COUNTRY NARRATIVES 65

o arratives

N C UNTRY Children who work in stone quarries are subjected long and to hazardous of harsh, days unhealthy, working conditions that are harmful their to growth and development. In exchange they are paid little and exposed physical, to emotional, and sometimes abuse. sexual even AFGHANISTAN (Tier 2 Watch List) AFGHANISTAN TIER RANKING BY YEAR

Afghanistan is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. Internal trafficking is more prevalent than transnational trafficking. The majority of Afghan victims are 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 children subjected to human trafficking in carpet-making and brick kiln factories and domestic servitude, and in commercial sexual exploitation, begging, and transnational Recommendations for Afghanistan: Eliminate police and

AFGHANISTAN drug smuggling within Afghanistan and in Pakistan, Iran, court penalization of trafficking victims for offenses committed and Saudi Arabia. Some Afghan families knowingly sell their as a direct result of being trafficked, such as prostitution or children for forced prostitution, including for bacha baazi— adultery; increase use by law enforcement of the 2008 anti- where wealthy or influential men, including government trafficking law, including prosecuting suspected traffickers officials and security forces, use young boys for social and and convicting trafficking offenders; consider amending the sexual entertainment. Other families send their children 2008 anti-trafficking law to prohibit and penalize all forms through labor brokers for employment, but the children end of trafficking in persons; investigate and prosecute government up in forced labor. Opium-farming families sometimes sell officials suspected of being complicit in human trafficking; their children to settle debts with opium traffickers. According strengthen the High Commission for Combating Crimes of to the government and the UN, insurgent groups force older Abduction and Human Trafficking/Smuggling, and implement children to serve as suicide bombers. Some Afghan families the anti-trafficking national action plan; educate government are trapped in debt bondage in the brick-making industry in officials, including law enforcement and judicial officials, on eastern Afghanistan. the definition of human trafficking as well as protection and law enforcement strategies; segregate older and younger boys Increasing numbers of men, women, and children in in trafficking shelters to prevent the abuse of younger boys; Afghanistan pay intermediaries to assist them in finding strengthen the capacity of the ministry of interior’s anti- employment in Iran, Pakistan, India, Europe, or North trafficking/smuggling unit, including by ensuring the unit is America; some of these intermediaries force Afghan citizens fully staffed and differentiating between smuggling and into labor or prostitution after their arrival. Afghan women trafficking; undertake initiatives to prevent trafficking, such and girls are subjected to forced prostitution and domestic as running a public awareness campaign to warn at-risk servitude in Pakistan, Iran, and India. Afghan boys and populations of the dangers of trafficking, and encourage men are subjected to forced labor and debt bondage in the religious leaders to incorporate anti-trafficking messaging in agriculture and construction sectors in Iran, Pakistan, Greece, religious teachings; improve efforts to collect, analyze, and Turkey, and the Gulf states. There were reports of women and accurately report counter-trafficking data; and accede to the girls from the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, and 2000 UN TIP Protocol. China subjected to sex trafficking in Afghanistan. Under the pretense of high-paying employment opportunities, labor recruiting agencies lure foreign workers to Afghanistan, Prosecution including from Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Iran, Pakistan, and The Government of Afghanistan improved anti-trafficking Tajikistan. Traffickers also recruit Afghan villagers to Afghan law enforcement efforts over the reporting period, though cities and then sometimes subject them to forced labor or official complicity in human trafficking remained a problem. forced prostitution after their arrival. Afghanistan’s 2008 Law Countering Abduction and Human Trafficking/Smuggling, along with Article 516 of the penal The Government of Afghanistan does not fully comply with code, prohibits many, but not all, forms of human trafficking. the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. Government officials, including law enforcement and judicial The government has not shown evidence of increasing efforts officials, continued to have a limited understanding of human to address human trafficking compared to the previous year; trafficking. In Dari—the language spoken most widely in therefore, Afghanistan is placed on Tier 2 Watch List for a Afghanistan—the same word denotes both human trafficking fourth consecutive year. Afghanistan was granted a waiver and human smuggling, compounding the confusion. The from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its law prescribes between eight and 15 years’ imprisonment government has a written plan that, if implemented, would for persons convicted of some forms of labor trafficking constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into and prescribes penalties of up to life imprisonment for compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of those convicted of some forms of sex trafficking. The 2009 trafficking and would devote sufficient resources to implement Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law and that plan. During the reporting period, the Afghan government other provisions of the penal code contain penalties for most recorded the first known convictions of trafficking offenders forms of trafficking. These penalties are sufficiently stringent under its 2008 law. The government continued, however, to and commensurate to those prescribed for other serious penalize and re-victimize trafficking victims for offenses crimes, such as rape. The attorney general’s office reported committed in the course of being trafficked. Government the convictions of four Afghan and Pakistani men who forced officials’ complicity in trafficking remained a serious problem. four Pakistani women into prostitution. The first-level court’s The level of understanding of human trafficking among Afghan verdict, which sentenced the four trafficking offenders to government officials remained very low. 20 years’ imprisonment, was upheld by the appellate court. These are the first known convictions under the government’s anti-trafficking law. A husband was convicted under the EVAW law for killing his wife because she refused to engage 66 in prostitution. He was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment, of child trafficking victims placed in juvenile detention centers, ALBANIA and his accomplice, a male child, was sentenced to 10 years’ sometimes for several years. Officials often placed trafficked imprisonment. International organizations and NGOs women who could not be accommodated in shelters in prison. continued to provide training to police, prosecutors, and Some trafficked boys were placed in a facility for juvenile other government officials on identifying and investigating criminals, and trafficked adult men were incarcerated, in trafficking cases. The Ministry of Interior (MOI) and Ministry part because they could not stay in shelters. The government of Justice provided venues and provincial government trainers does not have a policy that provides relief from deportation for some of the programs. for foreign victims of trafficking who may face retribution or hardship in the countries to which they would be deported; Government employees’ complicity in human trafficking however, Afghan law allows foreign victims of trafficking to remained a serious problem. Reports indicated that government remain legally in Afghanistan for at least six months. There officials, including commanders of the Afghan National was no information that the government forcibly deported Security Forces and provincial governors, were complicit any foreign victims of trafficking during the reporting period. in the practice of bacha baazi. There have been reports that national and border police facilitated trafficking and raped sex trafficking victims. Police at the western border with Iran Prevention routinely collaborated with child traffickers and let traffickers During the reporting period, the Government of Afghanistan pass through the border controls with their victims. An Afghan made no discernible progress in preventing human trafficking, National Army (ANA) sergeant was convicted and sentenced to though it did adopt an anti-trafficking action plan. The High 11 years’ imprisonment under the EVAW law for forcing his wife Commission for Combating Crimes of Abduction and Human into prostitution; clients were local power brokers and ANA Trafficking/Smuggling continued to meet on a quarterly basis, colleagues. There were no other reports of investigations or though it was ineffective due in part to its lack of a designated prosecutions of government employees for alleged complicity budget. While the terms of reference of the group require that in trafficking-related offenses during the reporting period. ministries send deputy minister-level members to participate in meetings, many ministries sent lower-level officials or failed to attend meetings entirely. Nevertheless, in January Protection 2013, the High Commission approved a national action plan The Government of Afghanistan did not make discernible which obligated specific anti-trafficking actions to its members. progress in protecting victims of trafficking. Afghanistan did While the MOI increased the number of officers to staff the not develop or employ systematic procedures to identify victims anti-trafficking/smuggling unit and designated two officers to of trafficking or refer them to protective services. However, work on trafficking issues in each of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, some provincial and federal government agencies worked with in practice, the majority of the personnel were temporarily international organizations at border crossing points with reassigned to other duties. The government adopted the Iran to identify potential victims and refer them to protective Abu Dhabi Dialogue Framework of Regional Collaboration, services. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Martyrs, and which includes provisions to familiarize workers with their the Disabled (MOLSAMD) owns three short-term trafficking rights and reduce recruitment fees. The government did not shelters, which were operated by IOM and partner NGOs and undertake initiatives to prevent trafficking, such as public paid for by a foreign government. MOLSAMD was responsible awareness campaigns to warn at-risk populations of the danger for the registration of victims and the security of the facilities, of trafficking. There was no progress reported toward fulfilling while the vast majority of victim assistance was provided by the goals of the action plan signed in January 2011 to combat the NGOs. Multiple NGOs noted good cooperation with the the practice of bacha baazi by the Afghan National Security MOLSAMD. The Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA) oversaw Forces. The government did not take steps to reduce the a number of NGO-operated and foreign government-funded demand for commercial sex acts. Afghanistan is not a party shelters that provided services to women, including trafficking to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. victims. NGOs reported that MOWA placed restrictions on the freedom of movement of some female trafficking victims in these shelters. Child trafficking victims were sometimes placed in shelters or orphanages; there have been reports ALBANIA (Tier 2 Watch List) that older boys sexually abused younger boys in shelters. Albania is a source country for men, women, and children Funding gaps impeded more effective protection efforts. IOM subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. Albanian reported it assisted 284 victims during the reporting period, the victims are subjected to sex trafficking within Albania and majority of whom were boys and 150 of whom were referred in Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Kosovo, Belgium, Netherlands, by the Afghan government. There was no evidence that the Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. government encouraged victims to assist in investigations of Many women are subjected to trafficking after accepting offers their traffickers during the reporting period. of employment in waitressing, bartending, dancing, or singing Government officials punished victims of trafficking for in neighboring countries, specifically in Kosovo, Greece, and acts they may have committed as a direct result of being Macedonia. Victims of labor trafficking from the Philippines trafficked. Afghan officials continued to arrest, imprison, or were identified in Albania during the year. Albanian children otherwise punish female trafficking victims for prostitution are subjected to begging and other forms of compelled labor. or adultery or for escaping from husbands who had forced Some Albanian girls are subjected to sex trafficking or forced them into prostitution, even if the destination was a shelter. labor following arranged marriages. In the reporting period, government officials from several The Government of Albania does not fully comply with ministries issued statements emphasizing that running the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; away is not considered a crime in the Afghan legal system; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Despite however, these practices continued. NGOs reported instances 67 these efforts, the government failed to demonstrate evidence two defendants due to lack of evidence. The government of increasing efforts to address human trafficking over the convicted two sex trafficking offenders in 2012, compared previous reporting period; therefore, Albania is placed on with five trafficking offenders convicted in 2011. The two Tier 2 Watch List. The government modestly funded NGO offenders convicted were sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment shelters that provided services to victims of trafficking and and a fine equivalent of approximately $57,100 and 10 years’ judges were reported to take a more victim-centered approach imprisonment and a fine equivalent of approximately $38,100

ALBANIA ALBANIA during trials. The government, however, decreased the number respectively. Two prosecutions remained ongoing. Albanian of offenders it investigated, prosecuted, and convicted for law enforcement officials coordinated with police in Italy and trafficking. Albanian authorities continued to prosecute and Germany to investigate and prosecute sex trafficking cases. punish victims for unlawful acts that were a direct result of During 2012, the government trained 114 judges, prosecutors, the victims being subjected to sex trafficking. The government and judicial police officers on trafficking awareness. NGOs removed the national anti-trafficking coordinator, who was reported that judges adopted a more victim-centered approach highly effective in collaborating with NGOs to develop the during trials after a series of government-sponsored trainings. national referral mechanism (NRM) and standard operating While media reports alleged that a Republican Guard officer procedures, and left the position vacant for five months. This subjected a child to sex trafficking and received a reduced left the national coordinator’s office without the authority sentence of one year in prison for admitting to the crime of to convene interagency meetings. Some ministries failed to exploitation of prostitution, the government did not report designate representatives to participate in the NRM and lack any investigations or prosecutions of government employees of coordination stalled implementation of the anti-trafficking allegedly complicit in human trafficking offenses during the legislation. Assistance to child victims of trafficking was year. inconsistent. Protection ALBANIA TIER RANKING BY YEAR The government maintained efforts to refer victims of trafficking to appropriate services during the reporting period, but lack of coordination among ministries and sporadic implementation of standard operating procedures resulted in punishment for victims of trafficking. In the last year, the 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 government reported identifying 42 new victims. NGOs identified an additional 50 new victims in 2012. This was an increase over a total of 84 victims identified in 2011. A total Recommendations for Albania: Reduce the high rates of of 138 victims were cared for in state-run and NGO shelters. turnover among government officials, specifically within local Eleven victims identified were men and 26 were children. police forces, to maintain capacity gained from officials who Two identified victims were subjected to labor trafficking. are specially trained in addressing human trafficking; allocate Law enforcement officials continued to miss opportunities to a budget for the national anti-trafficking coordinator’s office identify and refer victims to services using standard operating to reduce its dependence on international donors and to procedures. The government trained approximately 500 increase prevention efforts; systematically train police and police, government officials, and civil society members on officials at the local level on standard operating procedures implementing standard operating procedures, though high to increase the number of victims identified and assisted in rates of turnover in government positions—specifically within Albania; ensure victims of sex trafficking are not punished the police—prevented progress at the local level in identifying for prostitution offenses; ensure the full implementation of and protecting victims of trafficking. Most police and regional the NRM by designating responsible representatives from authorities remain untrained on trafficking issues, and use each ministry; train officials in child protection units to of standard operating procedures is inconsistent. As a result, increase the identification of trafficking indicators and refer many victims were treated as suspects in prostitution – related victims to appropriate services; fund protective services for offenses and not provided access to services through the NRM. child victims of trafficking; vigorously investigate and prosecute trafficking offenders; implement victim-sensitive The government provided the equivalent of approximately procedures for accessing healthcare; expand community-based $7,280 to NGO shelters; however, this money was strictly services for victims’ reintegration and empowerment to help allocated for food expenses only and was minimal in reduce the stigma associated with trafficking; and continue light of the number of victims served. The government to expand efforts to increase awareness of labor trafficking. provided no financial support for services to trafficking victims’ dependent children. The government reported that it allocated the equivalent of approximately $280,952 for Prosecution social services for adult victims of trafficking; however, it The Government of Albania decreased its anti-trafficking law did not release information on how much of this was spent enforcement efforts over the last year. The criminal code for on these services. Three shelters were operated by NGOs Albania prohibits sex and labor trafficking under articles 110(a), and provided comprehensive services. A fourth state-run 128(b), and 114(b), which prescribe penalties of five to 15 years’ shelter provided limited services, but worked in collaboration imprisonment. These penalties are sufficiently stringent and with NGOs to meet the needs of victims. Two adults and exceed those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape. one child housed in the state shelter disappeared during The Serious Crimes Prosecution office reported investigating the reporting period. Victims’ freedom of movement in 11 human trafficking suspects in 2012, compared with 27 the state-run shelter was limited. In 2012, the government suspects in 2011. The government did not disaggregate data to approved access to free healthcare for victims of trafficking, but demonstrate that it made efforts against both sex trafficking service providers reported that bureaucratic hurdles prevented and forced labor. Courts dismissed prosecutions against victims from accessing free healthcare during the reporting 68 ALGERIA 69 2013 2012 Investigate, prosecute, and 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 ALGERIA TIER RANKING BY YEAR between human trafficking and smuggling data. This inability be among those responsible forcing for some women into Prosecution to 10 years’to 10 imprisonment. These penalties are sufficiently to convict the traffickingoffender; therefore courts are unable tosecure convictiona if traffickinga victim has alreadyleft the country. The government does not have an effective system to collect and report anti-trafficking law enforcement data, trafficking among illegal migrants; ensure that trafficking trafficking; establish partnerships with relevant international trafficking, handle trafficking cases and protect victims; and trafficking, includingon the differences betweenhuman the reporting period. Algeria prohibits all forms trafficking of under Section itsof 5 criminal code, enacted in March 2009. trafficking victimswere therefore commonly treated as illegal stringent and commensurate with those prescribed under safe and voluntary repatriation trafficking of victims; establish smuggling and trafficking. since but June did it not publicly 2012, report its activities or prostitution. Some sub-Saharan African men, mostly from prostitution. Civil society groups believe that Algeria is with imprisonment; establish capacity to identify victims of The Government Algeria of does not fully comply with the government did any not hold perpetrators sex of trafficking The Algerian government made minimal efforts to address increasingly becoming a destination both for undocumented immigrants and subject to arrest, detention, and deportation. The government lacked adequate measures to protect victims. The government’s anti-trafficking committee metmonthly formal procedures to guide officials how in identifyto human trafficking through law enforcement means during victims are offered necessary assistance, such as shelter, not making significant efforts to do so. For another year the continued to conflatehuman trafficking andsmuggling, and convict sex and labor traffickingoffenders, including public ensure identified victims are not punished for unlawful acts committed as a direct result being of subjected to human expand existing efforts to increase public awareness of confiscate theiridentification documents, which is indicative medical, psychological, and legal aid; establish a policy to migration and trafficking. minimum standards the for elimination trafficking of and is Mali,are forced domestic workers. Homeownerssometimes or forcedor labor accountable with jail time. The government officials complicit humanin trafficking, and punish them organizations and NGOs in sourcecountries to ensurethe of forcedof labor. Some Algerian women are also forced into Recommendations Algeria: for and government officials admitted difficulty distinguishing accomplishments. accomplishments. Prescribed penalties under this statute range from three Algerian law other for serious crimes, such as rape. By law, Algerian courts must hear testimony from the victim in order but illegally, often with the assistance smugglers, of the for beingin human trafficking situations.least at 2012, In three by providing victim witnesses access to social workers and Prevention the governmentupdated the NRM throughcollaboration the OSCE, trained labor 20 inspectors anti-trafficking on the trafficking law. As an alternative to removal foreign for trafficking victims, Albania’s anti-trafficking law provides a two-year reflection period with temporary residency status trafficking. The government encouraged victims to participate turnover among prosecutors was a challenge to progress on this problem. sex acts, and made limited public awareness efforts aimed at smuggling and human trafficking.