Disability and trafficking ASEAN

The research was commissioned by the Australian Government funded ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking program, which works with regional and country-level stakeholders to improve the responses to human trafficking.

People with disabilities are widely recognised as a group at risk of trafficking. But very little is known about the specific vulnerabilities they face, what types of trafficking they experience, and how well existing counter-trafficking efforts and recovery services are meeting their needs. This research aimed to fill this gap and help ensure that people with disabilities are not left behind in counter-trafficking efforts.

In 2023-2024, Senior Research Fellow Elisabeth Jackson led a three-country study in collaboration with disability researchers Cucu Saidah (Indonesia), Abner Manlapaz (Philippines) and Alisa Sivathorn (Thailand).

A second phase of the research in 2024-2025 involved country studies in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam as well as a regional policy brief and associated recommendations. This was led by Senior Research Fellows Elisabeth Jackson and Thushara Dibley, in collaboration with ASEAN-ACT staff in each of these countries.

Key outputs from the research study to date include:

• A research report Exploring the Intersection between Disability and Trafficking in Persons in Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand launched in April 2024.
• A short article by Elisabeth Jackson in the Lowy Interpreter about disability and trafficking which was published on 17 April 2024
• An Asia Rising podcast produced in May 2024 in which Elisabeth Jackson explores the link between disability and trafficking.
• A panel discussion on disability and trafficking co-hosted by the CHSSC and La Trobe Asia on 16 September 2024 with Senior Research Fellow Elisabeth Jackson and Principal Research Fellow Lisa Denney as panellists.
• Country briefs for Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam and a Regional Policy Brief (publication pending).