Asia Regional Trafficking |
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| in Persons (ARTIP) Project |
An Australian Government Initiative
About ARTIP
Project Philosophy |
| ARTIP is based on a conviction that an effective criminal justice response to trafficking is essential to ending the current high levels of impunity for traffickers and ensuring security and justice for those who have been trafficked. Key elements of an effective response include a strong and realistic legal framework; capable frontline and specialist law enforcement agencies; informed and committed judges and prosecutors; a system for the quick and accurate identification of victims; and mechanisms to promote cooperation between criminal justice agencies within and across borders. At all stages, the national and regional response to trafficking should reflect internationally agreed criminal justice and human rights standards. |
The history of ARTIP |
| In 2003, the Australian Government launched a regional initiative, Asia Regional Cooperation to Prevent People Trafficking (ARCPPT). This project, which concluded in August 2006, sought to facilitate a more effective and coordinated approach to the crime of trafficking both within and between countries. ARCPPT worked with the national criminal justice agencies of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand and also undertook some activities in Indonesia. It cooperated closely with ASEAN and key regional forums on trafficking including Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking (COMMIT). |
| About ARTIP | |
| What is Trafficking in Persons? | |
| Relevant Laws and Protocols | |
| FAQ | |
| Publications / Resources / Links | |
| Contact Us | |
New ARTIP Publication: Detention of Trafficked Persons in Shelters: A Legal and Policy Analysis (view pdf) |
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| The project |
| ARTIP commenced in August 2006 and is expected to run for up to 5 years. Like its predecessor, ARTIP is focused on the criminal justice response to trafficking with a special emphasis on ending impunity for traffickers and securing justice for victims. ARTIP is initially working in Cambodia, Thailand, Lao PDR and Myanmar. Activities expanded to Indonesia in August 2007, Vietnam in November 2008 and may to other ASEAN countries during the life of the project. A special mechanism has been developed to assist in the identification of countries for expansion as well as their successful integration into ARTIP. |
| Strengthening specialist and general law enforcement responses to trafficking |
| Both general and specialist police are key to a strong criminal justice response to trafficking. General police are often the first point of contact for both victims and traffickers and their ability to correctly identify victims and provide an initial response is critical. Specialist police are required to undertake the complex but vital work of investigating the crime of trafficking. ARTIP seeks to equip both general and specialist law enforcement agencies with the knowledge and skills they require. The project focuses special attention on supporting specialist trafficking units as well as nurturing relations between these units in order to promote investigation cooperation among countries. |
ARTIP is focused on ending impunity for traffickers and securing justice for victims. ARTIP recognises the importance of working with and through national partners and stakeholders and seeks to operate in a collaborative, consultative way. |
Information on project plans, activities and resources is readily available through country offices as well as the regional office. |
| Strengthening judicial and prosecutorial responses to trafficking |
| Prosecutors and judges are also essential to ending impunity for traffickers and securing justice for victims. ARTIP works to increase awareness and understanding about trafficking among judges and prosecutors to ensure that trafficking cases are successfully prosecuted and adjudicated. In addition to providing support at the national level, this also involves activities aimed at increasing cooperation in prosecutions between countries. |
| Strengthening the legal and policy framework |
| Good laws are the foundation of a strong national criminal justice response to trafficking. ARTIP provides advice and support to governments in developing and/or revising their national legal framework around trafficking. The focus extends beyond specialist trafficking laws to include, for example, legislation related to money laundering, mutual legal assistance and extradition. ARTIP supports the development and implementation of strong policy frameworks on trafficking at both national and regional levels. ASEAN is an important partner for ARTIP at the regional level because of its central role in the development of common standards, shared best practices and strong regional policy on trafficking. A small but carefully targeted research program aims to undertake and/or commission innovative research into the relatively unexplored area of the criminal justice responses to trafficking. |
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An Australian Government Initiative
Copyright © Cardno Acil Pty Ltd 2006
info@artipproject.org : last updated November 2008