“chairmen,” The leaders,or subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. Most commonly, sub-Saharan African men and women enter Algeria voluntarily status to a victim. psychologists during trials. The Serious Crimes Prosecution purpose traveling of to Europe. Some these of women may be prosecuted prostitution-related for offenses and under not period. In practice, potential beneficiariesattempting to privacy laws. One hundred new child protection units were with civil society, the removal the of national coordinator work with victim witnesses. Thisproblem was exacerbated increasing identificationof child victimsof trafficking and in mostly rural areas. The government, with support from in investigations and prosecutions of trafficking offenders forced into prostitution. Criminal networks, which sometimes for traffickingfor in persons, and simultaneously convicted the for traffickingfor victims in cases in which the trafficker was hindered efforts to implement the national action plan victim prostitution.for Lack training of andthe high rate of victimssex of trafficking were convictedprostitution. of one In victims outside Tirana did have not access to this service reducing the demand forced for labor. located in and around the southern city Tamanrasset—may of no discernible efforts to reduce the demand commercial for extend to sub-Saharan Africa and to Europe, are involved in case, the court issued both a conviction against the defendant ensuring protection, but most employees lacked the training established the at local level; the units have a direct in role during the year. The government trained school 245 personnel five years in the country, wellas as authorization work. to of theof “African villages”—small non-Algerian ethnicenclaves office in Tirana includesa victim witness coordinator;however, of traffickingof numerous to professionals in violation of NGOs reported that victims were punished as a direct result of and source country women for and, to a lesser extent, men, againsttrafficking The government adopted 2011. in made awareness and launched a project labor on exploitation andthe promotion corporate of social responsibility. While andthe opportunity to apply permanent for residency after andlocal prosecutors lacked training to how on effectively and resources toeffectively identify and assistchild victims of accesshealthcare were required to self-identify as victims However, in practice, the government has yet to grant this Algeria is a transit and, to a lesser extent, a destination Albaniasustained efforts to prevent trafficking in persons ALGERIA (Tier 3) to differentiate between alien smuggling and human trafficking encourage trafficking victims to participate in investigations led to continued conflation, with the November 2012 arrests or prosecutions of trafficking offenders. The government did of seven smugglers for moving Nigerien migrants en route to not provide counseling or legal services to victims. Libya under the anti-trafficking statute. During the reporting period, the government prosecuted these seven individuals under its anti-trafficking law but did not differentiate whether Prevention the prosecutions were for sex trafficking or forced labor. For The Algerian government made no significant progress in its ANGOLA another year, the government did not report any convictions prevention efforts during the reporting period. The government of trafficking offenders. The government did not report efforts did not conduct a public awareness campaign on trafficking in to investigate or punish government employees complicit persons, despite its effort in the previous reporting period. The in trafficking-related offenses despite some allegations of government did not have a formal anti-trafficking policy or a complicity. Previous reporting has indicated that some police national plan of action to complement its anti-trafficking law. in Tamanrasset have released sex trafficking victims back It did not attempt to forge effective anti-trafficking partnerships to their pimps, who are often also village “chairmen.” The with civil society organizations. The government did not take government funded and implemented a trafficking victim measures to establish the identity of the populations most at identification training program in November 2012 for 74 police risk of being trafficked. The government did not report taking brigades, including 24 newly established police brigades that any measures to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts focus on illegal immigration and human trafficking. The anti- in Algeria or child sex tourism among Algerians traveling trafficking committee also collaborated with an international abroad. The government reported that its inter-ministerial organization in the development of a judicial anti-trafficking anti-trafficking committee met every month since June 2012 training program for government officials. but the group did not produce a public report on its activities or accomplishments.

Protection The government made no discernible progress in protecting victims of trafficking over the last year. It did not develop ANGOLA (Tier 2 Watch List) or employ systematic procedures for the identification of Angola is a source and destination country for men, women, and trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, such as children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. Angolans foreign women arrested for prostitution or undocumented are reportedly forced to labor in agriculture, construction, migrants, nor did the government have a victim referral domestic service, and artisanal diamond mines within the procedure in place to provide victims with appropriate country. Chinese nationals in Angola exploit Angolan children protection and assistance. NGOs reported that some trafficking in brick-making factories and rice farming. There are reports of victims were jailed for unlawful acts committed as a result of girls as young as 13 years old in prostitution in the provinces their being subjected to human trafficking—such as engaging in of Luanda, Benguela, and Huila. Some Angolan boys are taken prostitution or lacking adequate immigration documentation. to Namibia for forced labor in cattle herding, while others are Similarly, NGOs indicated that if a prostitution operation forced to serve as couriers as part of a scheme to skirt import became too public, police arrested women in prostitution and fees in cross-border trade with Namibia. Angolan adults may deported them through Algeria’s southern border, making no use children under the age of 12 for forced criminal activity, attempt to identify potential sex trafficking victims among as children cannot be tried in court. Angolan women and the women. The government did not provide foreign victims children are subjected to domestic servitude in South Africa, with legal alternatives to their removal to countries where the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Namibia, and they faced retribution or hardship. In previous years, NGOs European countries, primarily Portugal. Angolan men are reported that deported migrants, some of whom may have victims of labor trafficking in the Netherlands. Vietnamese been trafficking victims, received a liter of milk and some and Brazilian women in prostitution in Angola may be victims bread and were transported to desert borders with Mali and of sex trafficking. Chinese women are recruited by Chinese Niger; NGOs also reported that in some cases, migrants gangs and construction companies with promises of work but died in the Saharan desert. The government reported that later are deprived of their passports, kept in walled compounds undocumented migrants detained in Tamanrasset spent a week with armed guards, and forced to pay back the costs of their in a detention center before being deported to neighboring travel by engaging in prostitution. Chinese, Southeast Asian, countries to the south. Namibian, and possibly Congolese migrants are subjected to forced labor in Angola’s construction industry; conditions There were no government-operated shelters, and civil society include the withholding of passports, threats, denial of food, groups were prohibited from operating any such shelters and confinement. The Chinese workers are brought to Angola because they would be penalized for harboring undocumented by Chinese companies who have obtained large construction migrants. However, NGOs operated care facilities for some or mining contracts; the companies do not disclose the terms vulnerable populations, such as abandoned women, and these and conditions of the workers at the time of their recruitment were—in theory—accessible to some female trafficking victims. before they arrive in Angola. Undocumented Congolese The government reported that it identified 100 potential migrants enter Angola for work in its diamond-mining districts, victims of trafficking and referred them to short-term NGO- where some experience conditions of forced labor or forced operated care facilities before deporting them; many of them prostitution in mining camps. Trafficking networks recruit may have been falsely identified as trafficking victims and and transport Congolese girls as young as 12 years old from instead were smuggled migrants. Government-operated health DRC’s Kasai Occidental province to Angola for various forms clinics continued to be available for trafficking victims, and of exploitation. some victims used these services; however, a number of victims were either unaware of these clinics or declined to use them due to fear of deportation. There is no formal program to 70 ANGOLA 71 began implementation a labor of agreement with China that brick companies and rice farms. Overall, due to a culture of between three months’ and one years’ imprisonment and a fine. Protection trainingsessions held in government facilities in Zaire and to 54 potential victims, both systematic a process the for this any or other trafficking case. One suspected trafficking that officials condoned forced child laborat Chinese-owned the current penal code may cover trafficking crimes. Article under and 21 imposes an insufficiently stringent penaltyof sale, trafficking,prostitutionor of children;however, the potential Angolan trafficking victims morein than four years— provision. Draft comprehensive anti-traffickinglegislation with the potential victims, their families, police, the Ministry government adopted the Law the on Protection and Integral work tomato on farms; this investigation—the first involving The government made minimal efforts to protect victims identification of traffickingvictims and legal remedies for identified during their operations within Angola. 2012, In the including counter-trafficking.IOM instructed107officials inforce sinceis undergoing 1886, comprehensive a review These penalties are not commensurate with those prescribed forms trafficking, of though the constitutionpromulgated in otherfor serious crimes, such as rape. Article the of 4 General has not yet been amended to incorporate this constitutional Uige provinces.Uige victimswhom Chinese lawenforcement authorities had remained pending, with the suspects in detention. The national repatriate alleged 37 trafficking offenders 14 sex and trafficking remained in jail pending trial. Although the government requiresChinese companies to follow Angolan labor laws, reporting periods. For example, there in2012, were allegations raid a Chinese on construction site in Luanda in April 2011, law fails to define andprescribe penalties for these crimes, limiting its utility. corruption, law enforcement efforts are stymied in many areas, exploitation children of and, in Article the 33, kidnapping, February prohibits human 2010 trafficking. The penal code, during the year. Though the government identifiedone case director the of National Institute Children of (INAC) led a delegation to these provinces to investigate this case, and met doesnot have criminala law that specifically prohibits all of suspectedof trafficking providedand short-term assistance on identifyingon and protecting trafficking victims during two of Social of Assistanceand Reintegration (MINARS), the Ministry Publicof Administration, Employment, and Social Security offender, arrested and charged with organized crime after a officialof complicity in trafficking from this or previous In January the national 2013, police intercepted a truck carrying abuses. The government took no action to address allegations and update, which remained pending; thus, the penal code also remained pending with the assembly. Some articles of also prescribes insufficient penaltiesof a fine of between five timesand 10 the average workers’ salary. In August the 2012, Labor Law prohibits forced, coerced, bondedor labor, but Development Children, of which, in Article prohibits the 7, Chinese construction companies alleged for forced labor (MAPESS), traditional authorities, and farmers. In August 54 children from Huilato Namibeprovince, allegedly for 2012, Angolan 2012, authorities allowed Chinese authorities to Angolan government did initiatenot criminal prosecutions in Angolan authorities have not sought to criminally prosecute 406the of currentpenal code prohibits corruption those of 2013 2012 Amendthe penal code to 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 ANGOLA TIER RANKING BY YEAR Prosecution to prosecute traffickingoffenses involving Angolanforeignor thegovernment has failed to prosecute trafficking offenses traffickingoffenders 14 traffickingand victims to China and traffickingoffenses in Angola involving both Angolans and traffickingoffender. It also made negligible efforts to increase understanding trafficking of on the partof governmentofficials thegovernment did notdemonstrate evidence overall of third consecutive year. Angola was granted a waiver from an sufficientprotections for victims; train law enforcement procedures; collect and analyze anti-trafficking law procedures the for identificationof trafficking victimsamong prohibit and punish all forms human of trafficking provideand populations; the lack victim of identification may have potentialchild trafficking victims, the government not did progress. Despite undertaking law enforcement action in partnership with Chinese authoritiesto repatriate alleged 37 period; therefore, Angola is placed Tier on 2 Watch List a for government cooperated with Chinese authorities to allow The Government Angola of continued to make minimal its investigation one potential of internal trafficking case, its penal code to prohibit trafficking in persons nor finalized increasing anti-trafficking efforts since previousthe reporting The GovernmentAngola of does not fully comply with the isit making significant efforts to do so. Despite these measures, failedto initiate the prosecutiontrafficking of offenders in for thefor elimination trafficking of and is devoting sufficient foreign nationals. The government has never convicted a haswrittena plan that, if implemented, would constitute vulnerablepopulations; train law enforcement, social services, victims and convict offenders; investigate and prosecute forced vigorously. The government neither adopted amendments to reportingperiods. Although identified it and assisted 54 resources to implement that plan. Overall, the government law enforcement efforts during the year. Although the labor abuses in the construction sector; develop and implement enforcement data; expand nationwide anti-trafficking public complete development a manual of to assist law enforcement contributed to the arrests and deportation foreign of victims continuedto demonstrate minimal political will to address during the year. draft anti-traffickinglegislation, both pending previous from makingsignificant efforts meetto the minimum standards minimum standards the for elimination trafficking; of however, one investigation into potential internal labor trafficking,it officials to use relevant portionsof the existing penal code officials identifyingin victimsof traffickingamong vulnerable otherwiserequired downgrade to Tier 3 because itsgovernment Recommendations for Angola: awareness campaigns; and accede to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. and immigration officials identificationin and referral and the Angolan population generally, a major factor inhibiting Chinese traffickingoffenders to be taken to China and opened 2012 and has2012 never convicteda trafficking offender. Angola victims remained lacking. INAC oversaw child protection Chinese employers and recruitment firms. The government networks (CPN) in all 18 provinces that offered health care, did not make efforts to reduce the demand for commercial legal and social assistance, and family reunification for crime sex acts during the year. Angola is not a party to the 2000 victims under the age of 18. Following their rescue, INAC and UN TIP Protocol. MINARS assisted the 54 potential child trafficking victims, providing shelter, food, clothing, and counseling through INAC and MINARS social workers and psychologists. MINARS, the Ministry of Family and Women’s Promotion (MINFAMU), ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA and the Organization of Angolan Women operate 27 victim (Tier 2) counseling centers, seven multi-purpose shelters, and 51 children’s shelters that trafficking victims could access. The 54 Antigua and Barbuda is a destination and transit country for children remained one night in a MINARS shelter in Namibe men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and and one night in a MINARS shelter in Huila before being forced labor. Legal and undocumented immigrants from the reunited with their families. Caribbean region, notably from Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, as well as from southeast Asia, reportedly comprise Law enforcement, immigration, and social services personnel the population most vulnerable to trafficking. According to continued to lack a formal system for proactively identifying several sources, forced prostitution occurs in bars, taverns, victims of trafficking among vulnerable groups, including and brothels. Incidences of forced labor have occurred in women in prostitution and undocumented immigrants. domestic service and in the retail sector.

