of the three-day workshop, the children issued a statement that highlights their situation and recommendations to address issues The International Girl Child Conference held on March 9-10, 2009 that affect children of migrant workers. This youth camp was funded in The Hague, Netherlands presented general recommendations as by International Labour Organization (ILO)-Philippines. well as action points on the specific subthemes, such as: child abuse – See and Act; parenting – Helping Parents; girls and the internet – Outcomes of World Congress III; domestic violence – The Girl Child: Advocacy on organ trafficking Witness and Victim of Domestic Violence; female genital mutilation/ cutting – Power of the Community; forced and early marriage – You The issue on organ trafficking was raised to Asia ACTs Secretariat have a Right to Choose; honour-related violence (HRV) against girls – in October 2007 by a concerned doctor and a working group was No more Violence, more Honor; and son preference – Transforming immediately organized to confirm the veracity of the reports. The group Son Preference into Non-Preference. studied the issue and coordinated with international organizations that focused on organ trafficking. Through the efforts of law enforcers The conference recognized the “importance of innovative approaches and the working group, it was discovered that many kidney vendors within the community, self-help and other programmes, and best hailed from Quezon Province, Philippines. practices”(Outcomes of the International Girl Child Conference, The Hague, The Netherlands, www.wunrn.com/news). The Philippines had earned a place in the top five organ trafficking hotspots in the Philippines. This concern was raised to the Inter-

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

Agency Council against Trafficking (IACAT). The working group and met with hospital administrators, doctors and other concerned also solicited the positions of different stakeholders, including the agencies to inform them of the new policy. Church, on the issue. With the policies in place, there has been a drop in the number of In April 2008, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo issued a directive kidney transplantations in the Philippines but continuous monitoring through the Department of Health Secretary to ban the performance still has to be done because there are reports of a new scheme to of kidney transplants on foreigners utilizing living Filipino donors. circumvent the law, which is the fake marriage. A summit on organ trafficking and transplant tourism was organized by the International Society of Nephrology and the Transplantation Society in April 2008 in Istanbul to further promote the cause. Then a month after the summit, the World Health Organization released the “Guiding Principles on Human Cell, Tissue and Organ Transplantation.”

More than 190 kidney donors from Quezon province are regularly provided with medical check-up every six months by the Philippine Society of Nephrology in cooperation with the local government unit, PACT and Asia ACTs.

Reaching New Heights for the Protection of

In the Philippines, the emerging issue has led to the development of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) to effectively implement Trafficked Children the provisions on anti-organ trafficking under Republic Act 9208 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003). The IRR was put in effect In my capacity as President of the Board of ECPAT Philippines, I on June 21, 2009. And on July 20, 2009, the Inter-Agency Council was appointed as the children’s NGO representative to the InterAgainst Trafficking (IACAT) held a press briefing regarding the IRR Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT). From the lenses of a

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

child advocate, I have shared with a group of child-focused NGOs, nationwide in conjunction with the program activities of Asia ACTs government officials and media practitioners the efforts undertaken and the Philippines against Child Trafficking (PACT). by the Council to combat human and child trafficking, highlighting the following: In response to this presentation, Ms. Romina D. Sta. Clara from the Delegation of the European Commission to the Philippines; Ms. a) guidelines for the setting up of local IACAT-VAWC; Maria Elena Caraballo, Executive Director V of CWC; Ms. Gemma b) National Strategic Plan of Action against Trafficking for 2006- Gabuya, Assistant Director of the Social Technology Bureau, DSWD; 2010; and Ms. Hope Tura, representing the Philippine NGO Coalition on c) model ordinance as an institutional mechanism in addressing the the UNCRC gave their reactions and raised other key opportunities problem; to further advance the anti-trafficking in persons initiatives. d) the Philippine Guidelines for the Protection of Trafficked Victims which includes inputs and recommendations from children The activity, which was held on February 23, 2010 concluded with survivors of trafficking – a result of the consultation/workshop a reminder to everyone that the involvement of more stakeholders with the children, entitled “Survivors Speak.;” from different levels, including children and young people, are vital e) implementing rules and regulations on organ trafficking; and to establish and strengthen child protection mechanisms nationwide. f) the Philippine Anti-Trafficking in Persons Database – a web-based data banking system for trafficked victims.

Learnings and challenges

A number of community education sessions and capacity building Country partners have also contributed to the establishment of opportunities for social service providers, prosecutors, law enforcers, mechanisms to protect children from trafficking through community local leaders and community members were also conducted participation and active participation of children at different levels in various activities. However, these mechanisms need to be strengthened particularly in the areas of access to justice, for example: working with the justice system to make certain that the rights of trafficked children are upheld in seeking justice and that traffickers are prosecuted. Seeking justice can also be part of the recovery and reintegration of trafficked children. In-country and cross-country referral mechanisms must also be developed to ensure access to justice of victims-survivors. On the other hand, the countries need to improve their recovery and reintegration programs for child survivors of trafficking. Although there are initiatives undertaken by individual countries, it is important to enhance the knowledge and skills of service providers to ensure that these services/programs adhere at least, to the minimum standards.

