International Winner of the RAJApeople Award 2026: Alliance Anti-Traffic

How would you describe Alliance Anti-Traffic’s mission to someone who is unfamiliar with the reality of trafficking of women and girls?

Alliance Anti-Traffic (AAT) is an organisation dedicated to protecting and supporting women and girls who have experienced exploitation and sexual violence.

We ensure their safety, support them throughout their recovery journey and help them regain their independence so they can live with dignity.

To achieve this, AAT provides a comprehensive support pathway tailored to the specific needs of each survivor:

We first identify and ensure the safety of women and girls who are victims of trafficking or who are exposed to dangerous environments.

We then provide immediate medical care, as well as psychological support to help address the physical and emotional consequences of the abuse they have suffered. Each beneficiary undergoes a psychological assessment in order to receive personalised therapeutic support.

From the very beginning of the support process, we prepare their return to their communities and promote their independence by helping them continue their education or access vocational training.

Beneficiaries receive regular follow-up from our team and from the psychologists we work with, allowing us to adapt their support and measure their progress. At this stage, involving their families and community members in their recovery journey is essential. Indeed, living in a safe and supportive environment is a key factor in ensuring sustainable reintegration into society.

We also work closely with other civil society organisations and shelters to support survivors throughout their recovery process. In addition, we have developed partnerships with the Department of Rights and Liberties Protection under the Ministry of Justice, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and local authorities to ensure the protection and defence of their rights.

What touches you the most in the stories of the women you support?

What touches me the most is the commitment of our volunteers and the courage of the survivors.

For example, one of our greatest successes was made possible thanks to a volunteer who reported the danger faced by a young girl from her community. At only 12 years old, she was approached in Myanmar by men who smuggled her into Thailand in order to sexually exploit her. After refusing to comply, she was abused before being sold and trafficked to Malaysia.

As soon as we became aware of her situation, we worked with Thai authorities to rescue her. During her testimony, her account proved to be crucial, as it helped identify 113 other women and girls who had also been victims. AAT supported her throughout the entire legal process, contributing to the arrest and conviction of the traffickers.

Unfortunately, we have also experienced cases with tragic outcomes. In the past, we supported a group of Vietnamese women for nearly three years, helping them gain professional skills and access the necessary resources to live safely in their communities without falling back into exploitation networks. However, one of them decided to seek employment in Singapore due to sudden and severe financial difficulties within her family.

She fell into the trap of a trafficker who forced her into prostitution. Shortly afterwards, during an altercation, he pushed her from the tenth floor of a building, killing her instantly. This tragedy highlights how poverty and insecurity can force women into situations of extreme danger.

What does AAT’s work to combat human trafficking in Southeast Asia involve on a daily basis?

AAT’s work is based above all on field presence, close cross-border cooperation and targeted prevention initiatives. Our goal is to intervene at every stage of the fight against human trafficking: preventing risks, protecting survivors and strengthening cooperation between all stakeholders.

We are on the front line in identifying and protecting the most vulnerable women and girls. We work closely with government authorities through formal agreements, as well as with embassies, civil society organisations and NGOs in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore.

This cooperation enables us to establish cross-border referral mechanisms so that survivors can receive rapid and safe support, while ensuring respect for their dignity, regardless of the country where they are identified.

Prevention is also a key pillar of our work. We conduct awareness campaigns among populations most at risk, particularly migrant workers, women and young people living in high-risk border areas between Thailand, Laos, Malaysia and Myanmar. We also share prevention messages on a large scale through social media, television and radio to inform vulnerable communities about the risks of trafficking and the ways they can seek help.

Finally, we train volunteers and community members to recognise the warning signs of trafficking and quickly report risky situations. At the same time, we contribute to the development and implementation of action plans with national authorities and regional organisations, particularly through ASEAN initiatives, in order to strengthen the long-term fight against human trafficking in Southeast Asia.

What makes the path towards reintegration particularly difficult for the women you support?

Leaving a trafficking network unfortunately does not mean that all obstacles disappear. Survivors must rebuild their lives while facing deep trauma, severe insecurity and, in many cases, the same vulnerable environments that contributed to their exploitation in the first place.

One of the main challenges is the risk of falling back into exploitation networks. Many women return to fragile family situations, experience instability or carry the sole financial responsibility for their children or relatives. Faced with urgent economic needs, some may accept new job offers that turn out to be situations of exploitation.

The psychological consequences are also a major barrier to reintegration. The violence they have experienced leaves deep trauma that requires long-term specialised therapeutic support. For some, addiction issues developed or worsened during their exploitation period, making their recovery even more complex.

Finally, achieving sustainable independence requires access to stable employment. However, many survivors have never had the opportunity to receive training or develop professional skills. This is why we place great importance on employment support and vocational training, enabling these women to become financially independent and providing them with real opportunities for the future.