The Australia–Asia Program to Combat Trafficking in Persons (AAPTIP) is a five-year (2013–2018) AU$50million initiative of the Australian aid program that aims to reduce the incentives and opportunities for trafficking of persons in the Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN) region.
AAPTIP builds on Australia’s long-term support for programs to strengthen the criminal justice response to human trafficking in Asia. These programs include the Asia Regional Cooperation to Prevent People Trafficking (ARCPPT; 2003–2006), and the Asia Regional Trafficking in Persons (ARTIP; 2006–2013) project.
AAPTIP focuses on the prosecution pillar of anti-trafficking at the national and regional level. Support will be provided to the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC), and partner countries Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. A particular emphasis of the Program is to address Labour Trafficking, the largest form of TIP throughout the ASEAN region.
AAPTIP will strengthen the criminal justice response to trafficking by: enhancing regional and national investigative and judicial cooperation on trafficking cases; strengthening legislative frameworks; providing adequate support for victim-witnesses; and expanding the evidence base for policy development and decision-making.