Govt Strengthens Village-Based Efforts to Prevent Human Trafficking

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is strengthening efforts to prevent human trafficking through a village-based approach. The move aims to integrate various programs run by ministries and government agencies to better protect communities from the risk of human trafficking.

Assistant Deputy for Immigration Governance at the Coordinating Ministry for Legal Affairs, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections, Achmad Brahmantyo Machmud, said preventing human trafficking requires collaboration across ministries and government agencies, particularly by strengthening prevention efforts at the village level.

“Human trafficking cannot be prevented by a single ministry or institution. We need collective action, particularly by strengthening prevention starting at the village level because many of these problems originate in villages,” Achmad said at a meeting on policy recommendations for village-based human trafficking prevention in Jakarta on Monday, September 14, 2026.

Prevention efforts need to be strengthened through education on the risks of human trafficking, information on employment opportunities, and safe and legal migration. These efforts cover the stages before departure, during departure, and upon migrant workers’ return, along with stronger access to legal services and greater involvement of village governments.

The Ministry of Immigration and Corrections also implements the Immigration-Assisted Villages program as one of the measures to prevent human trafficking. The program includes public outreach, education, immigration legal counseling, and efforts to prevent people from leaving the country through irregular channels.

Assistant Deputy for Asian Cooperation Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Political and Security Affairs, Nur Rokhmah Hidayah, said efforts to prevent human trafficking and irregular migration must begin before people leave their home villages. She said economic vulnerability, limited access to information, and risky recruitment practices can increase the risk of people becoming victims.

“Human trafficking prevention and the prevention of irregular migration must begin long before departure—from the village. We need to turn multiple programs into one integrated movement, transforming villages with high concentrations of Indonesian migrant workers into safe and empowered migration communities,” Nur Rokhmah stated.

Cross-ministry and interagency discussions identified several challenges, including limited funding and human resources, as well as the lack of integration among existing programs. The government is pushing for an integrated action plan and a Joint Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen collaboration, with villages serving as the frontline for preventing human trafficking and protecting communities, migrant workers, and their families.