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA During the reporting period, the Ministry of Interior continued its partnership with IOM to develop manuals and standard The Government of Antigua and Barbuda does not fully operating procedures on victim identification based on comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of manuals created for the southern African region. Without trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. standardized procedures for identifying trafficking victims Despite severe budget limitations, the Government of Antigua among vulnerable populations, some trafficking victims were and Barbuda demonstrated a proactive approach to identifying likely penalized for unlawful acts committed as a direct result trafficking victims and providing them with quality services. of being trafficked. The government did not offer victims Both the minister of national security and the director of long-term assistance and did not provide foreign victims gender affairs continued to be leaders in the prevention of with temporary residency or other legal alternatives to their human trafficking. For another year, the government did not removal to countries where they may face retribution or report any convictions or punishments of trafficking offenders. hardship. In addition, documented and undocumented foreign workers are not screened for trafficking victimization and may be arrested and deported for unlawful acts committed as a ANTIGUA & BARBUDA TIER RANKING BY YEAR result of having been trafficked, including immigration and employment violations. For example, if during inspections, workers are found to be without work permits, authorities fine employers and arrest and deport the workers. Even when authorities identified Chinese trafficking victims, the Angolan 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 government routinely repatriated them to China without providing care or ensuring proper treatment upon their arrival in China. The Ministry of Exterior Relations (MIREX) and Recommendations for Antigua and Barbuda: Vigorously MINFAMU are responsible for coordinating the repatriation prosecute, convict, and punish trafficking offenders, including of and providing assistance to Angolans victimized abroad; officials complicit in human trafficking; consider ways to MIREX investigated cases involving Angolans, mostly women, ensure human trafficking cases are handled in the high court used to smuggle drugs internationally but determined that and treated as a serious crime; continue identifying and they were not trafficked. protecting trafficking victims by formalizing procedures to guide law enforcement, child welfare officials, and other front-line responders in identifying victims and referring Prevention them to available services; and continue efforts to raise The government made limited efforts to prevent human awareness among child protection specialists about child sex trafficking during the reporting period. The government trafficking, underscoring that all prostituted children— failed to launch any new anti-trafficking awareness campaigns regardless of movement—are considered trafficking victims for a second consecutive year. INAC and the Ministry of by UN definitions. Social Communication continued to publish anti-trafficking advertisements in the press. In addition, following discovery of 54 children being moved for farm labor in Namibe province Prosecution in January 2013, INAC officials made unannounced visits The government made little discernible progress in the to farms in the province to investigate the extent of child prosecution of trafficking offenders during the reporting labor and meet with MAPESS and local farming associations period. Antigua and Barbuda’s Trafficking in Persons to request collaboration in preventing child labor in the (Prevention) Act 2010 prohibits forced prostitution and forced agricultural sector. The national director of labor led an inter- labor, including bonded labor, and prescribes punishments of ministerial commission, formed in May 2012, to examine 20 to 30 years’ imprisonment with fines. These penalties are Chinese labor in Angola and implement a labor accord with sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those prescribed the Chinese government, which was signed into effect by the for other serious crimes, such as rape. The law is comprehensive, president in March 2012 and called for proper treatment of and includes extensive victim protection measures, though Chinese workers and compliance with Angolan labor law by several officials have expressed concern that the law requires 72 ARGENTINA 73 2013 2012 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 ARGENTINA TIER RANKING BY YEAR trafficking through convictionsor sentences during the year. theRoyal Antigua and Barbuda Police Force, members of trafficking that includes establishmenta of centralized system trafficking. Authorities continued to distribute and share with talks and distributed posters throughout Antigua and Barbuda to raise anti-trafficking awareness. The government continued to operate a hotline with operators trained to identify and theDominican Republic, are subjected to sex trafficking in street vending begging or are reportedly vulnerable to forced specialized services to female trafficking victims and passed particularly in forced labor. Trafficking-related corruption public awareness materials; they also aired radio spots in public. The Gender Affairs Department hosted community women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced within thecountry, particularlyin urban centers provinces or government continued to support four shelters that provided was comprised representatives of from the ministries social of welfare, social transformation, health, labor, immigration in light the of number victims of identified during the year, in central and southern Argentina. A significantnumber of The GovernmentArgentina of does fully not complywith the isit making significant efforts to do so. During the year, for datafor collection and a review legal of tools to combat human foreign women and children, primarily from Paraguay and have been found in sex trafficking in other countries. hold criminallyhold accountable any officials complicit humanin various civil society groups, and community activists. The rural areas northern or provinces, are forced into prostitution remained a serious concern, while the government failed to report any initiatives aimed reducing at the demand forced for reported no evidence that child sex tourism occurs in Antigua labor. Argentine women and children, including many from a more limitedlabor. To extent, Argentine women and girls labor commercial or sex. The government and local NGOs northern provinces, are subjected to forced labor in sweatshops, coalition completed nationala action planto address human Funding victim for services, however, remained inadequate minimum standards the for elimination trafficking; of however, other officials in the Caribbean regionhuman trafficking agriculture, supermarkets, and domestic work. Children in authorities convicted approximately trafficking 17 offenders and identified a significant number of potential victims. The new a comprehensive trafficking law in December2012. and customs, and foreign affairs, as well as officials from assist human trafficking victims. The government not did and Barbuda and reportedno child sex tourism investigations. English and Spanish that targeted victims as well as the general Peruvians, as well as Argentine citizens often from poorer Argentina. A large number Bolivians, of Paraguayans, and Argentina is a source, transit, and destination country men, for ARGENTINA (Tier 2) basic service provision trafficking for victims offeredand job Prevention Protection traffickingprevention. The gender affairs departmentled a theimportance victim-centereda of approachto addressing the prosecution trafficking of offenders. TraffickingThe in trafficking victims to careproviders after conducting needs trafficking victims during the reporting period. The Gender to identifying new victims and following through with high to IOM-led capacity building and technical skills training trafficking in the sex trade. Nevertheless, the government trade establishments, an arrangement that could inhibit law trafficking crimes be heard lowerin court, which appears to treat trafficking lessas a serious crime. The government such as the minister national of security, spoke publicly about suspected trafficking victim during the reporting period. The services trafficking for victims. With assistance IOM from services. Government victim protection specialists identified period. Some sources raised concerns possible of trafficking- preventionefforts during the reporting period. Senior officials, punishment unlawful for acts committed as direct a result placement andother ongoing support victimsfor identified proactively two potential sex trafficking victims during the previous year remained pending,and authorities dismissed government offeredthe oneidentified foreign victimlong-term with to IOM repatriate foreign victims safely and voluntarily. The government encouraged trafficking victims to assist in workshops government for officials. government employees alleged for complicity in trafficking- government did not report any new prosecutions, convictions, The government demonstrated significant trafficking in previous reporting periods. Childprotection officials The government made some progress in the protection of initiated new one sex trafficking investigation during the forged relationships with NGOs to raise awareness about human trafficking, and chaired a committee to address he or shehe or might have faced retribution hardship. or health and other care crime for victims, including specialized human trafficking indicators and available government residency as a legal alternative to removal to a country where referlocal and foreign childrenin prostitution assistance.for reporting period. The government provided start-up funds in related offenses. The government provided in-kind support relatedcomplicity within the immigration department and reporting period. A sex traffickingprosecution from the national anti-trafficking coalition which met regularly and emergency safe haven network,the governmentreferred enforcement’s willingness to investigate allegations human of didreportnot having specializeda protocol to identify and quality, long-term assistance. The Gender Affairs Department did not report any investigations prosecutions or such of of their of having been trafficked, and authorities collaborated off-duty police officers sometimesproviding security for sex or punishmentsor trafficking of offenders during the reporting assessments. The Gender Affairs Department went beyond andusing creative private-public partnerships, such as an also about an apparent conflictof interest in practicethe of a labor traffickingprosecution from previousthe year. The Persons (Prevention) protects Act 2010 identified victims from However, there was one report that authorities deported a 2012 for the for establishment2012 a shelter of that will offer mental Affairs Department continued to take a proactive approach Recommendations for Argentina: Follow through on Some officials and NGOs noted significant delays caused by numerous investigations of trafficking-related complicity by confusion over which authorities had jurisdiction, and in prosecuting, and when appropriate, convict officials complicit some cases testimonies were discarded during this process. in human trafficking; increase funding for shelters and The government continued to provide anti-trafficking training specialized services, particularly for forced labor victims, in to law enforcement, judicial, and immigration officials, partnership with NGOs, at the federal, provincial, and local sometimes in partnership with international organizations, level; ensure that foreign victims are consistently offered and reported training 800 senior police officials in 2012. services, including shelter and job consultations, and the Argentine prosecutors coordinated with the Government of opportunity to remain in the country after being identified; Paraguay and other foreign governments on transnational ARGENTINA increase efforts to investigate, prosecute, convict, and punish trafficking investigations. trafficking offenders, especially labor trafficking offenders; continue to develop and implement protocols for local- According to NGOs, international organizations, and officials, level officials to identify and assist trafficking victims; and the trafficking-related complicity of some government officials strengthen anti-trafficking coordination among the federal was a serious concern. Some police officers reportedly and provincial governments, civil society, and different actors condoned human trafficking activity or tipped off brothel on the federal level. owners about impending raids, and some judges reportedly did not adequately investigate signs of official complicity in trafficking cases. Authorities reported filing 71 cases of Prosecution trafficking-related complicity in 2012, including one of a The Government of Argentina maintained law enforcement deputy police commissioner accused of holding four trafficking efforts during the year, though there were few convictions for victims captive. It was unclear what progress had been made forced labor and no reported convictions of public officials in the investigations initiated in 2010 of 75 Buenos Aires complicit in trafficking. The government enacted a new, more police officers accused of trafficking-related complicity comprehensive trafficking law in December 2012, prohibiting and of the former head of the anti-trafficking police unit all forms of human trafficking and prescribing penalties of accused of running brothels. The government did not report four to 15 years’ imprisonment. Such penalties are sufficiently convicting any government employees for alleged complicity stringent and commensurate with those prescribed for other in trafficking-related offenses during the reporting period. serious crimes, such as rape. The previous federal anti- trafficking law prohibited all forms of human trafficking, prescribing penalties of three to 10 years’ imprisonment but Protection included a legal loophole involving victim consent that was The Argentine government reported identifying a significant closed in the new law. NGOs and officials noted that some number of potential trafficking victims and continued to fund prosecutors used prostitution-related statutes to address sex several shelters providing services to female sex trafficking trafficking crimes. NGOs and officials commented these victims, but resources dedicated to specialized services, statutes can yield inadequate criminal penalties. particularly for forced labor victims, did not fully meet the needs of the large number of trafficking victims identified Authorities carried out 368 preliminary trafficking during the year. The Ministry of Security reported identifying investigations in 2012. The anti-trafficking prosecutor’s office approximately 1,000 potential human trafficking victims: (UFASE) did not report how many prosecutions were initiated 525 potential labor trafficking victims and 430 potential sex during the year but noted an overall decrease in prosecutions. trafficking victims; 169 children and 807 adults. The majority In 2012, the government convicted 15 sex trafficking offenders of sex trafficking victims identified were Argentine citizens, and two labor trafficking offenders with sentences ranging while the majority of labor trafficking victims were Bolivians. from two to 15 years’ imprisonment. Sentences were suspended NGOs asserted that some officials erroneously categorized in cases where penalties were two years’ imprisonment or cases of labor exploitation that did not rise to the level of less. The government also secured convictions of two sex forced labor as human trafficking. The Ministry of Security trafficking offenders under other penal code statutes; the reported developing written procedures on victim assistance two were sentenced to 21 and 23 years’ imprisonment. In during and immediately following raids, and immigration comparison, in 2011 authorities reported convicting 28 sex officers received training on victim identification procedures, trafficking and three labor trafficking offenders. In December but implementation of systematic procedures to identify 2012, judges acquitted all of the defendants in Argentina’s most victims among vulnerable populations varied by province. high-profile sex trafficking case after 10 years of investigation due to a reported lack of evidence; many NGOs and political Authorities did not report how many victims received organizations alleged complicity between judicial officials comprehensive services, such as shelter, in 2012. According and trafficking offenders in this case, while other observers to NGOs and some officials, the quality and level of victim care suggested the case was poorly investigated and executed. varied widely by province, and most provinces lacked dedicated resources to care for trafficking victims, particularly forced The Ministry of Security coordinated the efforts of different labor victims. The Office for Rescue, with an inter-disciplinary federal law enforcement entities. Some NGOs reported team located in Buenos Aires, took initial victim statements, that coordination between law enforcement officials and generally within a week of identification, and reportedly judicial officials was sometimes weak at the critical local level. provided emergency post-rescue care to some victims, Although trafficking is a federal crime, some trafficking cases including access to legal, medical, and psychological services. were investigated or prosecuted at the local level under other NGOs gave mixed assessments of the office’s effectiveness. Two statutes, such as those penalizing servitude or the promotion provincial-level offices were reportedly opened in Chaco and of prostitution, and were not immediately transferred to the Santa Fe during the year, but the government did not publicly appropriate federal authorities. This