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

The involvement of children as peer educators and child rights advocates in schools and communities is among the previous initiatives which should be sustained. The children can be trained as community volunteers for advocacy activities and they could also help in identifying the other children at risk. Children organizations may be mobilized to assist in the recovery and reintegration of child survivors through peer counseling, youth group activities such as leadership and skills training. And they could be the building support groups of trafficked survivors.

to justice, recovery and reintegration programs for trafficked children. At the country level, Asia ACTs’ partners will continue working towards strengthening and expanding its network. It will strive to maintain the good relationship it has established with the government and civil society in order to create more collective and effective mechanisms and policies that would safeguard the rights of trafficked children.

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At the regional level, the major challenge would be for Asia ACTs to be represented in major regional human rights councils/ committees. Another challenge is the lobbying for the inclusion of child trafficking issues in the ASEAN plus 3. Thus, more involvement in policy advocacy at the South East Asian level is imperative. The prospect of expanding the network of Asia ACTs in other countries like Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea and China is also being looked into.

Asis ACTs will continue to be the umbrella which will coordinate and put together the efforts of the campaign to create a more powerful and stronger voice.

Asia ACTs considers the ASEAN NGO and ASEAN Social Welfare and Development Ministerial meetings as opportunities to strengthen its efforts in the region and to raise other concerns like the need to emphasize work at the Mekong Region. It will look into concrete issues and the initiatives of ASEAN convention on human trafficking and other sub-regional issues involving Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, where trafficking is also rampant.

With this in our hands, Asia ACTs will strive to provide direction, establish resource center for the region, and consolidate the regional efforts. And Asis ACTs will continue to be the umbrella which will coordinate and put together the efforts of the campaign to create a more powerful and stronger voice.

Asia ACTs for the next two years In the next three years, Asia ACTs will focus on three areas of concerns, namely: access to justice; fully recovery and reintegration of trafficked children; and empowerment of trafficked children/survivors. It will work on getting the whole picture of the situation in the three areas which would then be translated into common advocacy strategies for the Amihan V. Abueva implementation of effective protection mechanisms to ensure access Regional Coordinator

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

eh xu Asia ACTs network:

Safeguarding and Promoting the Rights of Children in South East Asia

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

c m â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Asia ACTs moves to advance the participation of children and young people for their own protection and development.

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Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Burma ACT: Better protection from support groups for high-risk, vulnerable and trafficked children

Working directly on the ground to help address child trafficking is Burma against Child Trafficking (Burma ACT) with Human Rights Education Institute of Burma (HREIB) as the focal point. Burma ACT is a loose network of NGOs and child rights advocates, that includes Social Action for Women (SAW); Committee for Protection and Promotion of Child Rights (CPPCR); Karen Student Network Group (KSNG); Karenni Student Union (KSU); Karenni Social Welfare Committee (KSWC); School Health Team (Mae Tao Clinic); Burmese Migrant Workers’ Education Committee (BMWEC); Overseas Irrawaddy Migrant Workers Association; Kachin Women Association in Thailand (KWAT); Mon Education Department; Lahu Women Union; and Burma Migrant Teachers’ Association. Burma ACT’s anti-child trafficking initiatives are focused in the border opportunities. They are vulnerable to human rights violations such as areas of Thailand and Burma, especially in Mae Sod. trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Women and children are trafficked to Malaysia, China and within Thailand for the purposes of Mae Sod is one of the towns of Tak Province, Thailand. It is located commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. in the western part of Thailand that shares a border with Burma to the west. As a gateway between the mainland of Thailand and Burma, Mae Sod is recognized not only for its trade in gems and teak but also Mobilizing child rights advocates, village leaders for human trafficking.

and educators

Most of the people residing in Mae Sod are Burmese refugees and migrants who engage themselves in agricultural and manual work in sweat shops, factories and other service industries. With no documents to legalize their stay and access to communities, the people are unable to avail of the basic social services and secure better employment

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

Burma ACT coordinates with different stakeholders to widen its reach in different levels. At the grassroots, it works closely with the local leaders and members of the community in raising people’s awareness on human and child trafficking, the dangers it entails, its

From the 20 training participants, 12 are now full-fledged trainer-organizers; from 25 young people, the mobile theatre group now has a total of 40 members. The theatre group continues to perform in communities and schools during community education sessions.

effects on victims, the protection mechanisms which include the reporting, referral system and managing/handling of trafficking cases. The problem of child trafficking was best presented to the ethnic minority groups through the drama performance of the UNITED ACT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theatre group and the video documentary on child trafficking produced by the Human Rights Education Institute of Burma (HREIB). The visual presentations of stories about Burmese children trafficked to Thailand for sexual exploitation and forced labor motivated the people in learning more about the problem that exists in their own community; in knowing how they can help protect their children from being victimized and provide assistance to the victims of trafficking.

