After the 79th UN General Assembly, how can the Philippines adapt to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking?
“The Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations open the door to new opportunities and untapped possibilities,” said António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, during his remarks at the opening of the Summit of the Future.
The Summit and Global Commitments
At the 79th UN General Assembly, world leaders adopted the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations. This marked a pivotal moment in global governance, aiming to address pressing global challenges. The summit and its comprehensive framework reaffirm the international community’s dedication to enhanced cooperation through innovative governance reforms and strategic digital integration.
As countries navigate the complex landscape of human rights and socio-economic development, the Summit for the Future Outcome Documents serve as an urgent guide for governments to commit to and implement coherent actions. Nations like the Philippines are called upon to harmonize national policies with global commitments and cooperation.
Inclusive Growth and Protection of Vulnerable Populations
Enhancing protection for vulnerable populations through technology is necessary to foster inclusive growth. The summit’s commitments call for decisive action to combat pervasive human rights issues like modern slavery. These commitments should be acted upon decisively in all regions where they persist.
Beyond envisioning a world where modern slavery is eradicated, actions must be reflected at the grassroots level. This is a critical time to leverage innovation and technology. Before the summit, consultations were ongoing to ensure that diverse groups, mainly those often marginalized, were represented. Including their voices and perspectives in national commitments is the right direction for involving marginalized populations in discussions about their future.
The Summit’s Outcomes and Their Relevance to SDG 8.7
The recent summit outlined plans to modernize global governance structures to address critical issues such as modern slavery and human trafficking. This transformative agreement aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 8.7, reaffirming global commitments to eradicate these crimes.
As stipulated in Action 35:
“We will promote, protect and respect the human rights of all young people and foster social inclusion and integration.”
This calls for intensified efforts to promote and protect human rights, focusing on young people. Including such explicit commitments within a global framework is essential to address modern slavery issues not just globally but with tailored regional strategies for severely impacted groups.
Furthermore, in Section B of the same action:
“Intensify international, regional and national efforts to take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and trafficking in persons, especially women and children, and eliminate all forms of child labour.”
This clear directive calls for a coordinated and immediate response, underscoring the necessity for countries and regions to adopt approaches that include strengthening legal frameworks, robust enforcement mechanisms, and comprehensive victim support systems. In Southeast Asia, ASEAN leaders must develop cohesive policies and share best practices, fostering a unified front against these crimes. Governments must prioritize the protection and rehabilitation of victims, ensuring that policies are not only punitive against offenders but also supportive toward survivors, enabling them to reintegrate successfully into society.
How Can the Philippines Adapt?
The Philippines has made significant efforts to reform national policies and local actions to align with global commitments against human trafficking. Since 2016, the country has achieved Tier 1 status in the U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report. To accomplish this, the government has bolstered law enforcement capabilities, resulting in increased investigations and prosecutions of trafficking cases.
Following the Summit for the Future Outcome Documents, the Philippines could enhance its policies by improving coordination among agencies and increasing resources for victim support programs. Ensuring comprehensive protection and rehabilitation services is crucial. There must be a direct focus on learning from survivors of human trafficking and ensuring they have opportunities to lead.
Leveraging Technology as an Ally
In line with the principles of the Global Digital Compact, the Philippines can harness digital technology to safeguard vulnerable populations from human trafficking. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has initiatives like the e-Filipino Tech4ED program, aiming to bridge the digital divide and increase access to information and educational resources. Such initiatives can serve as templates for using technology to strengthen the fight against human trafficking.
Technology can empower survivors by providing resources to advance their ability to engage in advocacy work. Digital platforms can connect survivor communities with support networks, offer training opportunities, and create avenues for them to share their experiences and insights. Equipping survivor leaders with digital literacy skills and access to technology amplifies their voices and empowers them to participate in efforts to combat human trafficking locally. Digital empowerment enables survivors to become critical stakeholders and leaders in the movement against modern slavery.
Public-Private Partnerships to Leverage AI
Strengthening public-private partnerships offers another opportunity for the Philippines to improve its digital infrastructure and employ the power of AI to address human trafficking. By learning from companies like Veritone, which leverages AI to help government and enforcement agencies augment their capabilities, the Philippines can create faster, more streamlined, and more accurate processes. This includes advanced data analysis, pattern identification, and proactive intervention.
