“Sama-Sama, Sanga-Sanga”: WACC Regional Meeting on confronting labour trafficking and communications in Asia Pacific
WACC partners for the first year of the project on trafficking and communications in the Asia Pacific region.
Last 25 November, APMM organized the first regional meeting for the three-year project on human trafficking and communications with the support of the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) and in partnership with KAAGAPAY (Thailand), KARAMAY (Malaysia), KASAMMA-KO (South Korea), Lutheran World Federation (Nepal), SANDIGAN (Philippines), and Beranda Migran (Indonesia). The meeting was also joined by TENAGANITA (Malaysia) and the Filipino Migrant Workers Union (Hong Kong).
As shared by Rey Asis during the opening of the meeting, the project aims to form and increase capacities of migrant citizen journalists, as well as create a community of care in online and offline space for migrants who are vulnerable to trafficking and other forms of exploitation. The first year of the project delved into research on trafficking policies in the Philippines, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and South Korea. It also involved an assessment of the level of awareness of migrants and advocates on said policies and other communications matters that are crucial for a deeper understanding of migration trends and issues. This year also provided opportunities for partner organisations to conduct their own citizen journalism workshops. In addition, an online migrant hub is also in the works as of this year.
During the meeting, Clarice Canonizado presented the findings of the research highlighting the different results of the focused groups discussions (FGDs) from each country involved in the research. Striking points came out of the research – the very basic one being the limited knowledge of migrants and advocates about existing legal frameworks and mechanisms related to trafficking. At the same time, it was revealed that there are glaring gaps in policy communication, improvements and implementation in migrant-sending and destination countries which exacerbate risks faced by migrants the moment they leave their homes. Particularly, research participants lamented how the policies are not migrant-centered, oftentimes even to the point of criminalising trafficking victims. In addition, overly bureaucratic procedures in processing trafficking cases were deemed unhelpful and unjust by migrants and advocates.
In sending countries, Clarice shared about the lack of accessible information and joint streamlined efforts by national and local governments to assist migrants in their journeys as reflected in the Indonesian and Philippine cases. In destination countries, labour policies and social protection do not cover migrant workers, especially undocumented ones. With this, they become more exposed to dangers and abuse by employers and private agencies – a reality faced by migrant workers in South Korea. Moreover, even home country embassies are not keen enough to address the needs of migrants and their organisations due to reasons such as being under-resourced (Philippine embassy in Thailand) or just plain negligence as claimed by migrant research participants.
Recommendations were also shared as part of the outcome of the research, particularly highlighting the vision of ending forced migration as the number one perpetrator of trafficking and other kinds of oppression faced by migrants everywhere.
Experiences from the ground
In the spirit of fostering collaborative work, partner organisations shared about the experiences they had while conducting the research in their areas. Most of them expressed the difficulty of gathering migrants in one place at one time due to the busy work schedules they have. This significantly impacted the kinds of research participants they were able to connect with, as well as the breadth of responses they garnered during the FGD.
In the same vein as the research results, partner organisations were deeply concerned about migrants' low level of knowledge about trafficking despite this being a rampant problem experienced by many. The limited knowledge they have is greatly connected to language barriers that migrants have to confront in understanding policies and even in meaningfully participating in the research project. Policy documents are mostly in English or in the destination country’s language which leaves many migrants clueless about their rights and the protective mechanisms in place for them. In relation to conducting the research, language barriers were also hindrances as facilitators from partner organisations, specifically those based in Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and South Korea, were not always experts on the local languages of some participants.
Despite such hurdles, partners proudly overcame them by employing alternatives and innovations in reaching out and communicating with migrants. Procedures such as translating materials to local languages, doing online calls when migrants cannot physically join meetings, and rigorously mapping out policies and information on critical matters related to migration were done by partners to make participation truly meaningful for migrant participants.
In the process of navigating challenges, good practices also came out from different countries. Primary to these is the importance of building connections, empathy, and trust with migrants as part of fostering safe spaces for them. This is true not just when conducting research, but even in organising and mobilising especially in times when some migrants are not members of familiar organisations and communities.
Partner organisations also spotlighted the importance of understanding migration issues politically while ensuring that topics are introduced to them on a level that is aligned with their current understanding and availability. This is crucial to consider as an initial step in widening migrants’ discernment about the root causes of trafficking and labour migration, and the many aspects they impact such as human rights, livelihoods and economies, and government accountability, among others.
Looking ahead for 2025
APMM and partners are now gearing to fulfill another year of the project. During the meeting, discussions on possible efforts for advocacy, campaigns, and research were brainstormed by the organisations present. Many were keen to produce their own podcasts, online radio programs, social media campaigns and mobile journalism while continuing robust organising and advocacy efforts. New research ideas were also put forward and an interest on trade relations and trafficking was raised by many – a topic that is not usually tackled in the broader context of labour migration and its linkage with neoliberal globalisation. Other research themes, such as digitalisation and the impacts of trafficking on children were also brought up.
To end the meeting, APMM shared about the progress of the online migrant hub which is set to be officially published by June 2025. APMM and partners decided on naming the website “Sama-Sama, Sanga-Sanga” – an array of words originating from Filipino, Bahasa Indonesia, and Nepali which essentially mean togetherness and solidarity. The website will house different content produced by, with, and for migrants. The online platform aims to be a meaningful space for migrants and advocates to share stories, information, and aspirations related to their migration journeys and other related causes.
Indeed, APMM, WACC, and partner organisations are excited for the year ahead. Further solidification of each other’s works will be done in the form of social media work and training, networking with other like-minded organisations, and engagements in official policy spaces in the national and regional levels to amplify calls of migrants in Asia Pacific for protection, recognition, and most importantly, social justice. Through our collaborative efforts, we envision a future where migrants are no longer left at the sidelines and are empowered to tell their stories and rally for a truly migrant-friendly society.
Please look forward to the official release of the research on trafficking and communications in the coming months.
