MPS hosts regional workshop on common indicators on human trafficking

This event was an important activity within the framework of the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking (COMMIT Process). It saw the presence of representatives from six Mekong Subregion countries—Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and the COMMIT Secretariat and an online attendance of Chinese delegates.

The Mekong Subregion has been facing increasingly complex and unpredictable developments in human trafficking.

In addition to traditional tactics, many criminal networks start employing social media, digital technology and other online platforms to deceive, recruit and then traffic victims across borders or into special economic zones, where victims are often forced to work as online frauds, illegal gambling agents and illegal cryptocurrency brokers, or subjected to sexual exploitation, confinement and violence.

The shift of criminal activities into cyberspace has posed new challenges to criminal investigation and victim protection efforts.

In response to this pressing situation, the Department of Foreign Relations of the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, as the national standing agency of the COMMIT Process in Vietnam, has taken the lead in developing the Common Criteria List for Identifying Victims of Technology-Facilitated Trafficking Schemes.

The criteria are built upon key international and regional instruments, including the UN Palermo Protocol, the ASEAN Convention against Trafficking in Persons (ACTIP) and the COMMIT Memorandum of Understanding among Greater Mekong Subregion countries, aiming to support law enforcement, border security officers, social workers and frontline agencies in promptly identifying potential victims and providing them with timely assistance and protection.

Speaking at the workshop, a representative of the Department of Foreign Relations emphasized that the development of the Common Criteria List is not only a technical advancement but also a reflection of Vietnam’s commitment and leading role in promoting regional cooperation, protecting human rights and maintaining security.

The workshop served as a platform for participating countries to discuss the criteria in-depth, and assess the feasibility of integrating the criteria into their national laws, policies and practices, as well as foresee possible challenges and coordination mechanisms in the future.

The outcomes of the discussions will be compiled and submitted to the 6th COMMIT Ministerial Conference, to be hosted by the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam in Hanoi in November 2025.