Community education sessions were conducted in the communities of farmers and migrant workers, factory sites and migrant schools. Through the sessions, people became aware of child trafficking and have committed to help protect the children in their community. The child protection networks established by Burma ACT have contributed in identifying other communities that are vulnerable to child trafficking; in disseminating information within their respective communities; in organizing campaign activities; and in reporting/referring suspected cases of New areas were trafficking. The cases reported to Burma ACT after reached and their conduct of community education sessions sessions on were referred to the Thai Foundation for further community education investigation and legal action. with vulnerable Burma ACT also facilitated the drafting of a groups (like daily referral system for trafficked victims. Different wage earners and agencies working on the issue of child trafficking factory workers) were and providing assistance to trafficked victims in conducted. Twelve Mae Sod and neighboring areas were included in (12) TOT graduates the referral system. The referral system lists down are sustaining the following services: rescue operations, legal, the training and language/translation and temporary shelters. doing community organizing work for To institutionalize the ASEAN Guidelines the formation of child to Protect the Rights of Children Victims of protection network. Trafficking, Burma ACT presented the guidelines

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Better media coverage of the December 12 Campaign The commemoration of the Day Against Child Trafficking with the drama presentation of United ACT as the main event, reached out to thousands of people in Burma and Thailand through the coverage of 4 Burmese radio stations, 2 Burmese print media outlets, 2 Burmese television stations and 4 Thai television stations. Video footages were also uploaded on the internet.

Community watch was formed involving young people, school children and community. The issue of child trafficking was incorporated into the eightpoint policy for child protection. The policy has been finalized and is now being implemented in more than 30 migrant communities in Mae Sod.

According to the Thai Deputy Education Minister in Mae Sod, the collaborative efforts of Burma ACT have resulted in the annual increase of people involved in the campaign and its beneficiaries. The increasing number of participants manifests the good collaboration among Burma ACTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s network, NGOs, government officials, young people and children. It also shows the active participation of children in the campaign and the commitment of all stakeholders in protecting children from being trafficked.

to child-focused NGOs that were in the process of developing a Child Protection Policy for children in boarding schools, migrant schools and centers managed by NGOs in Mae Sod. The NGOs have agreed to include in the draft child protection policy the specific provisions on Interim Care and Case Management from the ASEAN Guidelines. The provisions include measures in dealing with A total of 2,016 children which include Thai students and 211 adults children survivors of trafficking which the NGOs joined the event this year. deemed very important. In October 2009, the child protection policy was finalized and adopted by all boarding schools, migrant schools and NGO centers in Mae Sod. Burma Against Child Trafficking (Burma ACT) Contact Person: Aung Myo Min Human Rights Education Institute of Burma G.P.O 485 Chiang Mai 5000, Thailand Fax No.: (66 53) 120-422 Email: myomin@cscoms.com

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

Cambodia ACTs: Formation of childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s committee in the commune council

Cambodia is recognized as a source, transit and destination country for trafficking in persons for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. Women and girls are trafficked to Thailand and Malaysia to work as domestic workers under exploitative conditions and forced prostitution. Cambodian children are trafficked to Thailand and Vietnam for the purpose of forced begging and they are also at risk to sexual exploitation because of the child sex tourism within Cambodia. Internal or domestic child trafficking also exists in Cambodia. To contribute in addressing the problem, anti-child trafficking efforts are undertaken by Cambodia Against Child Trafficking (Cambodia ACTs) in Svay Rieng, Siem Reap, Prey Veng, Phnom Penh, Kandal, Takeo, Pursat, Battambang, Pailen and Banteay Meanchey. Cambodia ACTs is a network of 13 NGO partners, namely: Disadvantaged Cambodian Organisation (DCO), Krousar Thmey (KT), Cambodian Women Crisis Center (CWCC), Cambodian Women Development Association (CWDA), Project Against Domestic Violence (PADV), HOMELAND, Cambodian Vision in Development (CVD), Cambodian Children against Starvation and Violence Association (CCASVA), Santi Sena and Children and Love Association (CLA), and COCD and CCPCR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Cambodia with Vulnerable Children Assistance Organization (VCAO) as focal point.

Advocating for the inclusion of child trafficking and child protection in the agenda of communes The government officials trained by Cambodia ACTs were involved in educating the vulnerable groups in communities about child trafficking and illegal migration. The sessions emphasized the importance of being vigilant before accepting any employment offers in other places. The villagers were informed about the agencies or institutions to which they can refer or report suspected cases of human trafficking.

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

“

Cambodia ACTs continued to coordinate with stakeholders in order to further strengthen the child protection network.

At the city and provincial level, education sessions were geared towards strengthening child protection networks by continuously collaborating with members of commune and district women’s affairs, police officers, teachers and staff of the education office, commune council members, village chiefs, children and youth.

Reaching out to more people in the December 12 Campaign Information on the issue of child trafficking and protection mechanisms were disseminated during the December 12 campaign. The children’s knowledge on the issue was deepened and their capacity to raise other people’s awareness was enhanced as a result of the learning sessions cum campaign. The December 12 campaign also increased the collaboration of local government officials, NGOs, the academe and the community with each other.

