Women and children continue to be the most vulnerable groups in human trafficking. The latest report from the Online Information System of Women and Children Protection (SIMFONI), Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (MWECP) revealed that 97% of victims of trafficking (VOTs) in Indonesia from 2019-2023 are women and children. Additionally, a report from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on twenty years of child trafficking data reveals that children are at a higher risk of being trafficked compared to adults, particularly if they come from low-income or disaster-prone areas. Women, on the other hand, are at a higher risk of experiencing gender-based violence during their migration journey.  

Trafficking cases are driven by both pull and push factors. The promise of a better life in another country often motivates people to migrate from their place of origin. Conversely, factors such as limited employment opportunities and adverse geographical conditions due to climate change push individuals to leave their home areas. In Indonesia, based on Indonesian National Police data, 1062 TIP cases are reported in 2023 and data shows an upward trend in cases as a result of the massive usage of technology.  

To address this issue, the IOM, UN Women, and MWECP organized an interactive discussion on 30 July 2024 to commemorate World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, The event focused on the policies and best practices to prevent and combat TIP, as well as successful initiatives being carried out by local governments in Indonesia, such as the establishment of village-level referral mechanism, an innovative campaign involving youth communities, community organizations, and the media. The event brought over 200 participants together, both in person and online, including members of the Anti-Trafficking Task Force, provincial and district/city offices throughout Indonesia, and other relevant stakeholders. This year’s theme, Leave No Child Behind in the Fight Against Human Trafficking, urged every country to prioritize the protection of children, strengthen laws, enhance law enforcement, and allocate more resources to combat child trafficking. 

The Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, Bintang Puspayoga, during her opening remark, said, “A massive movement is needed from the grassroots community and family as the smallest unit of society to continue to socialize and educate on the dangers of TIP in the village.” 

Additionally, Minister Bintang Puspayoga mentioned that the MWECP has issued Ministerial Regulation No. 2 of 2024 on Community-Based Prevention and Handling of Victims of Trafficking in Persons. "We are disseminating this regulation as a reference for the community, ministries and institutions, provincial governments, and district/city governments, including village governments, to support efforts to eliminate the factors that cause TIP as early as possible and to prevent the recurrence of people who become victims of TIP". 

The event included a public dialogue consisting of three sessions emphasizing the synergy on prevention and protection of the victim of trafficking at the local and national level, particularly with the new modus operandi. It highlighted the need to strengthen ATTF referral mechanism. The first session focused on discussing government policies to prevent TIP, while the second session delved into understanding multi-stakeholder support. Additionally, the third session highlighted good practices in community-based TIP prevention. During the first session, the Deputy for the Protection of Women's Rights, Ratna Susianawati, emphasized the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration. She stated, "The key to better TIP prevention in the future is commitment, synergy, and coordination among ministries/institutions, as well as the strengthening of community and village-based prevention and cooperation among different stakeholders." 

In the second session, Eny Rofiatul Ngazizah, National Project Officer for IOM Indonesia’s Counter-Trafficking Unit, highlighted that prevention and management of TIP must be based on data on the target group, province, population profile, and other relevant factors to measure the program and its impact. 

Lastly, during the last session, Yohanes Nedok from the Muara Kasih Foundation stressed the need to strengthen the prevention of human trafficking in Indonesia by involving communities at the village level. He highlighted that programs established at the national level must also consider the development at the grassroots level. 

Despite the progress, several challenges remain in preventing TIP. One of the primary challenges is interagency coordination among ATTF members, limited resources and funding to reach most of the prone areas in Indonesia, lack of accurate data on trafficking, and limited capacity of law enforcement and judicial systems to handle the cases effectively. 

The event concluded the government’s commitment to strengthening the Anti-Trafficking Task Force (ATTF) by enhancing coordination and collaboration among various stakeholders at the national and local levels. The involvement of the community is crucial to support TIP prevention strategies. IOM is committed to supporting Indonesia’s efforts in combating TIP. This event was made successful by the support of the IOM-Asia Regional Migration Program.