Nairobi, Kenya – As the cases of fraudulent online recruitment and trafficking for forced criminality are on the rise, government representatives from East Africa and South East Asia convened, from 14 to 15 November 2024, for a cross-regional workshop held by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Nairobi, Kenya. The workshop aimed to enhance cooperation and develop strategies to address this evolving issue.

Trafficking for the purpose of forced criminality has emerged as a complex and rapidly growing trend. South East Asia has seen a significant rise in trafficking for forced criminality, driven largely by online recruitment scams targeting young individuals from economically vulnerable backgrounds. Criminal syndicates exploit victims through fraudulent, lucrative job offers and trap them into remote compounds, where they are forced to participate in illegal activities.

“Trafficking has taken on a new digital dimension, exploiting social media to prey on vulnerable populations through cross-border recruitment scams,” said Iori Kato, IOM Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. "Addressing this transnational crime and adapting our responses necessitates a shared understanding of the new trends and coordinated policy response and its implementation focused on victim centered approaches, information sharing and awareness raising."

In 2023 alone, IOM identified nearly 850 forced criminality cases in South East Asia, many of whom were referred by government and civil society partners. A significant portion of these victims originated from East Africa, highlighting the need for a better understanding of non-traditional trafficking destinations and strengthened cross-regional response.

To address the rising challenge of trafficking for forced criminality in South East Asia and its expanding impact across East Africa, representatives from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia and Tanzania gathered at the workshop to discuss existing good practice and lessons in trafficking prevention, protection of victims in transit, destination and origin countries, sustainable return and reintegration, prosecution and potential for enhancing cross-regional  cooperation. The workshop builds on IOM’s ongoing work in East Africa and South East Asia to enhance bilateral cooperation with governments and consular officials across the region, aimed not only at enhancing cooperation between migration management law enforcement agencies but also at strengthening screening, referral and protection services for victims of trafficking – bolstering the regional resilience against ever-evolving trafficking trends.

 “With the growing use of digital social media platforms by the transnational organized crime networks to target and lure victims, we face an urgent need for cross-regional collaboration to combat trafficking in all its forms,” emphasized Frantz Celestin, IOM Regional Director for East, Horn and Southern Africa. “Promoting regular pathways for safe migration is critical in preventing trafficking in persons and supporting individuals in realizing their potential and aspirations.”

The workshop concluded with actionable recommendations to among others enhance multilateral cooperation and regular information sharing; review existing policies and mechanisms to address TiP at national level and across regions; improve data collection and analysis; enhance prevention and prosecution efforts; and enhance identification of victims and provision of  quality and comprehensive support for victims including sustainable return and reintegration that addresses the economic, social and psychosocial needs of victims,

This cross-regional workshop was made possible with financial support from IOM and the Australian Department of Home Affairs (DHA) under the Bali Process: Return and Reintegration Services to Stranded Migrants (BP AVRR) programme, managed by IOM office in Thailand.

***

For more information, please contact:

In Thailand, Alexandra Cole (acole@iom.int) or Anushma Shrestha (anshrestha@iom.int)

In Kenya, Linda Kola (lkola@iom.int) Mohamed Salah (mohamedali@iom.int)