“

Media coverage by CTN, TVK and Bayon enabled the campaign to reach out to more people nationwide and it was recognized as one of the strategies to lobby for a more effective action to fight child Cambodia ACTs continued trafficking. to coordinate with stakeholders in order to further strengthen the child protection network. It provides stakeholders with comprehensive information about child trafficking, children’s rights, violence against children, identifying trafficked victims, the referral system and handling/managing cases of child trafficking through its networking meetings. Cambodia Against Child Trafficking (Cambodia ACTs) Contact Person: Chea Pyden Vulnerable Children Assistance Organization (VCAO) House # 72 Street 608, Sangkat Beoung Kok II, Khan Toul Kork, Phnom Penh, Cambodia Tel. No.: (855-12) 303-016; (855-92) 322-042 Email: cambodia-acts@online.com.kh

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

Vietnam campaign: Raising awareness for more responsive services for children Vietnamese women and children are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor within Vietnam â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from rural to urban areas; and to China, Cambodia, Thailand, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan and Macau. Some women who went into arranged marriages ended up as victims of trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor. Men are also trafficked for forced labor. Aside from being a source country, Vietnam is recognized as a destination country for child sex tourism. Helping to protect Vietnamese children from being trafficked are the campaign partners headed by the Ho Chi Minh Child Welfare Awareness raising for the establishment of child Foundation which conducts anti-trafficking initiatives in Da Nang, protection mechanisms in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Ho Chi Minh City and Thanh Hoa. Nang and Thanh Hoa The community education sessions in Ho Chi Minh City, Thanh Hoa, and Da Nang, created the venue for children to participate in discussions and learn about the referral system or where to seek for help when confronted with suspected trafficking cases. The sessions in Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City were directed towards the establishment of child protection networks and the involvement of more volunteers and people at the grassroots level. NGO representatives, local government officials and

Trainings, meetings and other activities under the EU-TDHNL funded project contributed to the expansion of some wards. The capacity building activities have equipped the social workers in the grassroots with knowledge and skills on child protection mechanisms.

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

community members have agreed to mobilize and lobby for a good policy to protect the children. At the same time, the coordination between and among agencies was recognized as an important factor to combat child trafficking and other forms of child exploitation.

Promoting the ASEAN Guidelines among service providers.

and private schools, teachers, parents and NGO workers gathered together at Tan Quy Ward District 7 on December 13, 2009. A lecture-discussion on child trafficking was first conducted followed by the creative activities – drawing contest, singing, dancing and drama presentations. Another December 12 campaign event was conducted at Le Thanh Zon Public High School. The event brought together 1200 high school students, who engaged themselves in the discussion Ho Chi Minh Child Welfare on child trafficking. A parade in Foundation (HCMCWF) Thanh Hoa was also organized Contact Person: Huynh Kiem Tien on December 12. A total of 317 85/65 Pham Viet Chanh St. children joined the parade and Ward 19, Binh Thanh District chanted “we have to cooperate to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam prevent child trafficking.” (parade Tel. No.: (84-8) 840-1406 thanh hoa) Fax No.: (84-8) 840-1407

The training to promote the ASEAN Guidelines for the Protection of Trafficked Children in Da Nang resulted in the drafting of action plans on how the guidelines could be applied in different agencies and communities. From the training, the Protection Law Newspaper featured an article about the development of the child protection network in Da Nang and the cooperation between GOs and NGOs. In Ho Chi Minh City, the participants have agreed to continue popularizing the ASEAN Guidelines to other stakeholders. An article in Thanh Nien newspaper wrote about the importance of disseminating the guidelines and the establishment of child In Da Nang, 400 children joined protection network. the parade on December 13, 2009.

Involvement of more children in the December 12 Campaign Ho Chi Minh Child Welfare Foundation celebrated the Day against Trafficking by conducting 7 events in the three target areas – Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Thanh Hoa. In Ho Chi Minh City, around 150 elementary children from public

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

Email: kiemtienhcwf@gmail.com kiemtienhbt@yahoo.com

Indonesia ACT: Increasing capacity of stakeholders to handle cases of trafficking Indonesian men, women and children are trafficked for forced labor, domestic servitude, forced prostitution within Indonesia and across borders â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and Saudi Arabia. Some labor recruitment agencies have also been known to operate activities similar to trafficking rings which lure men and women into involuntary servitude, debt bondage and other exploitative conditions. Aside from being a major source country, Indonesia is also recognized as a destination country due to the existence of child sex tourism in urban areas and tourist destinations. Lobbying to the Indonesian Government for the enactment of In Kupang, child protection networks were formed in four (4) villages: laws that would protect children from being trafficked is Indonesia Baun Niuk, Oelanasi Village, Oelomin Village and Oeletsala Village. against Child Trafficking (Indonesia ACTs). The CPN worked towards initiating regular coordination with its members and other stakeholders. It strived to encourage the village Indonesia ACTs is a network of 16 NGOs, namely: KKSP; Yayasan leaders to implement activities that would contribute in preventing Jurnal Perempuan; YKB; YAP; Institut Perempuan; LRC-KJHAM; child trafficking. Members of the CPN regularly convened to Setara Foundation; KAKAK Foundation; SARI; Rifka Annisa; SAMIN Foundation; Yayasan Kawan Kami; LBH APIK; Yayasan Panca Karsa; LBH APIK; and Rumah Perempuan. The network of Indonesia ACTs also works to ensure the protection, recovery and reintegration of trafficked children in the provinces of Kupang, Indramayu, Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya and Solo. At the city/provincial level, Indonesia ACTs focused its initiatives on strengthening child protection networks (CPN) by conducting education sessions for village officials, religious leaders, community leaders, health officials, youth organizations, womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s groups, teachers and children in the villages of Penfui Timor, Niuk Baun, Oeletsala, Oelomin; and in Surabaya and Jakarta Province.