AI-powered data analysis can revolutionize the approach to combating human trafficking by revealing hidden patterns and exposing intricate trafficking networks. This method can improve communication and collaboration between law enforcement agencies and governmental bodies, resulting in faster and more effective responses. Tools like Veritone’s Track can support investigators by enhancing the efficiency of tracking individuals and locating essential information without relying on personally identifiable information (PII).
AI’s role in victim identification is significant, leveraging capabilities to analyze online content and identify potential signs of trafficking. This assists law enforcement in prioritizing cases using risk assessment algorithms. Employing AI enhances the ability to identify and rescue victims, ensuring their recovery and facilitating the prosecution of traffickers.
While AI significantly aids in identifying trafficking victims by analyzing online content, it also presents risks. As reported by Human Rights Watch, some major concerns are on algorithmic biases which can mis-prioritize cases and mis-identify individuals due to biases in training data, reinforcing existing inequalities. Privacy infringements are another risk, as AI’s use in surveillance may lead to unauthorized access to personal data, compromising individual privacy rights. Furthermore, an over-reliance on AI might marginalize essential human judgment in complex trafficking cases. There is also the potential for AI to intensify surveillance, disproportionately impacting marginalized communities and exacerbating their vulnerabilities. Lastly, AI errors could lead to legal challenges, undermining the prosecution process by casting doubt on the credibility of AI-derived evidence in court. To mitigate these risks, according to the Association for Computing Machinery, algorithmic fairness can be achieved through diverse training data. Regular audits and impact assessments are essential to ensure AI systems align with ethical standards. Robust privacy safeguards and data protection measures are critical to preventing unauthorized access to personal information. Maintaining human oversight ensures AI supports, rather than replaces, human judgment, especially in complex cases. Engaging marginalized communities helps incorporate their perspectives into AI design. Clear legal frameworks and guidelines for AI use in law enforcement can address legal challenges and strengthen the credibility of AI-derived evidence.
With all of these advancements, the Philippines’ digital infrastructure must adapt to AI computing and machine learning capabilities, and frontliners must develop the skills to leverage this technology effectively. Balancing technological advancements with human judgment is crucial as AI becomes increasingly integrated into anti-trafficking initiatives. This balance prevents overreliance on AI and ensures ethical decision-making remains at the forefront of efforts.
Leading in International Dialogues and Partnerships
The participation of the Philippines in international forums, like the Asia-Pacific regional consultations on the Global Digital Compact, enhances the country’s ability to align with global digital governance frameworks concerning human trafficking.
The Philippines can play a more active role in strengthening collaborations with ASEAN neighbors, facilitating cross-border cooperation and intelligence sharing. Participation in initiatives such as the ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking (ASEAN-ACT) is crucial, forging partnerships with regional and national counter-trafficking actors across governments and civil society. Leveraging the ASEAN Multi-Sectoral Work Plan Against Trafficking in Persons provides a robust framework for regional cooperation, emphasizing victim support and law enforcement coordination.
The Philippines’ advanced policy development and implementation could expedite commitments to the Pact for the Future, enhancing capabilities in dismantling trafficking operations. The country is positioned to set a proactive example for other Southeast Asian nations.
Free the Slaves in the Philippines
Free the Slaves (FTS) was founded in 2000 and has since committed itself to the mission of ending modern slavery. Through its work, FTS has assisted individuals in situations of slavery to regain their freedom, has helped officials bring slaveholders to justice, and has supported survivors to rebuild their lives. To advance its mission further, FTS has developed a multi-dimensional strategy that rests on four main pillars: policy and advocacy, to advocate for the reform of laws and regulations; engagement of local communities, to provide training and resources to vulnerable communities; movement building, to encourage knowledge-sharing and collective action; and continuous learning, to produce research that enhances understanding and guides responses. Our work in the Philippines will strengthen the capacity of government agencies, civil society, and people who have experience exploitation, as well as enhance the collaborative relationships between these groups that are essential to ending modern slavery.
