Bangkok (Thailand), 18 June 2021 - Kirana Boonmatanyarat of Nakhon Phanom Thailand has just completed her assignment on the UNODC regional survey on the drivers to illicit trafficking in border communities in Southeast Asia. Interviewing more than 100 women and men from different ages, beliefs, and backgrounds about their knowledge and perceptions of organized crime, and how it affects their lives, safety and security, she has pulled together key data that will feed into a larger regional analysis.
Kirana is one of the 50 surveyors who are collaborating with the UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific to collect first-hand information on the root causes, implications and possible solutions to illicit trafficking in vulnerable border locations in Southeast Asia.
The survey will provide a better understanding of the needs and expectations of border communities linked to the threats posed by illicit trafficking as they relate to security and overall well-being. Border communities’ voices, especially those in particularly remote areas, tend to be less involved in the development of public policies that respect their lives.
Through this exercise, UNODC will have detailed information on the impact of illicit trafficking in more than 40 border provinces throughout the region, leading to improved responses to communities’ concerns through tailored initiatives including COVID-19 realities on the ground.
While drug trafficking remains the most well-known and worrisome type of illicit trafficking in Southeast Asia, interviewed populations are starting to develop an awareness of the harmful effects of wildlife and timber trafficking and they have showed an undeniable fear of women and girls becoming victims of human trafficking.
A strong partnership with United Nations Volunteers Asia was established to deliver the project with a team of highly-qualified and committed individuals. The UNODC regional survey on the drivers to illicit trafficking in border communities in Southeast Asia will be launched by the end of 2021.
Click here to learn more about UNODC's Regional Programme for Southeast Asia
Click here to learn more about UNODC’s border management in Southeast Asia
