Human trafficking is a grave issue that affects vulnerable populations worldwide, including children and youth. The ASEAN Training Centre for Social Work and Social Welfare (ATCSW) recognizes the urgent need to address this problem and has developed an introductory and compact training course on the (prevention approach) focused on the prevention of human trafficking in children and youths, particularly in the context of ASEAN and Thailand. The curriculum is developed by a group of experts bringing diverse perspectives to the training, ensuring an understanding of the issue.
This course is aimed at orienting the learners on an overall trafficking and anti-trafficking issues, global definitions, introducing ASEAN contexts including case studies from Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, with techniques on child-friendly investigation, Gender Equality and Sexual Inclusive (GESI) analysis as well as relating the roles of social workers to both online and trafficking in person (TIP) parameters. The course was concluded in two days packed with 7 modules with comprehensive knowledge and an assessment.
The total of number of students attending the pilot course included approximately 25 students from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, and Thailand with observers from Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, and Thailand. The facilitators professions were social workers, public prosecutor, university professors, an INGO advisor, a consortium president, a contractor officer of the developing donor, a management/ trainer, a consultant / former regional program - country manager. The course furnished learners with comprehensive knowledge spanning concepts like human trafficking, legal frameworks, international conventions/declaration, the role of social workers, the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic and the involvement non-traditional security and vulnerability issues.
Also, it encouraged the learners to generate preventive strategies and measures to deal with the problems requiring responsive unconventional solutions. Moreover, it aspired to cultivate networks among government officers, social workers, social service workforces, practitioners, social enterprise, academicians, researchers, mentors, advisors, and business entities with CSR programs and children and youth programs. This is the first of its kind to have such a diverse. The training course is open to a wide range of professionals, including teachers, social workers, group of learners from all sectors in one class. Finally, the feedback is entirely satisfactory and the students in the course expressed much appreciation to the government for providing funding and the facility for conducting the training.
The ATCSW's training course on anti-human trafficking in children and youths is a crucial initiative in addressing the pressing issue of human trafficking ASEAN. By equipping professionals with the necessary knowledge and skills, raising awareness, and fostering collaboration; we can work together to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable populations and create a safer future for children and youths, not just only in our ASEAN region yet expanding to transnational and inter-connected world.
Appreciation extended to all of the partners including USAID/WINROCK, Save the children-AP-ASWC-PH, IPSSI-Office of Attorney General, Aetno Davos University- Thai Taxpayers & RTG/MSDHS
Source: ASEAN Training Center for Social Work and Social Development (ATCSW)
