STRENGTHENING REGIONAL ACTION TO PREVENT TRAFFICKING INTO CYBER-SCAM CENTRES

The Regional Support Office (RSO) of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, in partnership with Freedom Collaborative, successfully convened an Ideation Workshop on 23–24 February 2026 at Courtyard by Marriott Colombo.

The workshop brought together civil society organisations (CSOs) from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan to strengthen prevention responses to trafficking for forced criminality into cyber-scam centres.

As online scam operations continue to expand across Southeast Asia, increasing numbers of South Asians are being deceived by fraudulent job offers and trafficked into exploitative scam compounds.

During the programme, participants examined the regional situation of cyber-scam centres in Southeast Asia, analysed common victim profiles, recruitment methods—including online job advertisements and intermediary brokers—and the growing role of emerging technologies in trafficking recruitment.

Country updates from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan provided national perspectives, while a data spotlight by Freedom Collaborative and a survivor experience session grounded discussions in lived realities. Through breakout sessions, participants mapped recruitment tactics, identified early warning touchpoints and community vulnerabilities, and explored effective prevention messaging approaches.

The group then moved into ideation sessions, developing prototype awareness materials such as draft messages, social media concepts, flyers, and video ideas. These prototypes were tested through target-audience simulations and refined based on peer feedback to ensure clarity, cultural relevance, and credibility.

The workshop provided a valuable opportunity for CSOs to exchange best practices, strengthen professional networks, and enhance regional connectivity. By reinforcing cross-border collaboration and aligning prevention messaging, the event contributed to more coordinated, survivor-informed, and community-based responses to trafficking for forced criminality across the region.