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

In Surabaya Province, the participants have identified domestic violence as one of the factors that leads to child trafficking. They have also planned to form a child protection network at the local level; disseminate information; and build the capacities of children. In Medan, KKSP discussed with government stakeholders the strategies for protection, prevention and human rights treatment for trafficked victims. The participants have agreed to involve other agencies and stakeholders in the village. They shall also exerted efforts to advocate for the integration of child trafficking issue into the school curriculum; conduct awareness raising activities for community leaders, religious leaders, youth organizations and NGOs; and provide appropriate assistance to victims of trafficking. discuss the programs and the existing anti-trafficking efforts of the The results of these dialogues were complemented with the media government. They also planned to draft a village regulation against professionals drafting a Code of Conduct on reporting issues human trafficking. They have recommended the moratorium of involving children with a child rights perspective. granting recommendation letters for child workers. This was put in place to prevent children from getting trapped into trafficking and Most of the basic principles of the Guidelines to Protect the Rights other exploitative conditions. of Children Victims of Trafficking were adopted and institutionalized in the national regulation like the Anti-Human Trafficking Law and In Indramayu, the formation of CPN in Bongas village was the Standard Operational Procedure. spearheaded by Yayasan Kusuma Buana. The reactivation of the subdistrict and district level anti-trafficking task force is Commemorating December 12 at the also underway. Through the community education grassroots level sessions, cases of child trafficking were reported by the people to Indonesia ACT or to local authorities. The Day against Trafficking was commemorated by Indonesia ACTs in Kupang; Jakarta; Pontianak, In Jakarta, the participants raised the concern of West Kalimantan; Gunung Kidul District, Jogjakarta; trafficked children who have been infected with HIVDemak District, Central Java; Surakarta City and AIDS. The participants recommended the formation Bantul District, DI Jogjakarta. of child protection network at the city level; the conduct of more awareness-raising activities for In Kupang, information about child trafficking government agencies and the lobbying for concrete were disseminated through RRI Kupang Radio and anti-trafficking regulations in DKI Jakarta Province RPD Kupang for 20 days starting on November to help eradicate human trafficking. 25, 2009. The airtime in two radio stations was an

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

opportunity for Indonesia ACTs to widen its reach in raising the people’s awareness about child trafficking, the dangers, the means, exploitative purposes and the measures to prevent and protect children from being trafficked.

Indonesia Against Child Trafficking (Indonesia ACTs)

In Jakarta, the December 12 event was conducted in cooperation with the Provincial AIDS Commission of DKI The 14 events in Yogyakarta Jakarta, NGO Forum for AIDS and Provincial Government of DKI were organized by Rifka Jakarta. Annisa; Yayasan Setara with the participation of Batu In Pontianak, West Kalimantan, four events were organized by LBH community, Government’s Apik. The events were participated in by Government’s Senior High Elementary School 1, Karang School 5 and 8; Pontianak Government’s Senior High School 1, Tengah Sub District, Parents Sungai Raya and St. Petrus Senior High School. Forum, local community leaders, village leaders and children. Indonesia ACTs’ December 12 campaign events were also highly participated by children and youth who were engaged in the art contest, dance, music and theatre performance, learning sessions and in raising the awareness of other children and youth in their community.

Contact Person: Emmy Lucy Smith Indonesia ACTs Jalan Kalibata Utara I No. 32, Jakarta Selatan – 12740 Tel. No.: (021) 799-7036 Email: indo_acts@yahoo.com Website: www.indonesia-acts. com Muhammad Jailani KKSP Medan Jalan Stella III No., 88 Medan – 20135 Sumatera Utara, Indonesia Tel. No.: (62) 61-836-7483 Fax No.: (62) 61-836-7412 Email: childcom@indosat.net. id jailani@kksp.or.id Hening Budiyawati Yayasan Setara Jalan Menora Raya No. 51B Semarang, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia Telefax No.: (62) 24-844-5138 Email: hening_ad@yahoo.com

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Lao Campaign: Better protection for vulnerable children through CPU

