ARTIP | ASIA REGIONAL TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS PROJECT

 SECURING JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS AND ENDING IMPUNITY FOR TRAFFICKERS

Project Philosophy

An effective criminal justice response to trafficking in persons 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 ARTIP project recognised that trafficking takes place for a wide range of purposes and that women, men and children are trafficked.

For more information on an effective criminal justice response to trafficking in persons, go to the ARTIP specialised site on trafficking in persons and the criminal justice sector (click here).

The History of ARTIP

The Project

The Asia Regional Trafficking in Persons Project (ARTIP) commenced in August 2006 and ran for its expected 5 years, ending on 25 August 2011. Like its predecessor, ARTIP focused on the criminal justice response to trafficking with a special emphasis on securing justice for victims and ending impunity for traffickers. ARTIP worked in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. ARTIP also cooperated closely with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and key regional forums on trafficking, including the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking (COMMIT).

Specifically, the ARTIP project worked in the following areas:

Strengthening specialist and general law enforcement responses to trafficking
Both general and specialist law enforcement officials are key to a strong criminal justice response to trafficking. Frontline law enforcement officials 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 focused special attention on supporting the establishment and effective functioning of specialist anti-trafficking units as well as nurturing relations between these units in order to promote investigation cooperation among countries.

Strengthening judicial and prosecutorial responses to trafficking
Prosecutors and judges are also essential to ending impunity for traffickers and securing justice for victims. ARTIP worked to increase awareness and understanding about trafficking in persons 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 involved 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 provided advice and support to governments in developing and/or revising their national legal framework around trafficking. The focus extended beyond specialist trafficking laws to include, for example, legislation related to money laundering, mutual legal assistance and extradition.

ARTIP supported the development and implementation of strong policy frameworks on trafficking at both national and regional levels. ASEAN was 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 aimed to undertake and commission innovative research into the relatively unexplored area of criminal justice responses to trafficking.