was sometimes due to report on the budget or staffing for these offices. After victims misclassification or a desire to pursue cases at the local level. provided their initial testimony, the Secretariat for Childhood, 74 ARMENIA 75 2013 2012 basis, continued ad hoc ad Increase efforts to identify 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 ARMENIA TIER RANKING BY YEAR unwilling unable or to assist in investigations prosecutions or traffickers than during previousthe year prosecutedand a trainhundreds government of personnel, provided in-kind trafficking within the country is alsoproblem. a Women and the country and in the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. travel expenses; this may contribute to their subsequent to be a concern. strong partnerships with civil society groups, continued to sex and labor trafficking, domestic and transnational. The strong anti-traffickingprevention efforts.However, the some children serve as domestic workers in Armenia and standards the for elimination trafficking. of 2012, In the subjected to forcedlabor and sex trafficking; sex and labor protection,although provided an on government investigated and prosecuted more suspected girls fromArmenia are subjected to sex trafficking within government’s law enforcement and protection activities identification trainingof front line staff, empowering labor inspectors to identify victims through unannounced visits, increase efforts toinvestigate andprosecute labor trafficking without victim testimony and when the exploitation occurs in a foreign country; educate law enforcement and labor inspectors to how on distinguish between labor trafficking inRussia and Armenian Turkey. men incur debt to pay for is organized by family members, close acquaintances, and RussianTurkey. and Ukrainian dancers in Armenian nightclubs The Government Armenia of fully complies with the minimum forced prostitution within the country. Officials maintained year continued to decrease, in part due to a defect in proactive victim identificationprocedures well as as a deficiencyin victims forced of labor, including by strengthening victim victimization in destination countries. Their labor recruitment vulnerable to human trafficking. linking formal victim identification with participation in law enforcement efforts. The lack formal of victim-witness legal but unlicensed private employment agencies. Isolated labor within the country. Some children work in agriculture, number victims of identified by the government during the case domestic of forced child begging. The government also continued convicting criminals subjecting for Armenians to contributions to a counter-trafficking shelter, and maintained cases were reported Armenian of boys subjected to forced construction, and service provision within the country and expanded to address a wide range trafficking of offenses— may be vulnerable to trafficking. Child abuse victims and minors departing from child care institutions are particularly offenses; improve efforts to investigate trafficking cases even Recommendations for Armenia: and having stronger cooperation with law enforcement; and civil law labor violations; ensure that victims who are Armenia is a source country men,for women, and children Armenian men and women are subjected toforced labor ARMENIA (Tier 1) protocol quickly of Prevention training to Argentine troops prior to their deployment abroad to have tourist visas, citing the high number Dominicans of that the federal government’s facto de this status during the year. was It also unclear to what extent unlawful acts committed as a direct result their of being the investigation and prosecution their of traffickers, and their initial statements to authorities. they identifiedwere assistedat these shelters There2012. in this shelter, where or they were housed immediately following trafficking. to trafficking victims, therewere no known casesof victims started requiring Dominican citizens traveling to Argentina showndistance long on buses and aired television, on and services in their place origin. of The government did not report specific, it and was unclear how manyforeign victims received subjectedto human trafficking. Authorities not reportdid how some victims and families had difficulty obtaining security some victims did so during the year. NGOs reported that shelters women for and child victims sex of trafficking and protection. Despite legal provisions financial for restitution were no reported investigations prosecutions or this for crime. governments partnered with NGOs in prevention efforts and was not always in the victims’ best interest, and asserted that were no specialized shelters forced for labor victims, and it is unclear many how the of potential 525 labor trafficking The Office for Rescue maintained a shelter in the capital to The government did report not providing anti-trafficking including public service announcements about trafficking The Government Argentina of maintained prevention interagency coordination mechanisms, including a federal identifying assisting or any repatriated Argentine victims of federal entities do not consistently refer victims to specialized foreign victims were fully informed their of residency and follow-up assistance to them. However,specialized services how manyhow the of victims identified during the year stayed at victimsidentified during the year received services after giving report some isolated cases child of sex tourism, though there review its of anti-trafficking efforts The 2012. governmentin returningforeign victims to their country province or origin of reportingperiod. Long-term residency was available through reportsidentified of victims being jailed or penalized for receiving restitution during the year. There were no specific lawenforcement raids. Federal, provincial, and municipal exploitedin sex trafficking in the country. NGOs continued to efforts during the year. The trafficking law mandated new council and an executive committee, both under the presidency. care temporarily trafficking for victims, thoughit was unclear Federalauthorities reported funding public awareness efforts, maintaining two anti-traffickinghotlines administered by the ministry security of and the Office of Rescue. provincial Some developed anti-trafficking actionplans. UFASE published a manyforeign victims received temporaryresidency during the on international peacekeeping operations. NGO, but authorities did not report many how the of victims assistance options before their repatriation. NGOs stated authorities provided various amounts fundingof to four and reintegration efforts were limited. abuse acrossthe country, which one of was operated by an Argentine immigration policy, though was it not trafficking- Argentine authorities encouraged victims to assist with Adolescence, and Family(SENAF) was responsible providing for have access to short- and long-term services and protection; seven of these eight certified victims were identified by police. improve efforts to protect victims who consent to serve as In 2011, the authorities certified 13 victims. NGOs identified witnesses in prosecutions; establish a compensation at least six additional trafficking victims who were not certified mechanism for trafficking victims; provide sensitivity training subsequent to criminal investigations; the investigations were to judges to foster a culture of empathy for trafficking victims; stymied because the victims chose not to cooperate with provide legal aid services to trafficking victims, including to Armenian law enforcement and their exploitation occurred improve their ability to obtain civil restitution; establish in Russia. The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on ARMENIA protection services for male victims; de-link the intermediate Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) report and final stages of formal victim identification with concluded that the government’s system to certify victims participation in law enforcement efforts; continue to provide was not effective since it excluded victims who were unable and expand funding for NGOs that provide victim assistance; or unwilling to cooperate with law enforcement and take license, regulate, and educate local employment agencies and part in judicial proceedings against the alleged traffickers. In agents so they can help prevent the forced labor of Armenians practice, NGOs and government officials provided short-term abroad; continue to raise awareness on employment assistance assistance to these victims, although the provision of long- available for trafficking victims, and devise measures to ensure term assistance remained a concern. Despite receiving training, victims’ confidentiality in accessing this assistance; continue the Labor Inspectorate did not identify any victims of forced robust partnerships with civil society groups; and expand labor in the reporting period, in part due to legal restrictions awareness-raising campaigns to rural and border communities on their cooperating with law enforcement and conducting as well as to children leaving child-care institutions. surprise inspections. The government continued to provide the equivalent of approximately $16,000 to an NGO-run, long- term shelter, which assisted 26 female victims of trafficking in Prosecution 2012. Adult victims could leave the shelter at will. The country The Armenian government increased its investigations did not have specialized care centers for male victims; however, and prosecutions against alleged human traffickers during existing shelters are able to assist male trafficking victims the reporting period, and though convictions declined, all when necessary. During the reporting period, one trafficking convicted defendants received significant sentences. Armenia victim received assistance in obtaining employment. In the prohibits both sex trafficking and labor trafficking through previous reporting period, by comparison, no victims received Articles 132 and 132-2 of its criminal code, which prescribe this assistance. Law enforcement officers provided victims penalties of five to 15 years’ imprisonment—penalties that are with security at court proceedings on an ad hoc basis when sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those prescribed requested by victims’ attorneys or NGOs. In 2012, all certified for other serious crimes, such as rape. The government victims officially recognized by the government assisted police investigated 22 trafficking cases in 2012, compared with 17 with trafficking investigations. NGOs continued to report the in 2011, and prosecuted 18 defendants for trafficking offenses— absence of appropriate protections for victims who provide including one case of child forced begging—compared with testimony was a concern. The government did not penalize prosecutions against 15 alleged traffickers in 2011. Eight victims for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of their traffickers were convicted, including one for transnational being trafficked. The government permits foreign victims to labor, compared to 13 convictions in 2011. All eight offenders stay in the country through temporary residency permits and convicted in 2012 received sentences ranging from four to to obtain temporary employment; however, no foreign victims 11 years’ imprisonment; the majority received sentences of were identified by the government in the reporting period. eight years. The government provided information about a potential labor trafficking case to Russian authorities; Russian law enforcement bodies, however, were not cooperative or Prevention responsive. While observers noted the Armenian police’s The Armenian government demonstrated strong trafficking victim-centered approach, they criticized some judges as prevention efforts during the reporting period. The government aggressive and prejudiced against victims. Human trafficking spent the equivalent of approximately $21,000 of dedicated continued to be included in the curricula of all education funds in the budgets of the Ministry of Labor and Social facilities of law enforcement bodies including the police Affairs and the Ministry of Youth and Sport Affairs to further academy, the prosecutors’ school, and the judicial school. The increase public awareness of human trafficking. Government Government of Armenia did not report any investigations agencies undertook a variety of prevention activities, including or prosecutions of public officials for alleged complicity in an anti-trafficking media contest with a cash prize designed trafficking-related offenses during the reporting period. to improve professional journalism and the broadcasting of anti-trafficking public service announcements and other programs on national and regional stations during peak Protection viewing periods. The Ministerial Council to Combat Trafficking The Government of Armenia maintained efforts to protect in Persons, chaired by the deputy prime minister, and the identified victims of trafficking, though victim identification Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG) against Trafficking in remained a concern. The Armenian government sustained Persons continued to meet regularly and to coordinate the strong partnerships with anti-trafficking NGOs, international implementation of the government’s anti-trafficking action organizations, and foreign governments to provide anti- plan in strong partnership with NGOs and international trafficking training, including training on victim identification, organizations. One result of the sub-groups established to hundreds of government officials including prosecutors, by the IAWG in the reporting period was the inclusion of police, border guards, members of the judicial system, and anti-trafficking recommendations from the 2012 TIP Report labor inspectors. The government certified one male and and GRETA Report in the 2013-2015 TIP National Action seven female trafficking victims in 2012—one of whom was Plan, which improves on the previous plan by emphasizing subjected to forced begging within the country—and offered victim identification efforts, including for child laborers. The assistance, including referrals to NGO shelters, to all of them; government approved the 2013-2015 plan in February 2013. 76 ARUBA 77 budget, andestablish thenational coordinatoras full-time a Protection Prosecution the reporting period; this is a decline from three identified trafficking victims and Aruba’s46 2010. in 2011 in anti- trafficking taskforce continued provideto law enforcement and tradeestablishments was reportedly sometimes provided by trafficking in the sex trade. The government reported that to incorporate human trafficking awareness into the police the Dutch government proactively it how on uncovers victims they are familiar with their rights and where to go help; for trafficking. social services officials with a checklistof most10 commonthe signs human of trafficking and requested that any potential stringent and are commensurate with those prescribed other for serious crimes, such as rape. The government did not initiate seminar titled “Why the fight againsthuman trafficking services, victim assistance, and affairs women’s personnel screening trafficking for indicators; continue to consult with provide theanti-trafficking committee with an independent period and seven The government in 2010. prosecution a of procedures all for front-line responders to replace the current position to improve overall anti-trafficking response; and government identifiedone potential traffickingvictim during weremost other anti-trafficking efforts. Aruba continued with anti-trafficking NGOs; formalize standard operating Two otherTwo cases also remained pending. The government The government provided a venue a human for trafficking Thein seminar 2012. was funded by foreign a as donor, The Government Aruba of demonstrated limited progress in its victim identification protectionand efforts The 2012. in including domestic workers, migrants inconstruction and immigrantpopulations upon their arrival in Aruba to ensure The Government Aruba’s of anti-trafficking law enforcement forced labor offender stemming case from continued. a 2010 four years’ to 15 imprisonment. These penalties are sufficiently front-line responders to identify potentialtrafficking victims, foreignfor women in the regulated prostitution sector include forms trafficking of in persons through Articles 203a and 286a victims; facilitate training to improve the ability immigration of retail shops, and women in the sex trade and adult on labor trafficking investigations during previousthe reporting enforcement’s willingness to investigate allegations human of entertainment visas; ensure that weekly medical check-ups efforts declined during thereporting period. Aruba prohibits all did not report any investigations prosecutions or public of matters”police, for justice, health, immigration, children’s develop ways to educate clients the of sex trade about officials allegedly complicit humanin trafficking-related offenses. In anapparent conflictof interest, security for sex off-duty police officers, which experts note could inhibit law officials, NGOs, healthworkers, labor inspectors, and other trafficking;of systematicallyprovide information to all itsof criminal code which prescribe penalties ranging from any new trafficking investigations compared 2012, in with six adequatefunding and staffing for police remainedproblem. a academy curriculum during the reporting period. ad hoc approach to identifying and referring trafficking 2013 Aggressively investigate and 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 ARUBA TIER RANKING BY YEAR jurisdiction. For the purpose of this report, Aruba is not a “country” to which the minimum standards for the eliminationAct apply. This of trafficking narrativeTrafficking in the reflects Victims how ArubaProtection would be assessedif it were a separate, independent country. A the service and construction industries. Specificat-risk traffickingoffenders; enhance capacity protect to victimsof trafficking taskforce, viaits national coordinator, continued to demonstrate regional leadership in the coordination of trafficking. Media reports publishedindicated 2011 in several the Netherlands. Regional experts report that Aruban women troops before their deployment overseas international on trafficking component to theirhotline for migration-related sex trafficking and forced labor formalizingby cooperation sex trafficking by residentsof the Netherlands. successfully prosecute any sex labor or traffickingoffenders. small retail shops as the groups and sectors most susceptible to supermarkets,Indian men in the jewelry sector, and Caribbean prosecute trafficking offenses, and convict and punish peacekeeping missions. peacekeeping program. The government regularly published reports of government’s implementation action its of plan 2010-2012 governmentprovided anti-trafficking training to Armenian goals had been attained. the In police 2013, added an anti- in anti-trafficking law enforcement effortsit not did 2012; in initiate any new anti-trafficking investigations and has yet to it isit making significant efforts do to so. The government’s anti- The Government Aruba of does not fully comply with the international organization report identified Aruba’s regulated its anti-trafficking activities during the reporting period. The government did take not steps to reduce the demand force continued to distribute a list trafficking of indicators for for commercialfor sex acts during the reporting period. The * ruba is asemi-autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Kingdom Charter divides responsibility among the co-equal parts of the Kingdom based on victims. However, the work the of taskforce and national coordinator was undercut by the government’s overall decline communities include Chinese men and women workingin commercial sex trade and foreign men and women in calls;this number was advertised theiron daily television minimum standards the for elimination trafficking; of however, men subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. Those officials to use in proactivethe identification of trafficking Recommendations for Aruba: anti-trafficking efforts preventionand activities; this task- andgirls studying inthe Netherlands may be vulnerable to and South American women in domestic service. 