More than half of the estimated 2.5 million persons trafficked in the world come from developing countries in Asia and the Pacific.
In the last 20 years, more than 400,000 women and children have been trafficked from Vietnam alone.
In response, Australia supports a number of anti-human trafficking initiatives in the region, including MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking). MTV EXIT is the world's largest anti-human trafficking awareness campaign and aims to increase understanding about trafficking of persons, protect youth from being trafficked and change attitudes towards victims.
The campaign targets young people through free live concerts, public service announcements, music videos, online content, documentaries aired on television, youth training workshops and community-based roadshows.
The campaign has reached 70 million people in Asia through broadcasting programs, documentaries and concerts. More than half a million people have attended 28 live concerts across Asia.
After reaching 80,000 people through activities in four locations during 2010, MTV EXIT returned to Vietnam in May 2012 with an expanded program. The campaign commenced with the launch of a half-hour documentary: Enslaved, hosted by popular Vietnamese performer My Tam. This was followed by youth training sessions. MTV Exit, together with Vietnam's Youth Union and Student Association, selected 100 youth leaders to participate in a workshop to learn about human trafficking and how to disseminate educational information in their own communities. A week-long art exhibition [external website] delivered learning experiences for youth through creative arts and drama, and helped communicate anti-human trafficking messages to various audiences in Hanoi.
MTV EXIT activities also included a free Live Concert [external website] at My Dinh stadium, attracting tens of thousands of young people. Representatives from the Vietnamese Government, ASEAN, USAID and AusAID shared views and messages. The Canadian pop band Simple Plan, Korea's Brown Eyed Girls, and Australian singer Kate Miller-Heidke joined Vietnamese pop stars and performers in making an impressive and educational concert for the youth.
MTV EXIT's efforts in May will be followed by road show events in Vietnam later in the year. These events aim to introduce educational programming and multimedia content on human trafficking issues, to at-risk communities throughout the country. The events will be conducted in collaboration with community based organisations, the Women's Union, and youth volunteers.
Support is provided through AusAID's regional anti-trafficking program.