Project Highlights
 
Improving Primary Schools
 
 
Basic Education I & II Projects
 
 
Monitoring Primary Schools
 
Trafficking of People Information Center (TOPIC) Website

Location:
Global
Dates:
2001 to 2006
Funder:
U.S. Department of State
Budget:
  $515,000
Website:
www.humantrafficking.org

Objective

The enslavement and relocation of people—either within or across borders—for the purpose of labor or sexual exploitation, is known as human trafficking. The concept of using the Internet as a facilitation tool was a major recommendation of the Asia Region Initiative Against Trafficking (ARIAT) meeting in Manila in March 2000. In this meeting, and in other international initiatives, the participants proposed to promote cooperation and partnership among their governments, NGOs, international organizations, private sector, and civil society organizations in prevention, protection, reintegration and prosecution aspects of trafficking in persons. It was suggested that countries should build regional cooperation networks, including cooperation through the Internet, to combat the issue of human trafficking. As a result of the unanimous recommendation of the ARIAT meeting, this Web site was funded by U.S. Department of State, East Asia Pacific Bureau.


Components
In July 2001, AED began developing a Website to facilitate information exchange and encourage coordination among organizations combating human trafficking in the East Asia Pacific region (EAP). The Website serves as a repository of information where NGOs, government departments, and others seeking assistance in dealing with trafficking issues are able to find appropriate and timely information. Target audiences in EAP source countries as well as destination countries, include: government agencies such as immigration, labor and justice; concerned NGOs both domestic and international; and the general public interested in activities and resources targeted on curtailing trafficking in EAP. This Web site has country-specific information such as national laws and action plans and contact information on useful governmental agencies. It also has a description of NGO activities in different countries and their contact information.

For ease of access the site classifies resource contacts, best practices, regulations and laws, and other relevant information for each participating country into the general categories of:

Prevention of human trafficking
Protection of trafficking victims
Prosecution of traffickers
Reintegration and rehabilitation of trafficked persons