UNIAP Lao PDR

Who is being trafficked in Lao PDR?

Human trafficking is a tragic violation of human rights that affects women, men and children of Lao PDR. Trafficked persons experience various difficulties ranging from physical and mental health issues, to economic difficulties, and social reintegration issues. Girls and women may face more problems with the authorities upon their return, due to the suspicion of having been engaged in sex work in Thailand.

According to the first national survey on human trafficking, in 2004, the typical profile of a trafficking person in Lao PDR is:

• Girl between 12 – 18 years of age (60%) originating from rural areas, but not the most remote.
• Mostly from the Lao or Tai ethnic group from the lowlands of Lao PDR, but with proportional over-representation of persons from Mon-Khmer and Tibeto-Burman ethnic groups.
• The number of trafficked persons from resettled villages is disproportionately high.
  
  

Vulnerability Factors

Often-cited vulnerability factors are poverty, lack of education, awareness and employment, or dysfunctional families. But:

• It is often a combination of factors that makes a person vulnerable to trafficking. It can also be that a lack of relevant educational opportunities, and not a lack of education, is a vulnerability factor.
• Often it is not the poorest of the poor that are trafficked, but poverty may be a risk factor because of its association with low status in the community.
• The lack of labour rights and law enforcement in the domestic sector adds to the vulnerability of women and girls. They are not provided with working contracts even they go through legal channels.

For more information and sources for the above information, please refer to the SIREN Human Trafficking Datasheet for Lao PDR.