Combatting human trafficking in Timor

Indonesia’s minister of women empowerment and child protection Bintang Puspayoga visited the North Central Timor district in Timor to see the programs and initiatives to combat and prevent human trafficking case in the area.

Minister pays special attention to the communities in North Central Timor district especially to the women and children in the area as they are vulnerable to becoming victims of human trafficking. Perpetrators have mostly look for potential victims by luring them with high salaries and easy money to obtain.

Similarly human traffickers have so far come to North Central Timor district which directly borders with Timor Leste to attract local people with promises of easy jobs with high incomes. Many community members have then become victims as they took the jobs with no official procedures due to their limited education and information.

Minister said to intensify the prevention of human trafficking there must initiatives from the grassroots namely at the village level. She added villages should prepare much better regulations regarding safe migrant workers especially for those intending to work in other areas in Indonesia and overseas.