The Government of Lao continues to exert efforts to combat trafficking in persons. However, due to lack of resources, untrained officials and corruption, it is unable to fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. Lao women and girls are trafficked to Thailand for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor in domestic work and factories. Internal trafficking targets young women and girls for prostitution in urban areas. Lao is also recognized as a transit country for women from Vietnamese, presented in school activities. This contributed in widening the reach China and Burma who are trafficked to Thailand. The easy access is of information campaign for children to protect themselves from brought about by the construction of new highways that link Lao with being trafficked. China, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. Child Protection Units (CPUs) were setup in 5 villages. Members of One of the international NGOs working towards the elimination CPUs established at San None Village, Dongtong Noi Village, and of child trafficking in Lao is Village Focus International (VFI). The Nonglaotheung Village regularly discuss issues on child protection in efforts of VFI are directed towards promoting the leadership of the their monthly meetings. The meetings aimed to encourage the villagers village people. As the focal point of Asia ACTs in Lao, VFI identified to be more cautious when offered with migration opportunities. They the provinces of Champasak and Salavan and the city of Vientianne advised the people to follow a Safe Migration Check List before allowing their children to work outside the community. The check as its target areas for anti-child trafficking interventions. Community education sessions for the village people including children and youth focused on the Convention on the Rights of the Child, child trafficking and mechanisms for the protection of children and prevention of child trafficking. One provincial and two district counterparts, 5 youth volunteers and 20 young people became trainers for awareness raising activities in schools and villages with minimal assistance from VFI staff. They also composed songs and wrote scripts on child trafficking which are

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

list includes the work address, telephone number and other contact details. A CPU member and the family must always keep a copy of the check list.

Hotline for victims of trafficking

A district level CPU was formed in Salavan Province after the series In Vientiane Capital City, a symposium of trainings, meetings and awareness raising activities. on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tourism and Child Protectionâ&#x20AC;? was organized on December 7, 2009 by VFI Drafting of the Lao Guidelines and referral system in collaboration with the Ministry of Lao National Tourism Administration. On the for victims of trafficking same occasions, the Tourist Police Hotline VFI convened representatives of the United Nations Inter-Agency 192 was also launched. The hotline aims to Project (UNIAP), Chuck World Services, Donkoi Development provide an immediate response to victims of Center, AFESIP, Hope Center, International Organization for child sex tourism. Migration (IOM), World Vision, Friend International, and Norwegian Church Aid to enhance the existing mechanisms for the protection of children and victims of child trafficking. A referral system for trafficked victims was drafted and this will be implemented by the NGOs and UN agencies. An orientation on the human trafficking situation in Lao, human trafficking laws, UN CRC, ASEAN Guidelines for the Protection of Trafficked Children was also conducted for NGO representatives, the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Lao Women Union; police officers and lawyers. As a result of capacity buildings such as this, a one-day module on human trafficking was drafted by the participants.

The event was participated in by NGOs, UN agencies, government agencies, students and media practitioners. (Insert hotline for victims) The activities spearheaded by VFI, which includes the December 12 campaign, have gained more media coverage, especially from the local radio and television stations in Vientiane, Champasak and Salavan Province.

Village Focus International (VFI) Contact Persons: Kongseng Sirivath PO Box 4697 Vientiane Lao PDR Telefax: (85621) 452-080 Email: kongsengsrv@hotmail. com

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Philippines Against Child Trafficking: Continuing massive awareness-raising and strengthening collaboration with key stakeholders to address child trafficking The Philippines Against Child Trafficking (PACT) is a network of child advocates with members coming from nongovernment organizations and individual members from government agencies in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. PACT strives to complement the efforts of the Philippine Government, other agencies, and Asia ACTs network in general to combat human trafficking. Community education sessions in different parts of the country like Zamboanga, Davao, Iligan and Cagayan de Oro have reinforced the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effort to create the local inter-agency council against trafficking and violence against women and children. Participants engaged themselves in discussions regarding setting up mechanisms for the protection of children. In Zamboanga City, the participants have identified the communities which were not yet reached by the campaign. Thus, these communities will be prioritized by the partners of PACT and the social workers in their next awareness raising activities. In Davao City, the community education sessions became an opportunity for stakeholders to be informed of the efforts undertaken by the government. They have also identified the areas where they can contribute to strengthen the child protection network. The stakeholders have agreed to intensify capacity building initiatives; increase community awareness/advocacy campaigns and school-based information campaign; install monitoring mechanism; and establish proper system for linking with other stakeholders. In the National Capital Region, the Philippine Guidelines for the Protection of Trafficked Children was continuously being promoted. In fact, some of the provisions in the Philippine Guidelines may be included in the existing Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Code of Taguig City. In Pasay City,

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

the Pasay City Network for the Protection of Children is working on the adoption of the Philippine Guidelines through a local ordinance. The police officers have committed to improve their response to victim-survivors of child trafficking and to observe the Guidelines in their protocol. PACTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s network in Iligan City is lobbying for the inclusion of the campaign in existing community programs such as the Parent Effectiveness Seminar of the City Social Welfare and Development Office.

