Measuring the immeasurable: Understanding the effectiveness of anti-child trafficking transnational advocacy networks

Deanna Davy

doi:10.5130/ccs.v5i2.3102

Abstract

Transnational advocacy networks’ anti-child trafficking efforts have led to significant progress in the Mekong Subregion by bringing the child trafficking issue onto the global social policy agenda, resulting in new child protection legislation and improved inter-agency collaboration in the region. However, a significant gap in both the literature on TANs and TAN practice is the lack of monitoring and evaluation of TAN ‘effectiveness’. This article discusses the recent literature on TAN effectiveness and discusses the ‘key elements’ of TAN effectiveness, as highlighted by child trafficking experts operating in TANs in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Research into the area of TAN effectiveness is important for improving our knowledge of what TANs are achieving in terms of preventing child trafficking and protecting victims, as well as improving our knowledge of the different meanings and interpretations of TAN ‘effectiveness’. Furthermore, research into this area is important for improving our understanding of how TANs are well positioned to provide an effective response to the child sex trafficking problem.

Highlights

In the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) transnational advocacy networks (TANs) have been forming since the 1990s to combat child trafficking for sexual exploitation
The interviews revealed a number of key elements of effectiveness that provide valuable insight into the TAN effectiveness question
Interviews for this study revealed that TAN members desire inter-agency collaboration for a number of reasons

Summary

Introduction

In the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) transnational advocacy networks (TANs) have been forming since the 1990s to combat child trafficking for sexual exploitation. Child sex trafficking occurs in all Southeast Asian countries. In a region where the demand for young brides, adoptive infants, sex with children, images of child pornography, and cheap labour is strong, children may be trafficked at source or during migration, either en route or after reaching their destination. Transit and destination countries for child trafficking exist throughout the Southeast Asia region with some countries characterised as origin, transit, or destination, and others encompassing all three Complex push and pull factors including poverty, gender inequality, unemployment, and forced migration complicate the child sex trafficking issue

Methods

Results

Conclusion