JAKARTA (BERNAMA) – Human traffickers are increasingly abusing technology to recruit and exploit their victims, said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi noting that many of these victims end up in the illicit online scam industry.
The significance of addressing this issue is substantial for Indonesia, considering that the government has handled over 2,800 cases involving Indonesians who fell prey to such schemes in neighbouring countries.
Nearly 40 per cent of these cases involve human trafficking, she highlighted in her speech at the Bali Process Government and Business Forum (GABF) held in Bali from August 9-11.
Formed in 2017, the GABF is a strategic platform for government-business collaboration underscoring the crucial role of their partnership in confronting contemporary slavery.
“We must prevent our region from becoming an epicenter of human trafficking,” she asserted, emphasising that ‘profits cannot come at the expense of human rights and dignity’.
Retno encouraged businesses to institute a due diligence standard, ensuring ethical recruitment, fair compensation, and enhanced working conditions for their employees.
She suggested that businesses voluntarily share their efforts to combat human trafficking and slavery, which could involve educating workers about associated risks. Retno proposed businesses get involved in online prevention through the development of e-learning platforms for skill enhancement and by raising awareness on social media.