2013 A andunregulated prostitution sectors, domestic workers, and at greatestat risk continue to be foreign women in Aruba’s and determined that 80 percent the of performance plan’s Aruban women were allegedly subjected to debt bondage in Aruba is a destination and source country women for and An international organization independently monitored the ARUBA(Tier 2)* trafficking cases be reported to the national coordinator. The debts to their traffickers. There were reports of some victims of government had agreements with local NGOs and private sex trafficking and some women who migrated to Australia for sector accommodations for sheltering adult victims. Although arranged marriages being subsequently subjected to domestic police and health department officials inspected bars in servitude. Aruba with regulated prostitution, these inspections did not include an assessment of trafficking indicators, nor were Men and women from several Pacific Islands, India, China, these checks conducted during prime hours of operation. the Republic of Korea, and the Philippines are recruited to Further, although labor inspectors reportedly inspected work work temporarily in Australia. After their arrival, some are subjected by unscrupulous employers and labor agencies AUSTRALIA sites where vulnerable migrants were present, they did not undertake screenings for trafficking indicators. According to forced labor in agriculture, horticulture, construction, to a recent expert report, the government did not have a cleaning, nursing, hospitality, manufacturing, meat processing, written formalized policy for the identification of trafficking seafaring, and domestic service. They face confiscation of victims or their referral for care. The government reported it their travel documents, confinement on the employment site, encouraged trafficking victims to participate in investigations threats of physical harm, and debt bondage through inflated and prosecutions of trafficking offenders and did not charge debts imposed by employers or labor agencies. Most often, victims for crimes committed as a direct result of being traffickers are part of small but highly sophisticated organized trafficked. According to Aruban officials, the government crime networks that frequently involve family and business has the authority to provide identified trafficking victims connections between Australians and overseas contacts. Some relief from immediate deportation and work permits for a traffickers attempted to hide foreign victims from official maximum of six months; however, it granted no such relief notice or prevented victims from receiving assistance by to any trafficking victims in 2012. This is a decline from three abusing the legal system to create difficulties for victims labor trafficking victims provided with relief from deportation who contact authorities for help. Individuals on student in the previous reporting period. visas, particularly those from Asia, were vulnerable to sex and labor trafficking. There are over 450,000 foreign students in Australia, many of whom spend up to the equivalent of Prevention tens of thousands of dollars in placement and academic The government continued to proactively develop and fees, as completion of courses often leads to permanent implement anti-trafficking awareness campaigns in residency in the country. Some of these foreign students partnership with IOM in 2012. An expert report released work in housekeeping, restaurant, and other service industries during the year praised Aruba’s integrated task-force approach and are subject to a restriction of working a maximum of 20 to address trafficking. During the year, this taskforce, led by hours per week under their visas. When employers coerced the national coordinator, developed and drafted provisions them to work for more than 20 hours, exceeding the terms for a temporary residency permit for trafficking victims in of their visas, they faced the risk of being deported, making Aruba. The government continued to promote its human them vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous employers; trafficking awareness campaign in four languages targeted to there have previously been reports of such exploitation near both victims and the general public and linked to a hotline Melbourne. with operators trained to assist trafficking victims. An October anti-trafficking campaign helped raise awareness about The Government of Australia fully complies with the minimum trafficking. The national coordinator gave several interviews standards for the elimination of trafficking. During the year, on local radio and television to raise awareness about human the government continued to prosecute a modest number trafficking and the hotline during the reporting period. The of trafficking cases and improved its legal framework for government did not have any awareness campaigns targeting combating trafficking—particularly labor trafficking—through potential clients of the sex trade in Aruba in an effort to reduce the enactment of amendments to the criminal code. The the demand for commercial sex acts. There were no known government funded its victim support program and made reports of child sex tourism occurring in Aruba or of Arubans efforts to proactively identify victims among many vulnerable participating in international sex tourism. groups; however, it did not increase the overall number of victims identified, nor did it enhance efforts to identify potential victims among immigrants arriving to the country without documentation. The government continued efforts to AUSTRALIA (Tier 1) combat child sex tourism and announced plans to develop a procurement policy to ensure the government’s supply chains Australia is primarily a destination country for women are free from trafficking. subjected to forced prostitution and, to an increasing extent, for women and men subjected to forced labor. Child sex trafficking occurs with a small number of Australian citizens, AUSTRALIA TIER RANKING BY YEAR primarily teenage girls, exploited within the country, as well as foreign victims. Some women from Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, China, and to a lesser extent India, Vietnam, Eastern Europe, and Africa migrate to Australia voluntarily intending to work legally or illegally in a 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 number of sectors, including the sex trade. Subsequent to their arrival, some of these women are coerced into prostitution in both legal and illegal brothels. These foreign women and Recommendations for Australia: Vigorously prosecute, girls are sometimes held in captivity, subjected to physical convict, and stringently sentence trafficking offenders, with and sexual violence and intimidation, manipulated through increased focus on labor trafficking; continue to increase illegal drugs, and obliged to pay off unexpected or inflated efforts to train police, local councils, health inspectors, 78 AUSTRALIA 79 Protection trafficking victims. The government encouraged victims to the reporting period. the In 2012, government granted 11 tradeand referred them services; for however, effortsto identify two cases pending from the previous reporting period did not trafficking. AFP investigators Humanin Trafficking Teams the online sexual exploitation children; of their efforts have typically focused transnational on sex trafficking, although trafficking or trafficking-related criminal activities during the reporting period. sentencedto eight years months’ and 10 imprisonment. The sentence and remains in custody. The governmentinitiated serviceprofessionals were present during initial screening support program, which provided access to accommodation, state and territory police investigators; immigration 37 officials protection to identified victims of trafficking,though the participate in trafficking investigations; 68 percentidentifiedof prosecuteddomestica sex trafficking offense committed were identified through immigration compliance actions, an government and NGOs identified16 trafficking victims— who received services during the year were foreigners. Most identify and criminally prosecute cases human of smuggling including children, beingtreated as criminals and detained interviews, which may have hampered the success victim of The Government Australia of sustained efforts to provide including subjected 11 to sex trafficking and five subjected to Thegovernment provided the equivalent approximately of The government continued to provide specialized training on for proactivelyfor identifying victims involved in the legal sex from China and subjecting them to debt bondage and sex humantrafficking investigationprocedures to some AFP and victims were placed in hotels, as there were no government- victims participated in an investigation prosecution or during victims forced of labor could be improved. International victimfrom Thailand and subjected herto debtbondage result being of trafficked. Officialsfollow formal procedures run shelter facilities and few NGO shelters specifically for reach trial, and the government dismissed charges against a received anti-trafficking training. No Australian government law enforcement officers. The government not did ensure social labortrafficking—and referred them to the government’s victim living expenses, legal advice, healthservices, and counseling. labor trafficking investigations are becomingmore common. number identified of victims remained 2012, In the low. could potentially lead to unidentified traffickingvictims, environment in which the fear detainment of and deportation couldpotentially make victims reluctant to communicate with convicted offender is currently appealing the length her of contributionto an investigation prosecution or traffickinga of civilmechanisms. The government has never identified or child. During the year,Thai a woman who transported a fined, or penalized for unlawful acts committed as a direct observers expressed concern that Australia’s vigorous efforts to jailed.or Additionally, the majority trafficking of victims one prosecution sex for trafficking during the reporting year; offense. Victims identified by authoritieswere not incarcerated, officialswere investigated,prosecuted, or convicted for and their immediate family members, which required against an Australian citizen resident, or whether adult or and sex trafficking was convictedof possessing a slave and PermanentWitness Protection (Trafficking) visas to victims Chinese woman accused fraudulently of recruiting two women (HTT)specialized in investigating trafficking offenses and $1.2 million$1.2 to fund its victim support program. All victims betweentrafficking and smuggling, highlighting the need for Prosecution the new investigations were related to suspected transnational use physical of force threats or physical of force. Australia’s the definitionof coercion to include non-physical forms such the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Slavery, Slavery-like the access trafficking of victims to opportunities to seek through methods other than immigration compliance actions; utilize standardized procedures to employ multidisciplinary trafficking to law enforcementofficials toconsider criminal the equivalent These $152,000. of penalties are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those prescribed other for sextrafficking, with the remainder relating to labor trafficking. stringent and commensurate with penalties prescribed for serious offenses, such as rape. The Migration (Employer strengthenedits legal framework combating for trafficking. Sanctions Amendment) Act 2007 of prohibits exploiting penalties to 12 of 25 years’ imprisonment and finesof up to perhaps through additional funding to NGOs; continue prosecutions; continue to strengthen effortsto proactively worldwide; and continue to play an active educating role waysto streamline and expedite visa processes trafficking for when planning to interview potential victims; further improve groups law of enforcement officers and social serviceproviders The majority labor of trafficking caseswere addressed through TheAustralian Federal Police (AFP) received 44 case referrals Thegovernment reported that approximately percent 38 of individual as an element human of trafficking, which is inconsistent with the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. imprisonmentthis for offense. The legislation also expanded imprisonment andvarious fines; these also are sufficiently The Government Australia of continued efforts to investigate identify trafficking victims among vulnerable groups, such funding NGOs to conduct campaigns to raise public awareness for government for agencies to refer caseswith elements of victims; increase availability shelter of services victims, for relatedoffenses through divisions and the of 270 271 laws continued, however, to require the movement an of labortrafficking; develop and implement formal a mechanism criminal code and addressed gaps in previous legislation, countries in the Asia-Pacific regionon the important distinction communities and migrant populations that are not easily most notably by including specificprohibitions forcedof labor migrant employees through forced labor, sexual servitude, diplomats, and other front-line officers to recognize indicators financial compensation and civil remedies; consider additional over previous legislation, which had focused primarily the on other serious crimes. In March the government 2013, enacted or slaveryor and prescribes penaltiesup to of five years’ of allof forms trafficking, of particularly among rural of trafficking,of and respond to suspected casesof both sex and and, among these, initiated 29 investigations during 2012. advantage a person’s of vulnerability. This is an improvement andprescribing sufficiently stringent penalties of nine years’ as psychological oppression, abuse power, of and taking andprosecute trafficking offenses during the year and a victim-centered approach to combating trafficking. ambassador dedicated to addressing human trafficking issues accessed through mainstream media; consider appointing an as migrants arriving in the country without documentation, Conditions and People Trafficking) Act, which amended the Commonwealth criminal code, which prescribe maximum Australia prohibits sex and labor trafficking and trafficking- identification efforts and caused further distress to victims. Trafficking victims whose cases resulted in convictions were AUSTRIA (Tier 1) eligible to receive compensation, but few victims have had Austria is a destination and transit country for men, women, access to this form of redress. There were some allegations and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. that victims were not always informed about visa options Victims originate from Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia. Some available to individuals who wish to remain in Australia to forced domestic work occurs at the hands of foreign diplomats

