Bali Process Working Group members convened in Bangkok over 18-21 November for a series of events to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Working Group on Trafficking in Persons (WG-TIP) and to strengthen joint coordination efforts across the WG-TIP and Taskforce on Planning and Preparedness (TFPP).
The week of dialogue and coordination commemorated a decade of collaboration within the WG-TIP, which has served as a key platform for advancing regional responses to trafficking in persons. It also provided an opportunity to review ongoing work, discuss emerging challenges, and jointly identify priorities for the years ahead across the Bali Process ecosystem. Discussions fed into the endorsement of a new WG-TIP Forward Work Plan for 2024-2026 at the 10th annual meeting.
Since its establishment in 2013, the WG-TIP has facilitated cooperation across its membership to address trafficking in persons. Over the past decade, the group has supported the sharing of knowledge and best practices, the development of regional tools and guidelines, and capacity-building initiatives aimed at preventing trafficking and protecting victims.
The WG-TIP 10th Anniversary Commemorative Event encouraged members to reflect on these achievements while examining how the WG-TIP can continue to adapt to the evolving nature of trafficking, particularly in the face of new forms of exploitation and cross-border challenges.
Ambassador Tri Tharyat, Deputy Minister for Multilateral Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia and Indonesian Senior Official Co-Chair of the Bali Process, emphasised the importance of collaboration with international counterparts and regional stakeholders and experts to achieve meaningful and measurable outcomes, that can effectively address emerging challenges in addressing trafficking in persons.
The Regional Support Office of the Bali Process (RSO) moderated a panel discussion for the WG-TIP 10th Anniversary Commemorative Dialogue, which looked at the evolving landscape of trafficking in persons and potential avenues for collaboration in the decade ahead. In the panel, representatives from Bali Process Working Groups, the Government and Business Forum (GABF), and International Organisations shared insights on trends in technology misuse, evolving cross-border challenges, and the vital role of collaboration among civil society, the private sector, and government in countering trafficking in persons.
The International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Iori Kato, emphasised how economic shock events such as COVID-19 and conflict act as significant push factors for labour migration, and that economic instability and limited access to legal migration pathways further heighten vulnerabilities and increase trafficking risks.
Catherine Parsons, Senior Advisor at Walk Free and GABF representative, and Dharma Djojonegoro, CEO at Adaro Energy—Indonesia’s Business Co-Chair of GABF, also highlighted the need for ongoing and strengthened multi-sectoral collaboration, with the Bali Process and WG-TIP playing a key role in bringing together regional actors from the private and public sector to coordinate on counter-trafficking strategies in the future.
The joint regional event brought together WG-TIP and the TFPP members to explore areas of overlap and collaboration. Discussions focused on strengthening regional preparedness for displacement crises and ensuring trafficking responses are integrated into broader emergency planning. Topics discussed during the TFPP Policy Expert Gathering included early warning mechanisms, cross-border coordination, and leveraging technology to anticipate and prepare for situations of large-scale displacement. The sessions emphasised the need for cohesive regional strategies that strategically adopt emerging technologies to address the interconnected challenges of irregular migration and trafficking in persons.
The Joint WG-TIP and TFPP sessions emphasised the critical role of cross-sector partnerships in tackling the misuse of technology, with discussions ranging from online exploitation to the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on trafficking networks. At the Eighth Annual Meeting of the TFPP, the RSO presented on linkages between AI and trafficking in persons and presented on its Screening & Referral Toolkit through a role-play exercise. Member States Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Laos, and Vietnam also shared insights on work being led at a national scale to raise awareness of trafficking in persons.
Anita Lewan, Director of Counter People Smuggling at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Co-Chair of the TFPP, reflected on the importance of collaboration and the Bali Process’ ability to bring together diverse perspectives, stating, “The 2023 Adelaide Strategy for Cooperation outlines our strategic direction and key areas for collaboration for the Bali Process. It encourages coordinated approaches to strengthen the capacity to address people smuggling and trafficking in persons in the region.
“This includes collaboration with regional organisations such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), working with the private sector through platforms like the Bali Process Government and Business Forum to promote supply chain transparency and ethical recruitment, and engaging civil society to support and protect survivors. As Co-Chair, I look forward to continued growth in these connections across Bali Process Working Groups to tackle these regional—and indeed global—challenges.”
Caka Alverdi Awal, Director for International Security and Disarmament of the Republic of Indonesia, Co-Chair of the WG-TIP and TFPP, also emphasised collaboration across the Bali Process work streams. These include efforts led by the WG-TIP, TFPP, the Bali Process Working Group on Disruption of Criminal Networks involved in People Smuggling and Human Trafficking, the Technical Experts Group on Returns and Reintegration, the GABF, and the RSO, through joint activities.
The RSO provided updates across its work and activities in support of priority areas set through the 2023 Adelaide Strategy for Cooperation, Working Group Forward Work Plans, and the RSO 2024-2026 Work Plan—which aims to synergise and support efforts across the Bali Process ecosystem.
The RSO looks forward to continued collaboration, together with the WG-TIP, TFPP and Bali Process Working Groups.