In Bukidnon, the local partner of PACT has continued to conduct December 20 were implemented by members and partners of PACT campaign activities in the effort to reach the areas identified to have based in the provinces of Abra, Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, prevalent trafficking incidents. Bulacan, Cavite, Marinduque, Laguna, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon (all in Luzon); Bohol, Negros Occidental, Involving the media in the campaign Capiz, Iloilo, Aklan, Antique, Northern Samar (Visayas); and Agusan Twenty-two (22) child del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Cagayan, South Cotabato, Bukidnon, trafficking cases were Sultan Kudarat, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Sur, and reported and referred PACT conducted a round table discussion with the media to discuss the Philippine Guidelines for the cities of Taguig, Pasay, Manila, Quezon, Caloocan, Pasig, Baguio, to Tanglaw Buhay, Protection of Trafficked Children and the Guide for Zamboanga, Cotabato, Kidapawan, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Davao a shelter funded by Media Practitioners on the Reporting and Coverage (Mindanao). TDH-Netherlands of Cases Involving Children. The activity was built and managed by on individual meetings with the directors of radio and The events include advocacy drive with light and entertaining activities, Zamboanga-based tv stations. The individual meetings and the round varying from a lantern parade, peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s caravan to motorcades, youth/ PACT partner, theater table discussion opened the opportunity for PACT mobile/community Katilingban para sa community Philippines Against Child to introduce its network and promote the Philippine presentations, Kalambuan. Ninety Guidelines. The PACT Secretariat was also invited education sessions, workshops, Trafficking (PACT) percent (90%) of conferences, media hopping and Contact Person: Marcelina Carpizo to guest in some radio programs. the children in this media meetings/conferences. Rm. 316 Philippine Social Science shelter were referred Children and youth also actively Center In Abra, the human rights standards for the treatment by partners from the of trafficked children was promoted among media participated in essay writing, Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, government and the practitioners, religious organizations and local public speaking, poster-making, Quezon City communities. government officials from the following sectors: poetry writing, literary writing, Tel. No.: (632) 929-0347 education, social welfare, police and health. As a games, musical presentations, Email: philippinecampaign@gmail. com result, the participants, who were from five towns in Abra, committed and film showing. to help strengthen the implementation of the existing laws; encourage the participation of more service providers in anti-trafficking efforts; The different December 12 and lobby for the passage of local ordinances for the appropriation of events also obtained the active participation of government funds to combat child/human trafficking. agencies, government organization, communities, Uniting anti-child trafficking advocates for the Day youth organizations, community Against Trafficking members, faith-based groups, schools, and private/business The Day Against Trafficking was commemorated all over the sector. Philippines spearheaded by 84 PACT members and partners. The commemorative events started as early as November 25 up to Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Child Trafficking Watch Thailand: Advancing the campaign by involving different stakeholder

Thailand is characterized as a country of origin, transit and destination for trafficking of men, women and children for the purposes of forced labor in fishing-related industries, factories, agriculture, construction, domestic work and begging: and commercial sexual exploitation. The ethnic minorities like the Northern hill tribes, who are without any legal document pertaining to their stay in the communities, are considered as vulnerable groups that are at high risk for trafficking within and across borders. In the upper northern region of Thailand, Child Trafficking Watch Thailand (CTWT) with its member NGOs primarily composed of Hill Area Development Foundation Inc., Children and Community Network Development Center and Gabfai Community Theater contribute to efforts that aim to address the issue of human trafficking. Their initiatives are targeted to serve the vulnerable groups in the provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Lampang, Nan, Tak and Mae Hong Son. The education sessions and life skills training conducted by CTWT gathered hill tribe group leaders, community women volunteers, teachers, local government officials, children and youth. The sessions focused on deepening the stakeholdersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; understanding on the problem of child trafficking in relation to their situation as â&#x20AC;&#x153;stateless.â&#x20AC;? They also discussed about mechanisms to protect their children. Through the sessions, CTWT came to know about a number of trafficking cases which they then referred to the Development Center

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

Child Trafficking Watch Thailand (CTWT) Contact Person: Juthamas Rajchaprasit Hill Area Community Development Foundation 129/1 Moo 4, Pa-ngew Road, Soi 4 Robwiang, Muang Chiang Rai, 75000 Thailand Tel. No.: (66-53) 758-658 Fax No.: (66-53) 715-696 Email: hadfthai@loxinfo.co.th jchiangrai@hotmail.com for Community and Child Network; Mae Hong Son Provincial Social Development and Human Security Office; Chiang Mai-based NGOs like Friends of Women and New Life Center Foundation; and Chiang Mai Emergency Home for appropriate action. The education sessions in Chiang Mai spearheaded by Gabfai included drama presentations about the people’s situation and their vulnerability to child trafficking. The drama performance was deemed to be an effective strategy for disseminating child/human trafficking information. The networking meetings with different stakeholders involving community leaders, parents, local government officials, teachers, representatives from the academe, community volunteers and youth leaders attest to the importance of continued collaboration and partnership to address child trafficking and other issues concerning children. The meetings have also brought the participants to the agreement of working towards

Santiphong Moonfong Development Center for Children and Community Network 7 Moo 2 T. Sopmoei A. Sopmoei Mae Hong Son 58110 Thailand Tel. No.: (662) 053-618-067 Fax No.: (66-52) 715-690 Email: ngo_salaween@ hotmail.com

the inclusion of child trafficking issues into the Educational Zone Office’s curriculum. The curriculum will then be used by other teachers in raising the students’ awareness. Within each target area, the village people drafted a work plan that specified the activities to be implemented. They have agreed to explain the work plan to the children, parents, community leaders and other stakeholders in the community. This is in the effort to gain their support and active participation to address human/child trafficking. In the work plan, the village people have also stated the leaders who will conduct surveillance and networking activities. The groups of scholars have also developed a plan which will focus on providing legal services/assistance to the ethnic minority groups including the highland children.