AUSTRIA pursue compensation or civil remedies. from Asia, the Middle East, and Africa working in Austria. Forced labor also occurs in the agricultural, construction, In March 2012, the AFP conducted forums in five cities to and catering sectors. During the year, Chinese men were train state police and other community stakeholders on allegedly subjected to forced labor in the restaurant sector. identifying indicators of trafficking and referring suspected Authorities cited an increase in Chinese women in massage victims to government and NGO support networks, and parlors suspected to be victims of trafficking. Roma children in October 2012, an international organization conducted and other children from Eastern Europe remain vulnerable 59 government-funded training workshops on victim to forced begging. Austrian police reported over 800 people identification and protection reaching 1,055 community in organized begging rings in 2012; officials observed the service providers throughout the country. However, many majority are subjected to trafficking. Police report trafficking front-line officers, particularly at the sub-national level, would offenders’ increasing use of social media to organize their benefit from additional training to identify indicators of operations, recruit victims, and solicit customers. There trafficking, particularly labor trafficking. were reports that during 2012, there were approximately 200 registered Nigerian women asylum seekers who were Prevention possible trafficking victims. In previous years, an NGO that The Government of Australia continued to demonstrate assists Nigerian trafficking victims reported traffickers abuse notable efforts to prevent trafficking in persons during the the legal prostitution and asylum processes in Austria to year. Government anti-trafficking efforts were coordinated control their victims. by the interdepartmental committee, chaired by the Attorney The Government of Austria fully complies with the minimum General’s Department, which produced an annual report on standards for the elimination of trafficking. The government its efforts for parliament. The government funded four NGOs’ continued to identify and refer trafficking victims for victim- awareness-raising projects and five organizations’ awareness centered assistance in partnership with NGOs. It implemented projects that focused specifically on labor trafficking. The a new law that allows trafficking victims unlimited access to Fair Work Ombudsman conducted awareness campaigns the Austrian labor market, issuing a significant number of these and pursued civil efforts through the courts for workplace permits to facilitate victims’ recovery and rehabilitation in 2012. violations such as underpayment of wages; however, none The government demonstrated proactive efforts to identify of the cases it investigated were referred to the AFP or the and prevent domestic servitude in diplomatic households. Department of Immigration and Citizenship for criminal It reported two cases of domestic servitude perpetrated by investigation potential forced labor. diplomats in 2012. However, anti-trafficking experts within the The Australian Agency for International Development country increasingly criticized the judiciary’s lenient sentences continued to fund anti-trafficking activities in the Asia-Pacific for trafficking offenders. The government’s conviction rate for region, and the prime minister announced the equivalent of trafficking offenders charged under its trafficking law declined approximately $52.5 million in new funding for the third during the reporting period. phase of a criminal justice assistance project in the ASEAN region. Projects to combat child sex tourism continued to operate at the same level as the previous year. In April 2012, AUSTRIA TIER RANKING BY YEAR the AFP hosted a symposium in Bangkok aimed at enhancing relationships between law enforcement and NGOs involved in combating child sex tourism, and during the year the government provided information to the Government of Burma that led to the denial of entry to two Australian 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 nationals suspected of being child sex tourists. The Australian government refused passports to two convicted child sex offenders, and the government obtained one conviction in Recommendations for Austria: Aggressively prosecute and a case of child sex tourism initiated in the previous year. In convict trafficking offenders to ensure that more of them March 2013, the prime minister announced plans to revise the receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the government procurement strategy to ensure the government crime; monitor human trafficking trial procedures and does not purchase goods whose supply chains use slavery. encourage prosecutors to give more serious attention to The government did not take significant steps to reduce the trafficking cases by appealing non-custodial and excessively demand for commercial sex acts within its legal sex trade. The lenient sentences for trafficking offenders; follow through on Australian government educated troops and police officers on plans to increase statutory penalties for trafficking offenses; human trafficking prior to their deployments on international step up training efforts for prosecutors and others in the peacekeeping missions. judicial sector to encourage aggressive prosecution of trafficking cases; step up training and local outreach efforts to proactively identify trafficking victims among children in prostitution and men working in agriculture, construction, and other sectors where foreign migrants are vulnerable to exploitation; continue to ensure victim protection organizations 80 AUSTRIA 81 Protection theLaw Foreigners, on the government granted trafficking trafficking victims The government2012. in provided the trafficking for hiring conviction an intermediary under217(1) to recruit Romanian women to work in a brothel; the court they had repaid travel costs to Austria. In October the 2012, threats. In Februarycourta 2013, in Styria convicted four the year, country experts expressed increasing concerns that sentencemonth suspended)not (one under Article The 217. sufficient deterrents to trafficking in Austria and may dissuade permits to trafficking victims under Article 69a and 2012 in part their of earnings, and subjected them to beatings and persons under Article One offender received 217. an 18-month prisonsentence, which of months 13 were suspended. The government,which included requiring diplomats suspected in 2011. Duringin 2011. the year, the NGO provided counseling, immunity posed tothe prosecution these of offenders. The government reporteddomestic workers increasingly applied The government reported that a small number foreign of The Government Austria of continued to deliver comprehensive, its new policy granting of trafficking victims access to the The government did not provide specialized services male for Thegovernment tooksteps to addresstrafficking perpetrated by foundthe victims’travel documents were taken awayuntil for a periodfor one year. of Under amendment the July 2011 to for childfor sex trafficking under Articleone was given217; a future victims’ from testifying against their traffickers. for tourist for visas, in an attemptto evade governmentscrutiny. victim-centered assistance to female victims sex of trafficking victims provided such shelter were detained not involuntarily. repatriation, to all trafficking 242 victims. The government reported provided it foreign victims trafficking of withlegal labor left the country due to pressure in 2012 from the Austrian lenient penalties serious for traffickingoffenders are not every three months. The government did not prosecute any compared with the equivalent to approximately $744,000 equivalentapproximately of $815,000 to this NGO in 2012, earnings. In October the 2012, Supreme Court upheld a convicted a Bulgarian month to partially a 10 suspended prison court found he recruited women from Romania, made them diplomats posted in Austria, despite challenges that diplomatic diplomats suspected subjecting of domestic workers to forced dependent, and then forced them into prostitution. During of traffickingof to renew their diplomaticidentification cards outreach, and other assistance services, including responsible old Hungarianold girl to Austria and exploited her in prostitution. It proactivelyIt identified traffickingvictims andimplemented Innsbruck provincial court convicted two Hungarian women NGOs,identified 242 trafficking victims2012,compared in to acts trafficking-related of complicity 2012. in alternatives totheir removal through its 2009 Residence andSettlement Act, and reported issued it new 12 residency anddomestic servitude in partnershipwith NGOs in 2012. and legal servicesin Vienna to female trafficking victims; accomplice received a five-month suspendedprison sentence and a fine. womenThe were accusedof havinglured17-year a accused brought four Bulgarian women to Austria, confiscated anti-trafficking NGO thatprovided housing, psycho-social, On January 17, 2012, theOn January 2012, Graz Provincial 17, Criminal Court 23extensions Residence in 2012. permits are generallygranted 251 identified 251 The government 2011. in funded a specialized 21-month prison21-month months sentence non-suspended), (14 and her Austrian labor market. The government, incoordination with Prosecution them in brothel; a the trafficker took the majority of their the victims were forced to work in Chinese restaurants in traffickingoffenders to partially suspended sentences ranging to over five years’ imprisonment, fourwere sentenced oneto to five years’ imprisonment; two received partial suspended traffickingoffenders 2009in under the trafficking statutes, traffickingoffenders declined. The governmentprohibits both trafficking. trafficking victims, including minors prostitution,in to care the Austrian criminal code, but continued to use primarily sentences, one received a fully suspended sentence; and six security, and other laws. sextrafficking and labor trafficking under of Article 104(a) sector to alert them to the links betweenprostitution and services are available men for who are victims trafficking; of Supreme Court upheld a trafficking conviction under Article prosecuted under Article One offender was sentenced 217. persons prostitution. for Article criminalizes 104 “trafficking prescribedin Article range from 217 six months’ years’ to 10 personsprostitution, for to prosecute suspected traffickers. was insufficient proveto in court. the On October2011, 19, The majority trafficking of offenders convictedwere 2011 in imprisonment.In Januarycourts 2013, sentenced four labor imprisonment. These penalties are sufficiently stringent into Austria prostitution for and Paragraph 2 prohibits the use investigation trafficking of cases and referred these cases increasingly criticized the judiciary’s lenient sentencing The Austrian government sustained a vigorous level of identification and referral system, including in reception fromtomonths’ 36 27 imprisonment. Press accounts reported for thefor purpose slavery” of and prescribes penalties ranging from to years 20 10 in prison. Penalties prescribed in Article for prosecution for However, in 2012. duringthe year, experts have access to potential trafficking victims brothelsin in the received partiallysuspended sentences resulting in jail time legal sector; establish and formalize a nationwide trafficking convicted under this statute are traffickingoffenders; in the crimes, such as rape. The government reportedly prosecuted convicted eight sex traffickingoffenders oneand forced labor centers asylum for seekers; continue to proactively refer child continue a targeted campaign clients for in theprostitution means such as deceit force, or approximately half those of data was available. This represents a continued decline from other half,trafficking elementswere present but evidence offenders were charged with violations customs, of social of one monthof to one year. Oneoffender convicted under offender the most recent in 2011, year which for sentencing of deception, of threats, force or in the transnational movement of of trafficking of offenders in Austria. Overall convictions for although trafficking oftenis prosecuted under other statutes. andcommensurate with those prescribed other for serious and ensure they are not treated asoffenders; ensure adequate Paragraph Article 1 of prohibits the 217 movement people of Carinthia until they repaid their smuggling debts. The 217(1) for recruiting for women in Bulgaria217(1) in order to exploit Although ParagraphArticle of 1 does require not 217 illegal Article received a sentence 104(a) to one of three months Article which prohibits the 217, transnational movement of 45offenders under 38 in 2012; Article six under Article 217; 104(a); and one offender104(a); under Article Austrian 104. courts convicted14 traffickingoffenders 32 convictedand 2010 in 104(a) range years’ up to 10 104(a) imprisonment, while penalties victims who hold residence permits unconditional access and required domestic workers to obtain their own ATM to the Austrian labor market. The government reported cards. During the year, authorities pointed to an increased granting 111 residence permits to trafficking victims under incidence of diplomatic household workers requesting tourist the “red-white-red card” immigrant program between July visas rather than registering as diplomatic staff in order to 2011 and October 2012. During the reporting period, an NGO circumvent the government’s increased scrutiny of diplomatic estimated approximately four victims of domestic servitude personnel employing domestic workers. On March 20, 2012, were identified in the residences of Asian, Middle Eastern, the government adopted its third national action plan on and African diplomats working in Austria. The government combatting trafficking, covering the period of 2012-2014. The did not report the extent of care to male victims of labor government published an assessment on the implementation

AZERBAIJAN trafficking in 2012. of its 2009-2011 national action plan during the previous reporting period. However, it did not publish or disseminate During the year, human rights experts, including the Austrian a review of its anti-trafficking efforts in 2012. The government chapter of Amnesty International, cited inadequate protections continued its series of school exhibitions to sensitize Austrian for foreign trafficking victims in the country, indicating youth to sex trafficking and ran an anti-trafficking hotline. victims are under constant threat of deportation, and victims Austria continued a campaign to encourage tourists and travel who agree to testify in court against their traffickers are agencies to report cases of child sex tourism. The government rarely granted the right to stay in Austria. An NGO that did not undertake any awareness campaigns to reduce the specializes in providing assistance to Nigerian trafficking demand for commercial sex acts in 2012, but did conduct victims reported that some criminal investigations against awareness campaigns to sensitize clients of prostitution about trafficking offenders for Nigerian victims are dismissed or sex trafficking. The government funded courses conducted closed prematurely, despite the availability of victim testimony. by an anti-trafficking NGO to sensitize troops prior to their Further, the 2011 Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on deployment on peacekeeping missions. Action against Trafficking of Human Beings (GRETA) report for Austria noted previously that potential victims of child trafficking are sometimes treated as offenders and arrested for theft, drug trafficking, or prostitution-related offenses. The AZERBAIJAN (Tier 2) Federal Criminal Police reported it made efforts to assess the Azerbaijan is a source, transit, and destination country for existence of any trafficking links to children who committed men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and property crimes, but did not find that any children arrested sex trafficking. Azerbaijani men and boys are subjected to for prostitution or other offenses were subsequently identified conditions of forced labor in Russia and in Azerbaijan. Women as trafficking victims and referred for care. and children from Azerbaijan are subjected to sex trafficking The government’s regulation of Austria’s sizable, legal, within the country and in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, commercial sex sector included weekly health checks for Russia, and Iran. Some migrant workers from Turkey, as well sexually transmitted infections and periodic police checks as Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, the Philippines, of registration cards. In 2012, the police continued screening Romania, India, and Ukraine are subjected to conditions of women in prostitution for trafficking indicators using various forced labor in Azerbaijan’s construction industry. Within manuals on trafficking and victim identification — including the country, forced begging of children, particularly ethnic a pocket card developed in coordination with NGOs — that Roma children, is a problem. Domestic servitude of Filipina listed the main indicators for identifying victims of trafficking. victims in Azerbaijan is an emerging problem. In the past, During the year, the police rescued an underage Romanian Chinese men and women have been subjected to forced labor girl subjected to trafficking in regulated legal brothels in Graz in the construction, street vending, and agriculture sectors and Klagenfurt. She was referred to an NGO for care and in Azerbaijan. assistance. The government encouraged victims to assist with The Government of Azerbaijan does not fully comply with the investigations and prosecutions. The government reported minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, that 50 trafficking victims assisted in the prosecution of it is making significant efforts to do so. During the reporting their traffickers in 2012. Most trafficking victims declined period, the government increased law enforcement efforts to cooperate with authorities due to fears of retaliation. The against labor trafficking of Azerbaijanis, continued to provide government funded the city of Vienna’s specialist center protection and reintegration services to identified trafficking for unaccompanied minors; however, the center did not victims, and continued to raise awareness of trafficking crimes. identify any child victims of trafficking in 2012. Although However, the government did not identify any foreign victims of the government reported that it had a policy that identified human trafficking nor demonstrate a willingness to thoroughly victims should not be punished for unlawful acts committed investigate companies that allegedly engage in forced labor of as a direct result of being trafficked, an NGO reported some migrant workers. Systemic government corruption hindered Nigerian trafficking victims continued to be deported. effective law enforcement and victim identification efforts. Civil society groups criticized the government’s anti-trafficking Prevention efforts for producing limited results but noted improved The Government of Austria sustained strong efforts to partnerships with some government agencies. prevent domestic