VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOInews, Jakarta: Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi invites all countries to work together to prevent the region from becoming a center for human trafficking. According to her, traffickers often abuse technology to recruit and exploit victims to work in the online-scam industry.

"Indonesia places a high priority on this issue. Handling more than 2,800 cases of Indonesian citizens who are victims in neighboring countries and almost 40 percent of them are victims of human trafficking," he said in a speech at the Bali Process Government and Business Meeting Forum (GABF), in Bali, Thursday (10/8).

Therefore, he invited to make the region as the center of economic growth and not the center of human trafficking.

"The business community in the region must play their role. Profits cannot come at the expense of human rights and dignity," she said.

On that occasion, Foreign Minister Retno encouraged the existence of due diligence standards in the business sector and human rights. According to her, traffickers never stop finding ways to profit.

"Our response must also be innovative. The business community can consider developing due diligence standards to ensure a better working environment for their workers," she said.

Retno also encouraged the use of technology to combat human trafficking. According to her, employers can contribute to efforts to prevent trafficking by increasing capacity and awareness on the issue.

"Technology should be our ally and not our enemy," she said.

Furthermore, Retno also hoped that the GABF could support regional cooperation against trafficking in persons (TPPO). She said TPPO is a regional crime that requires regional cooperation involving stakeholders in the region.

"The GABF must continue to function as a fundamental network among business actors to address trafficking in persons," she concluded. (VOI/Andy)