Preventing human trafficking through puppetry

Vientiane, Lao PDR -- How do you raise awareness about human trafficking amongst a hoard of rowdy school children? With the help of puppets, of course!

In April this year World Vision and the Lao National Puppet Troupe, with support from UNIAP, delivered puppetry performances about human trafficking to village and school children in three districts in Lao PDR. Each performance featured a puppet show, educational activities and a question and answer session where children could quickly and easily get access to information about human trafficking.

The aim of the project was to educate children living in trafficking ‘hot spots’ about important issues like safe migration, and provide them with advice on how to avoid situations that could result in them being trafficked. Many of these children will begin searching for employment outside their home villages when they finish secondary school, and may become vulnerable targets for traffickers. In Lao PDR, trafficking of children occurs both for sexual exploitation and child labour.

Many members of the public attended the performances, allowing the puppet shows to also serve to raise awareness about human trafficking within the broader community.

The puppet troupe performed in 17 locations in the districts of Songkhon, Xayboury and Lao-Ngam, to a total audience of 11,640 people. Some 80% of audience members were children.

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Xoukiet Panyanouvong
National Project Coordinator
UNIAP Lao PDR
xoukiet.panyanouvong@undp.org