Human trafficking for forced criminality in the Greater Mekong Subregion is on the rise.  UNDP and World Vision partnered with provincial and district level practitioners to learn more about challenges this emerging trend presents for identifying and supporting victims. 

This brief examines selected cases, revealing a common pattern of vulnerability exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, recruitment, control, and exploitation.  It also explores lessons learned from the district-level cross-border coordination in response trafficking for forced criminality, and captures practitioners’ perspectives on how strengthened subregional mechanisms could improve coordination and outcomes for trafficked persons.