REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The Indonesian Foreign Ministry has underlined the need to ratify the ASEAN Convention Against Human Trafficking, especially to protect women and children, to make enforcement, protection and prevention legally binding.

"There is urgent need to ratify this convention as it can provide a legal binding," the Director of ASEAN Cooperation at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jose Tavares, said at a press conference regarding the Human Rights Commission of Intra-ASEAN Government (AICHR) here on Thursday.

Jose explained that it was within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights to ratify the convention. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to support the implementation of the plan in the ASEAN region.

Until now, only three ASEAN countries have ratified the convention, namely Cambodia, Thailand and Singapore.

Jose also appreciated the efforts undertaken by the AICHR to organize AICHR-Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) to implement this convention.

According to Jose, the consultative meeting will help shore up coordination and synergy among various sectors in the ASEAN region to combat human trafficking.

"Resolving the problem of human trafficking is very complex, particularly when it comes to handling of the victims. Sometimes, they are not treated well," he added.

Representatives of AICHR permanent commissions of ten ASEAN countries (Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand), ASEAN countries SOMTC, and non-governmental organizations working in the field of prevention and assistance to human trafficking victims participated in the consultative meeting.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika