The U.S. Agency for International Development partners with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the IOM X campaign to encourage safe migration and public action to stop human trafficking and raise awareness among youth about the dangers of being exploited.

According to the International Labour Organization, 20.9 million people around the world are victims of forced labor. Of that figure, 11.7 million are within the Asia-Pacific region, with Southeast Asia a key supplier of people into illegal, unpaid and exploitative situations. Of these victims, 55 percent are women and girls. Launched in October 2014, the IOM X campaign works to inspire social resilience to human exploitation and trafficking in persons in the Asia Pacific Region. The project focuses on engaging communities, especially youth, in countries of origin, transit and destination to change attitudes and behavior through the use of media and technology.

COMMUNICATING WITH A DIFFERENCE

IOM X has a strong online presence and uses its social media sites to engage young people. Learning and research teams help assure that results are continuously assessed to form the campaign’s work and track the impact of its programs. IOM X also produces video programs for television, online platforms and community screenings. These programs help viewers learn about human trafficking and exploitation, understand what they can do to help prevent it and then be empowered to share this information with others. Through partnerships with leading online experts, IOM X develops collaborative projects that use technology to help prevent exploitation and better protect victims. Websites such as 6degree.org, a crowd-funding portal that is a joint venture with Microsoft, tells victims’ stories through interactive maps, striking a balance between protecting the victim’s identity and telling a compelling story to potential funders.

LEARN. ACT. SHARE.

The project’s target audience is between the ages of 15 to 30 living in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) of Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. They can learn about human trafficking and exploitation through eLearning portals and online resources; act by researching a job thoroughly to help ensure its legitimacy; and share the information with their friends and families. Project activities include producing short TV programs or films highlighting safe migration practices and migrant workers’ rights. Actors portray roles as domestic workers, migrant men working on fishing boats and young men and boys from rural areas of Burma and Cambodia who aspire to migrate to Thailand.

IMPACT AND RESULTS

IOM X has created the foundation for building social resilience to human trafficking and exploitation in the Asia Pacific region. The campaign has reached over 80 million people to date through online, on-air and community activities and programs. Specific achievements include:

• Launched nine videos with expected viewership of over 50 million people;

• Inspired over 2,600 individuals to take concrete actions for the prevention of human trafficking such as completing an eLearning quiz, donating funds to support a victim of trafficking or seeking help.

PARTNERS

IOM X works closely with celebrities, private sector partners, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and youth networks across the Asia Pacific region.

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