servitude within diplomatic households, requiring all foreign domestic workers to appear in person at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to receive information on how to get help if they become victims of forced labor. In addition, the government required diplomatic employers of domestic workers to provide evidence of direct salary transfers to accounts held in the domestic worker’s name 82 AZERBAIJAN 83 being trafficked. In fact, therewere reports that some labor bodies didadequately not investigate accusations forced of by influential figureswho control the sector, including Protection trafficking victims and 29 female victimsof sex trafficking in the government recently adopted amendments enhancing use forced of labor, as noted in the TIP 2012 Report, there thereporting period. An NGO reported casea in which the Ministry Internal of Affairs Anti-Trafficking Department Systemic corruptionin Azerbaijan hinderedanti-trafficking penalties working for without permits and prostitution for providedwith one-timea subsidy payment in the equivalent police desks,” where they were given assistance; there is no penalized unlawful for acts committed as a direct result their of government-run facility, which adult victims could reportedly was no information this how on list was used whether or it was distributed to other government agencies. the In 2012, government certified17 men as labor traffickingvictims and were subjected to forced begging. The government referred were no criminal prosecutions against such entities in the whichhave sex trafficking victims, ignoreto those businesses’ information the on children who were not referred. government officials. Local policewere also accused of identify as victims. the In 2012, MIA ATD assisted victims 53 The Government Azerbaijan of made progress during the identify a single foreign labor trafficking victim. In part, this The government did not ensure victims trafficking of were not illegal activities. The Government Azerbaijan of did not report intimidation during investigations. failure to identify victims is because the Labor Inspectorate is for allegedfor complicity in trafficking-relatedoffenses during victims remained a concern. The MIA ATD has a description reporting period to protect and assist victims trafficking, of reporting period. labor in the construction sector fear for recrimination of localauthorities solicited bribes from trafficking victims in not authorized by the labor law to identify trafficking victims. enter and leave freely. Thirty-five of these victimswere efforts.Civil society groups reported that law enforcement deported foreign sex and labor trafficking victims it who notdid measures that can be imposed against legal entities the for decided not to pursue the case. Some local observers reported of humanof trafficking, compared with38 victims assisted in approximatelyof $500, an increase from the equivalent of theof victims other forms financial of compensation, wellas of indicatorsof identifying for trafficking victims, but there offenses, respectively. Moreover, the government allegedly orderto continue investigating their exploitation; the victims In 2012, government In 2012, authorities identified 455 children who approximately The government $250 in 2011. offered some as medical and legal assistance and psychological counseling. although the failure to identify foreign labor trafficking approximately these of 130 street children to NGOs and “child and sex trafficking victimswere subjected to administrative a sentence eight of and half a years’ imprisonment. Although accepting bribes from prostitution establishments, some of any investigations prosecutions or government of employees (MIA ATD) subjected trafficking victims to interrogations and 36 women 36 as sex trafficking victims, compared with no labor 2011. Of those victims, 2011. 43 received temporary shelter a at 2011. Despite more than2011. 5,000 raids conducted by the MIA ATD and the Labor Inspectorate, the government did not 2013 2012 Strengthen efforts to 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 AZERBAIJAN TIER RANKING BY YEAR TIER RANKING AZERBAIJAN both sex and labor trafficking in cities and rural areas. Prosecution two labor trafficking investigations10 sexand trafficking trafficking and forced labor prescribeand penaltiesof five to trafficking victims who experienced psychological trauma; the definitionof forced labor in the labor code to empower stringent and commensurate with those prescribed other for sentenced to time in prison; three these of six offenders were sentenced to between four and ten years’ imprisonment, while sentencing information the for remaining three offenders was serious crimes, such as rape. The government reported seekhelp; andcontinue efforts toraise public awareness about service providers and expand the network providers of outside public awareness campaigns to foreign migrant workers, prosecutors, and the judiciary, including to how on work with protection during court proceedings; sendcourt verdicts to permitting civil society representatives to accompany potential workers to forced labor, and increase the number convicted of in 2011. Six these of in 2011. convicted 12 traffickingoffenders were in 2012 or 2011; however, in February 2011; or in2012 the government, 2013 The government did not convict any labor traffickingoffenders The government convicted sex 12 traffickingoffenders in The government reported prosecuting two individuals for investigations compared in 2012, with two labor trafficking investigations sex and 17 trafficking investigations 2011. in The Government Azerbaijan of demonstrated anti-trafficking in Persons and Article in 144 the penal code prohibit sex improve communication between government agencies, including victim referrals and details potential on cases; target investigate and prosecute alleged government officials identify foreign victims labor of trafficking within the country; increase law enforcement efforts against traffickingoffenders, including individuals companies or thatsubject migrant for thefor first time convicted a labor trafficking offenderwith victims during initial police interviews; enhance victim labor trafficking 12 for and sex trafficking crimes 2012, in law enforcement efforts during the reporting period. laborinspectors to identify trafficking crimes; consider not reported. Article the of 70 criminal code—oftenused in the casewhere a criminal is a female with young children—was compared with no prosecutions labor for trafficking crimes educate judges the on legal definitionhumanof trafficking; crimes the at detection a single of trafficking indicator; improve complicit in human trafficking; investigate potential trafficking describing indicators human of trafficking and avenues to offenderswho are sentenced to time in prison;vigorously Recommendations for Azerbaijan: applied to suspend the sentences five of of theseoffenders.12 and individuals 20 prosecuted sex for trafficking 2011. in addresses chosen by the victims; increase funding to victim Baku; provide sensitivity trainingto law enforcement officers, 2012, compared2012, with sex 10 traffickingoffenders convicted Azerbaijan’s 2005 Law the on Fight Against Trafficking 15 years’15 imprisonment, punishments which are sufficiently On an ad hoc basis, the government encouraged trafficking rather than criminal approach creates an enabling environment victims to participate in investigations and prosecutions. for the exploitation of migrant workers, as alleged trafficking There was no information as to whether trafficking victims offenders are not criminally prosecuted. The government received social services from local governments based on provided identity documents to 19 undocumented minors recent changes which amended the Law on Social Services. and provided citizenship to 105 stateless people; stateless and undocumented individuals in Azerbaijan are vulnerable The MIA ATD often referred potential trafficking victims to trafficking. The government did not take actions to reduce to NGOs or the labor ministry’s victim assistance center, the demand for commercial sex acts. The Government of but referrals between other relevant government agencies Azerbaijan has a 2009-2013 action plan to combat trafficking. were poor, hindering victim identification and appropriate protection. While the anti-trafficking law authorized victims to receive temporary relief from deportation, this was not THE BAHAMAS THE applied in practice because the government did not identify any THE BAHAMAS (Tier 2) foreign victims. In December 2012, the government provided The Bahamas is a destination, source, and transit country in-kind assistance, including the provision of facilities, for a for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and three-day anti-trafficking conference in Baku. Prosecutors, sex trafficking. Migrant workers are especially vulnerable judges, and police investigators responsible for trafficking to involuntary servitude in The Bahamas, particularly the crimes participated in the event, which included sessions on thousands of Haitians who arrive in The Bahamas largely victim identification and sensitivity training. voluntarily to work as domestic employees, laborers, and in agriculture. Other large, vulnerable, migrant worker Prevention communities are from China, Jamaica, and the Philippines. The Government of Azerbaijan sustained its trafficking Children born in The Bahamas to foreign-born parents do not prevention efforts during the reporting period. The National automatically receive Bahamian citizenship and face potential Referral Mechanism (NRM) served as the national coordinating discrimination and vulnerability to trafficking due to their body of relevant ministries responsible for fighting trafficking. statelessness. Groups especially vulnerable to sex trafficking in Despite efforts to improve the ministries’ investigative and The Bahamas include foreign citizens in prostitution or exotic victim identification procedures through two interagency dancing and local children under 18 engaging in sex with conferences and four national-level seminars held in 2012, men for basics such as food, transportation, or material goods. anti-trafficking coordination across ministries was limited, The Government of The Bahamas does not comply fully and there was limited understanding of each agency’s with the minimum standards for the elimination of responsibilities under the law. Many working-level officials in trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do the NRM appeared to be focused mainly on sex trafficking and so. The government made tangible progress over the past to have a limited understanding of labor trafficking indicators. year, implementing a victim-centered approach to addressing The government’s Council on State Support to NGOs provided human trafficking. The government achieved results in the financial support to anti-trafficking activities in 2012. The proactive identification and assistance of trafficking victims MIA ATD gave financial awards to 15 NGOs involved in and launched its first prosecution under its human trafficking anti-trafficking issues, compared to 10 NGOs in 2011. The law. The government has not yet reported a conviction of a government funded and continued to disseminate anti- trafficking offender. trafficking pamphlets and posters and continued to run public service announcements to raise awareness of human trafficking. The government continued to fund an NGO- THE BAHAMAS TIER RANKING BY YEAR operated trafficking hotline that provided information to the public and assisted potential victims of trafficking; two of the 13,000 phone calls led to the investigation of two labor trafficking cases. The government organized anti- trafficking seminars for representatives of government 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 ministries, municipal governments, NGOs, teachers, and college students throughout the country, and the MIA ATD trained representatives from 15 travel companies on the Recommendations for The Bahamas: Prosecute, convict, identification of trafficking victims. and punish trafficking offenders with jail time; use the new victim identification and referral protocol to identify more The Azerbaijani government focused on administrative potential victims of forced labor and forced prostitution from violations of the labor code such as lack of payment of within vulnerable groups and provide them with appropriate wages, passport withholding, and lack of provision of work protection and assistance; make efforts to involve independent permits, rather than on investigating those violations as interpreters when conducting inspections of migrant worker potential indicators of forced labor. The government fined labor sites, and conduct private interviews of workers to companies for employing undocumented workers and failing enhance their ability to speak openly and ensure their rights to provide work permits, secured labor contracts for thousands are protected; and ensure funding to NGO partners is adequate of migrant workers, and recovered the equivalent of hundreds to provide appropriate assistance for human trafficking victims of thousands of dollars of unpaid wages from employers, which as outlined in the protocol. were provided to migrant workers. However, the government did not investigate any of these companies for human trafficking, including one that repeatedly exploited migrant workers. A civil society group noted that this administrative 84 BAHRAIN 85 because they are largely unprotected under the labor law. Prevention to forced labor and sex trafficking. Men womenand from unskilled laborers in the construction and service industries. to be highly vulnerable to forced labor and sexual exploitation trafficking policy met regularly during the reporting period, as the diplomatic corps in The Bahamas; diplomats and honorary trafficking in persons victim awarenessprogram at a restaurant substitution, nonpayment wages, of threats, and physical or sexual abuse. NGOs report that Bangladeshi unskilled workers severalpotential cases to the attention law of enforcement sex acts. Authorities did not consider child sex tourism to be Some, however, face conditions forced of labor after arriving percent were unaware their of terms employment of upon workers had not seen their employment contract and that 89 withholding passports, of restrictions movement, on contract were reported, especially those from India, allegedly due at government’s inter-ministerial committee to coordinate anti- with ensuring operational coordination trafficking on cases. Thailand, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Eritrea migrate in Bahrain, through the use such of practicesas unlawful in Bahrain; however, strict confinement to householdthe includingthe withholding wages of and passport confiscation. The government demonstrated continued efforts to prevent indicators in inspections labor of sites. The government did fees—a practice that makes workers highly vulnerable to forced home countrieshome in order to secure a job in Bahrain. Some human trafficking during the reporting period. The voluntarilyto Bahrainto work as domestic workers as or reporting abuse. reported no child sex tourism investigations. least in part to conditions forced of labor and debt bondage, labor once in Bahrain. The LMRA study found that percent 70 not undertake measures to reduce the demand commercial for exploitable since they do not typicallyprotest difficultwork conditions Domestic pay. low or workers are also considered consular corps members were instrumental in bringing chain. In September the 2012, chair theof inter-ministerial committee addressed local and regional government and law enforcement officials and NGO representativeson trafficking did the government’s trafficking taskforce, which was charged of foreignof workers borrowed moneysold property or in their officials. In June2012, the Ministryof National Security India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Inthe last year, 40 suicides among migrant workers in Bahrain arrival in Bahrain. Many labor recruitment agencies in Bahrain and source countries require workers to pay high recruitment are in particularly high demand in Bahrain and are considered andintimidation by employersprevent theseworkers from and an international organization launched a six-month awareness the at Regional Conference Caribbean of Crisis assault female of domestic workers are significantproblems a problem in The Bahamas during the reporting period and Regulatory Authority (LMRA) found that percent 65 migrant of Bahraini employers illegally charge workers exorbitant fees to Bahrainis a destination country migrant for workers subjected Both groups opened formal channels communication of with Centers. Labor inspectors began to incorporate trafficking Government and NGO officials report that abuse and sexual A 2011 study by theA 2011 Bahrain government’s Labor Market BAHRAIN List) (Tier 2 Watch Protection Prosecution tooffer safe and voluntary repatriation assistance to foreign trafficking victims. The government encouraged trafficking the protocol and referred the two suspected victims to to guide front-lineresponders in to how identifyhuman trafficking victims and refer them to available services. The training in 2012. in training this marked the first time the government has initiateda the suspect in pre-trial detention. There were no convictions the country’s Trafficking Personsin Prevention and Suppression shelter and provided assistance tailored to their needs. The stringent and commensurate with penalties prescribed for protocol, the government was not referring suspected foreign psychologicalservices to victims during the reporting period. previous reporting periods. Officials then further implemented protocol, officialsidentified two adult trafficking victims—a positive development as the government had not reported protocolprovided step-by-stepa proactive approach to victim protection during the reporting period. In early the 2013, prosecution using its human trafficking act. Authoritiesplaced period, an increase from human one trafficking investigation period. All forms human of trafficking areprohibited through