Justice Systems Director

About the program

ASEAN–Australia Counter Trafficking (ASEAN-ACT) continues Australia’s long-running collaboration with ASEAN and its Member States to end human trafficking in the region. The program is a 10-year investment principally working to strengthen the justice sector response to trafficking in persons while advancing the rights of victims. The program has well established partnerships with allied government agencies, civil society, and businesses. We engage with all 11 ASEAN Member States in some capacity and have national-level programming in Cambodia, Lao PDR, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, with the possibility of programming in Indonesia.

ASEAN-ACT supports ASEAN and ASEAN Member States to integrate gender equality, disability equity and social inclusion (GEDSI) and protect the rights of victims of trafficking. The program is guided by its Equity and Rights Strategy, which provides both a conceptual framework and practical approaches to analyse and respond to intersectional vulnerabilities to trafficking in persons. The strategy further supports the delivery of victim-centred and gender-responsive and trauma-informed responses that are inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs and experiences of all victims of trafficking.

Program outcomes

The overarching goal that ASEAN-ACT will contribute to is that ASEAN Member States have effective justice systems that provide just punishment of traffickers and protect the rights of victims.

Three end-of-program outcomes together contribute to the achievement of this goal by 2028:

1. ASEAN’s planning, monitoring and reporting of ACTIP implementation is increasingly effective, advances GEDSI and upholds victim rights.
2. ASEAN Member States are increasingly capable of implementing their ACTIP obligations, particularly those that advance GEDSI and uphold victim rights.
3. ASEAN and member states’ policies and practices are inclusive, influenced by relevant stakeholders and aligned with the ACTIP.