Human trafficking is often described as the new form of slavery for the 21st century. Despite difficulties in collecting data, recent analyses confirm that it is a serious and ongoing problem in many areas and much still needs to be done to prevent it, protect victims and ultimately eradicate it. In recent years, work has been carried out on the impact of counter trafficking, but more is needed on counter trafficking itself. This online course is going to examine the programmes, practices and activities of counter trafficking by analysing aspects such as raids and rescues, litigation, organising, education. In particular, it will do so by looking at the specific case of South-East Asia (SEA).

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The course is going to speak to experts in this area from trade unions, NGOs, international organisations and ask them how counter trafficking is done, what kind of organisations are involved, what the successes, challenges and failures are and what the role of research is, with the aim to equip participants with valuable insights, knowledge and skills.

This online course will study the programmes, practices and activities of counter trafficking. It will do so by speaking to experts from Trade Unions, NGOs and International Organisations who will examine case studies from their work and will debate the efficacy of actions in this area.

The course is structured in five Classes:

Class 1: Overview: laws, definitions, status

Class 2: Advocacy around law and policy

Class 3: The Role of Research in Counter Trafficking

Class 4: The role of Trade Unions

Class 5: Countering child trafficking

The course is self-paced and consists of interviews, case-studies and quizzes.

The course is open to ‘leaders of the future’ who envision a world free from human trafficking: upper year undergraduates and postgraduates; NGO activists and practitioners; young lawyers and social scientists; active and motivated citizens from around the world and all those interested in interdisciplinary human rights, migration, children’s rights, advocacy, workers’ empowerment.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

- identify key regional/national stakeholders in business, government, and civil society sectors and map relationships between them;

- know legal standards and mechanisms at the international/regional/national level, and their inter-relationship;

- think critically about challenges to enforcement and ability to explain gaps between standards and compliance;

- identify violations and groups most vulnerable to trafficking;

- debate the effectiveness of protection measures such as raids and shelters, identifying key priorities and challenges in research on trafficking;

- understand and assess programming and actions in counter trafficking;

- identify key points of advocacy around law and policy.