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Highlights

23 July 2025

Setting the Stage: Global Norms, Regional Outlook

Online pre-training sessions introduced participants to relevant international and regional frameworks, laying the groundwork for deeper, in-person discussions.

Framing the Discussion through a Global Lens

The evening of 8 May began with an online introduction to the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice. Speakers Bryan Ramos and Edwin Cantu, UNODC Vienna emphasized that these instruments serve as guiding benchmarks that reflect international best practices and are complementary to international human rights law such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture (CAT).

The standards cover a wide range of justice issues, including access to legal aid, special protections for women and children, safeguards for victims and witnesses, fair legal rights of the accused, and the professional integrity of justice institutions. Most importantly, they reflect the international community’s commitment to justice that is fair, effective, humane, and accountable.

A few examples that could be highlighted from the session included:

  • Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers (1990)
  • United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems (2012)
  • Bangkok Rules (United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders, 2010)
  • Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power (1985)
  • Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct (2002)
Regional Spotlight: Legal Responses to Crime Trends in Southeast Asia

On 13 May, T4SEA took a regional lens to examine emerging crime trends and the legal cooperation frameworks among Southeast Asian countries.

The session began with an insightful presentation by Sylwia Gawronska, UNODC ROSEAP who outlined how trafficking in persons is evolving in the region. Criminal operations, she explained, have become more organized and business-like, often operating across borders with increasing sophistication.In recent years, new forms of trafficking have emerged—particularly involving forced labour and forced criminality, including recruitment for cybercrime, online scams, and money laundering schemes. These illegal activities are often concentrated in Special Economic Zones and border areas where regulatory oversight is weak. The trafficked victims in many cases are subjected to deception, coercion, or violence and often held in conditions where they are unable to move freely or seek help.

The complexity of these operations prompted thoughtful questions and reflections from participants. Many pointed to the need for proactive government strategies and cross-border cooperation to more effectively identify and protect the victims.

Sendy Hermawati, the ASEAN Secretariat updated participants on regional initiatives endorsed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to combat transnational crime and strengthen legal cooperation. She highlighted the 2019 ASEAN Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (ASEAN-MLAT), which enables Member States to request and provide assistance in obtaining evidence during criminal investigations. To streamline the process, the Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) Working Group, with support from UNODC, is developing model templates, forms, and explanatory notes to help unify and simplify procedures across the region.

The MLA Working Group, along with informal mechanisms such as SEAJust, also plays an active role in addressing trafficking in persons cases through cross-border coordination and dialogue.