The COVID-19 pandemic, and related travel restrictions, have had a significant impact on trafficking activities, including of human beings. With the reopening of borders, and in the midst of the post-pandemic economic downturn, trafficking networks operating across Mekong countries are diversifying their methods to exploit victims for the purpose of, primarily, forced labour and modern slavery, sexual exploitation and forced marriage.

The GI-TOC has recently produced a number of studies highlighting changing patterns in these criminal practices, especially centred around casinos and Special Economic Zones in countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Here, the convergence of multiple crime types, from human trafficking to the illicit trade in environmental commodities, from money laundering to drug trafficking, points to the criminogenic nature of these places and to the challenges to both disrupt criminal networks and rescue and support survivors.

In this webinar, the speakers will explore regional trends and case studies based on recent field research. They will also discuss the work done by civil society actors to support and reintegrate survivors of trafficking.