Singapore Ratifies the ASEAN Convention against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children

1. Singapore has ratified the ASEAN Convention against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP). The Instrument of Ratification was deposited with the ASEAN Secretary-General by Singapore's Permanent Representative to ASEAN Mr Tan Hung Seng on 25 January 2016. This is another important step taken by Singapore to combat trafficking in persons (TIP) through a "4P" strategy of Prevention, Prosecution, Protection and Partnership .

2. The ACTIP is a legally-binding instrument that seeks to prevent and suppress trafficking in persons, protect victims and promote cooperation among ASEAN Member States.  The ACTIP was signed by ASEAN Leaders at the 27thASEAN Summit in November 2015.

3. The ratification of ACTIP follows Singapore's earlier accession to the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (UN TIP Protocol) on 28 September 2015.

4. Singapore is among the first ASEAN Member States to ratify ACTIP and this move further affirms Singapore's commitment to cooperate with our regional partners in jointly combating TIP.

Issued by:

Singapore Inter-Agency Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons

Singapore’s Permanent Representative to ASEAN Tan Hung Seng depositing Singapore’s Instrument of Ratification to the ACTIP with ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh on 25 January 2016.

[Photo credit: MFA]