The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), led by the Department of Justice (DOJ), is batting for strengthened cooperation among member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The DOJ said it is holding today, Dec. 13, the 8th Manila International Dialogue on human trafficking.
“This year’s iteration of the Manila Dialogue will focus on Strengthening Cooperation in South East Asia,” it said.
The IACAT said the dialogue is “a platform for open, interactive and continuing conversations on trafficking in persons participated in by various local and international organizations, government agencies, and foreign missions in the Philippines.”
“It has been key to the Philippines’ strong cooperation with other countries on counter-trafficking policy and practice,” it said.
“The conversation and documents produced by The Dialogues have informed both local and foreign anti-trafficking investments, facilitated policy and practice harmonization, eased sharing of information, and enabled engaged countries to cooperate and effectively work together TIP (trafficking in persons) cases that cross each other’s borders,” it added.
The IACAT noted that there already exist the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Convention on Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP) and its accompanying mechanisms including the ASEAN Plan of Action, the ASEAN Heads of Specialist Anti-trafficking Units (HSU) Process, and the planned ASEAN National Representative Mechanism.
It said Manila event aims to complement these measures by formally opening conversations with its ASEAN counterparts to join and participate in the dialogues and its future iterations, share and learn good practices among ASEAN nations, and identify mutually beneficial points of collaboration with IACAT’s counterparts.
The IACAT is “the Philippines’ national oversight committee tasked to implement and coordinate the implementation of the country’s anti-trafficking law.”
Aside from the DOJ, the other members of IACAT are the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Bureau of Immigration, Philippine National Police, Philippine Commission on Women, Commission on Filipinos Overseas, , Philippine Center for Transnational Crimes. Coalition Against Trafficking In Women – Asia Pacific (NGO representing the women sector), Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute (NGO representing the OFWs sector), and International Justice Mission (NGO representing the children sector).
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