Patchayanee Srinuar Child Trafficking Watch Thailand 25/6 Tonkam Road 2 Thasara Muang Chiang Mai 50000, Thailand Telefax: (662) 053-248-689 Email: ctwt_tfkth@hotmail. com Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Publication cab and Campaign Materials Protecting the Rights of Children Victims of Trafficking (Burmese version). n). Translated and printed by Human Rights Education Institute of Burma and Burma rma ACT. Panduan Perlindungan Hak-hak Anak Bagi Korban Perdagangan Di Wilayah ayah Asal Berdasarkan Standar Hak Asasi Manusia (Indonesian Guidelines to Protect the Rights of Children Victims of Trafficking). Developed by Yayasan Setara, 2009. A primer on Cambodian Guidelines Published by Cambodia ACTs HALF THE PICTURE: Integrated Report on the Analysis of News Coverage of Child Trafficking in Southeast Asia Available in English and Bahasa Indonesia versions. The Bahasa Indonesia version was translated and printed by Yayasan Kakak and Yayasan Setara. Aspirations and Explorations: Good Practices of the Campaign Against Child Trafficking in Southeast Asia Published in English, Burmese, Bahasa Indonesia, Khmer and Vietnamese ese languages. Asia ACTs Annual Report for March 2008 to February 2009

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

Asia ACTs brochure Regional Campaign Updates Fan type brochure Prayer card Audio Visual Productions: A Step Across Borders: Protecting the Rights and Dignity of the Trafficked Child in Southeast Asia. A 30-minute audio visual presentation. Dubbed or with subtitles in Khmer, Burmese, Lao, Bahasa Indonesia and Vietnamese. Empowering Southeast Asian Children and Communities to Overcome Trafficking. A 30-minute audio visual presentation on Asia ACTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good practices..

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

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Financial Report 41

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

cab The Board and the Secretariat Board of Directors Chairperson:

Aung Myo Min Director Human Rights Education Institute for Burma

Vice-Chairperson:

Chea Pyden Executive Director Vulnerable Children Assistance Organization

Secretary:

Emmy Lucy Smith National Coordinator Indonesia ACTs

Treasurer:

Juthamas Rajchaprasit Executive Director Hill Area Development Foundation Inc.

Members:

Marcelina Carpizo Chairperson Philippines Against Child Trafficking Huynh Kiem Tien Program Coordinator Ho Chi Minh Child Welfare Foundation Kongseng Sirivath Project Coordinator Village Focus International Siriporn Skrobanek Chairperson Foundation for Women (Ret.) Usec. Lourdes G. Balanon

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

Asia ACTs Secretariat Regional Coordinator: Regional Trainer: Admin and Finance Officer: Information Officer: Technical Assistant:

Amihan V. Abueva Regina P. Florendo Desiree Joy G. Granil Magnolia E. H. Jacinto Laila E. Rosal

Secretariat/Staff/Committee of Focal Organizations Burma ACTs:

Nan Mu Coordinator

Cambodia ACTs:

Song Saran Assistant to the Focal Point Cheang Chheangkkeang Finance Officer

Indonesia ACTs:

Members of the Presidium: Muhammad Jailani Executive Director KKSP Medan Hening Budiyawati Executive Director Yayasan Setara

Ho Chi Minh City Child Welfare Foundation: Bui Thi Than Tuyen Program Officer

Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking

Village Focus International: Chanphed Vongmathep Project Assistant Child Trafficking Watch Thailand: Patchayanee Srinuar Project Coordinator Santiphong Moonfong Secretary and National Project Coordinator Amarin Plengrassamee Vice-President and Chiangmai Coordinator Orapin Wasi-anurak Finance Manager Philippines Against Child Trafficking: Salome Ujano National Coordinator Shiela Formento National Trainer Ma. Vida Subingsubing Information Officer Nancy... Finance & Admin Officer

Annual Report / March 2009 to February 2010

Acknowledgement Asia ACTs extends its sincerest gratitude to all organizations, institutions and individuals who have been involved in the campaign against trafficking and have made valuable contributions to the implementation of the three-year project under Oak and EU.

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During its project implementation, Asia ACTs greatly appreciated the enormous support of the following:

Asia ACTs would also like to acknowledge the generous support f the following donors: Terre des Hommes-Netherlands European Commission Oak Foundation UNICEF International Labour Organization â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Philippines Caritas Asia Save the Children UK Cross-Border Project Asia ACTs against Child Trafficking