immunity fromprosecution unlawful for acts committed as government’s Public Hospital Authority provided medical and governmentimplemented newlya developed formal protocol government representatives to attend training provided by a government did not report any investigations prosecutions or were labortrafficking investigations) during the reporting implementation its of victim identification and referral the identification and defined of role the key government and The government demonstrated increased efforts in victim Training Module.” Over 240 new officers completed this inthe previous reporting period. The government reported TheGovernment The of Bahamas demonstrated progress in its fund equivalent to approximately $100,000 the for care of foreign During donor. the reporting period, the Royal Bahamas hardship. Experts raised concerns that prior to the January 2013 yearsto life imprisonment; these penalties are sufficiently victims identified. The trafficking act provided victimswith victims to assist in the prosecution trafficking of offenders victims to NGOs, and instead penalized and deported them. removal to countries in which they would face retribution or related offenses. The government provided funding several for new recruits to undertake a “Trafficking Personsin Awareness of traffickingof offenders during the reporting period. The governmentof employees alleged for complicity in trafficking- otherserious crimes, such as rape. The government reported one sex traffickingprosecution during the reporting period; NGO entities involved in victim protection women, for men, a direct result their of being subjected to human trafficking. and provided foreign victims with legal alternatives to their any trafficking victimidentifications earlier in the year or in and children. Immediately after the governmentpublished the anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts during the reporting Latein the reporting period, the government established a Defense Force and Royal Bahamas Police Force required all After January however, 2013, the government worked with IOM Act 2008, of which prescribes penalties ranging from three 10 new human10 trafficking investigationsleast (at four of which remain in Bahrain working for third-party employers (under Prosecution the “free visa” arrangement). In previous years, the LMRA has The government made few discernible efforts to investigate, estimated that approximately 10 percent of migrant workers prosecute, and convict trafficking offenses during the reporting were in Bahrain under illegal “free visa” arrangements—a period, and it frequently treated potential cases of forced practice that can contribute to debt bondage—while source labor as labor disputes in civil court instead of treating them country embassies put the figure at 20 percent. Women from as serious crimes. Bahrain’s anti-trafficking law, Law No. 1 Thailand, the Philippines, Morocco, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon,

BAHRAIN of 2008 with Respect to Trafficking in Persons, prohibits all Russia, Ukraine, China, Vietnam, and Eastern European states forms of trafficking in persons and prescribes penalties ranging are subjected to forced prostitution in Bahrain. from three to 15 years’ imprisonment, which are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with penalties prescribed for The Government of Bahrain does not fully comply with the other serious crimes, such as rape. The government reported minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it investigated seven trafficking cases, a significant decrease it is making significant efforts to do so. The government did not, from the 18 investigations in the previous reporting period. however, demonstrate evidence of overall increasing efforts to Of these, six were sex trafficking cases and one was forced address human trafficking over the previous reporting period; labor that also involved forced prostitution; in one case, the therefore, Bahrain is placed on Tier 2 Watch List for a second accused was acquitted. The criminal court prosecuted three consecutive year. The government made limited efforts to trafficking offenders in this reporting period, but did not prosecute and punish perpetrators of forced labor and sex convict any trafficking offenders. Four of the cases remained trafficking during the reporting period. There was no indication open and under investigation at the end of the reporting that the government took steps to institute a formal trafficking period. During the year, the Thai government investigated victim identification procedure and referral mechanism or to and arrested in Thailand a Thai woman for operating a sex provide foreign victims with legal alternatives to their removal trafficking ring in Bahrain. In August 2012, the Government of to countries where they faced hardship or retribution. Though a Bahrain began a separate investigation of this trafficking ring, government-funded shelter began accepting female trafficking which was ongoing at the end of reporting period; however, victims in 2012 and police identified some trafficking victims, the two Thai victims found in Bahrain were deported. NGOs trafficking victims continued to be susceptible to arrest, and foreign embassy officials reported that the government detention, and deportation for offenses directly related to failed to penalize and punish employers for forced labor being trafficked. Despite past commitments, the government’s offenses. Cases of unpaid or withheld wages, passport retention, migrant worker sponsorship—or “kafala”—system was not and other abuses—common indicators of trafficking—were abolished and continued to give employers inordinate power typically treated as labor disputes and taken to civil court. These over foreign workers and contributed to forced labor and potential trafficking cases were rarely if ever investigated or debt bondage. taken to criminal court to prosecute sponsors and employers for trafficking offenses under Bahrain’s anti-trafficking law. The government did not report any investigations or BAHRAIN TIER RANKING BY YEAR prosecutions of government employees for alleged complicity in trafficking-related offenses during the reporting period. Bahraini government officials indicated there was a general lack of awareness of trafficking crimes among working-level police. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized an anti-trafficking 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 seminar in July 2012 for government officials and local NGOs.

Recommendations for Bahrain: Enforce the 2008 anti- Protection trafficking law, and significantly increase the investigation The Bahraini government made minimal progress in improving and prosecution of trafficking offenses—particularly those protection for victims of trafficking over the last year. The involving forced labor—including convictions and punishment government continued to lack systematic procedures to identify of trafficking offenders; actively enforce labor law protections victims among vulnerable groups, such as migrant domestic for domestic workers; reform the sponsorship system to workers who have fled their employers or women arrested eliminate obstacles to migrant workers’ access to legal recourse for prostitution, putting trafficking victims at risk for being for complaints of forced labor; institute and apply formal punished for employment or immigration violations, and procedures to identify victims of trafficking among vulnerable subjected to detention or deportation. Government officials groups, such as domestic workers who have fled from abusive failed to recognize that some contract violations or salary employers and women in prostitution; institute a formal victim disputes (including withholding of salaries) are indicators of referral mechanism for law enforcement and other government forced labor and required further investigation. A government- officials to refer identified victims to protection services, and funded 120-bed NGO-run domestic violence shelter began to properly train officials on these referral mechanisms; ensure offer services to female victims of trafficking and their children, that identified victims of trafficking are not punished for assisting 25 suspected trafficking victims in 2012. Shelter unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked, residents could freely leave the shelter unchaperoned. The such as illegal migration or prostitution; expand the government provided no shelter services for male trafficking government-run shelter to protect all victims of trafficking, victims. While law enforcement officials’ victim identification including victims of forced labor and male victims of trafficking, efforts remained ad hoc, police identified and referred 18 and ensure that shelter staff receive anti-trafficking training suspected victims of trafficking to shelter services in this and speak the languages of expatriate workers; and continue reporting period. The majority of trafficking victims in Bahrain to publicly raise awareness of trafficking issues in the media continued to seek shelter at their embassies or at the NGO- and other outlets for foreign migrants, specifically domestic operated trafficking shelter, which reported assisting 124 workers, in their native languages. 86 BANGLADESH 87 by unlicensed sub-agents; this places some migrant workers by slow interagency processes, a lack strategic of goals, and no terms employment. of Some street children are coerced into to an international expert debt on bondage,some Bangladeshi transiting through Nepal to obtain Nepalese visas and work trainings and workshops. Thecommittee also conducted unknown. The Committee’s overall effectiveness was hampered trafficking victims, butofficials declined to provide statistics trafficking victimswere identified through this number. The subjected to human trafficking. subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. of Some the Some in the Rohingya community in Bangladesh have been permits employment for in the Gulf; some are trafficking while others are induced into labor commercial or sexual in debt bondage. Some recruitment agencies and agents also which they promise one type job of and conditions but then government reported no efforts to reduce the demand for instances, children are sold into bondage by their parents, indicative forced of labor, such asrestrictions movement, on withholding passports, of threats force, of physical sexual or There are reports an of increased number Bangladeshis of including Greece and Spain. Somewomen and children from The government’s interagency Committee Combating for Trafficking Persons in metleastat once month a during the including a weekly radio show in English, as well as podcasts in forced and bonded labor,in which traffickersor recruiters familiesand some Indian migrant workers are subjected to hotline during working hours, though is it unknown if any violations. Beforetheir departure, many migrantworkers victims.A civil societygroup reportedthat some Bangladeshi vulnerable to being subjected to forced labor in other countries, vulnerable workers through its website and media outlets, recruitment agencies belonging to the Bangladesh Association reporting period, hosted two national seminars to raise commitrecruitment fraud, including contractswitching, in change the employer, job, conditions, salary or after arrival. exploit an initial debt assumed by a worker as part the of criminalityforced or tobeg; begging ringmasterssometimes exploitation through fraud and physical coercion. According continued to disseminate trafficking-related information to commercial sex forced or labor during the year. maim children as means a to earn In money. some more menin the Gulf, particularlyin the United Arab Emirates, are mandateto proactively address trafficking issues. The LMRA Maldives, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Ministry Interior of continued to operate a toll-free hotline for of Internationalof Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) and illegally on theon use the of hotline. The LMRA also operates an abuse aresubjected to sextrafficking, domestic servitude, and abuse, and threats of detention or deportation for immigration assume debt to pay high recruitment fees, imposed legally by are subjected to commercial sexual exploitation forced or labor. awareness about trafficking, and participated in several regional a trafficking survey, though the resultsof the surveywere Europe, and elsewhere work for subsequently face conditions Bangladeshi men and womenwho migrate willingly to the Gulf, Bangladesh are transported to India and Pakistan, where they Bangladesh is source a country men, for women, and children Hindi and Malayalam, to educate workers their on rights. The Within the country, some Bangladeshi children and adults BANGLADESH (Tier 2) but remained it unavailable to workers whose cases were not before transferring to a different employer. Under the law, Prevention the length time of a worker could be vulnerable to forced labor. togive minimuma 30 of days’ notice to the sponsor and to afford legal representation, lack of interpretation and translation, fear losing of residency permits during proceedings, traffickers;however, workers typically not did filecomplaints to proactively identify trafficking victims among those who that labor inspectors were paid by employers manpower or specifiedworking hours, annualleave, and bonuses.It also sponsorship system, which contributed greatly to forced labor sentenced days to 10 more in or detention, and deported. properly inspect work camps. There were unofficial reports passports—a common practice that restricts the mobility persons during the reporting period. Despite past commitments primarily by thelocal police. Foreign embassiesstated that were poorly regulated penalized or abuses for committed withholding a passport, police did not have the authority to was only available to workers who successfully completed workers be provided with a proper labor contract, which was adopted in September provided 2012, some protections to with legal alternatives their for removal to countries where they when foreign victims trafficking of or abuse approached The Ministerial Order against the withholding workers’ of inorder to change sponsors, foreigna worker is required The government made some efforts to prevent trafficking in faced retribution hardship. or The government also did not crimesfor committed as a direct result being of subjected to femalevictims abuse—some of whom of were likely trafficking however, was it unclear this how law will be enforced. Law humantrafficking. Migrantworkers were who to able flee their have policies to protect trafficking victims from punishment victims to participate in the investigation and prosecution of victims—in this reporting period. These womenwere referred resolved. This law lengthened the minimum amount time of required the employer to pay the worker least at once a month; not effectively enforced. Additionally, although a worker employer. The government did not provide foreign victims enforcement further for investigation. complete a minimum one year of work of with an employer must file a complaint with the police against an employer for mediation after filing a complaint with the Ministryof Labor, must also have a valid visa. The option to transfer sponsors domestic workers the for first time;it required that domestic make complaints to or refer potential forced labor cases to law of migrantof workers and contributes to forced labor—was of theof legal system and lengthy court procedures, inability against workers, and labor inspectors reportedly failed to arrest the employer non-compliance. for Manpower agencies a worker must remain with an employer, thereby expanding anddebt bondage. The new Labor Law which (Law 36), No. andpledges, the government did endnot the migrant worker abusive employers were frequently charged as “runaways,” and to avoid additional maltreatment the at hands the of against employers due to fear ignorance or the of distrust law, advised to seek assistance their at embassies, with no effort agencies not to report labor abuses. Bahraini government officials stated that they encouraged Bahraini labor officials for assistance, theywere typically 19 of 2006, of 19 requires amended in that 2011, foreigna worker bonded labor in Bangladesh’s brick kilns; some kiln owners trafficking victims identified and assisted in Bangladesh and sell bonded females into prostitution purportedly to further by Bangladeshi embassies; establish a toll-free labor recoup the families’ debts. That same expert also reported exploitation hotline accessible by cell phone to facilitate victim that some Bangladeshi families are subjected to debt bondage identification; and accede to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. in the shrimp farming industry in southeastern Bangladesh and that some ethnic Indian families are forced to work in the tea industry in the northeastern part of the country. In Prosecution some instances, girls and boys as young as eight years old are The Government of Bangladesh maintained anti-trafficking subjected to forced prostitution within the country, living in law enforcement efforts during the reporting period. The slave-like conditions in secluded environments. Trafficking 2012 HTDSA generally prohibits and punishes all forms of within the country often occurs from poorer, more rural human trafficking, though it does not prohibit the fraudulent BANGLADESH regions, to cities. Many brothel owners and pimps coerce recruitment of labor migrants in the absence of proof of the Bangladeshi girls to take steroids to make them more attractive recruiter’s knowledge of forced labor. Prescribed penalties for to clients, with devastating side effects. labor trafficking offenses are five to 12 years’ imprisonment and a fine of not less than approximately the equivalent of Bangladesh does not fully comply with the minimum $600, and prescribed penalties for sex trafficking offenses standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is range from five years’ imprisonment to the death sentence. making significant efforts to do so. The government drafted These penalties are sufficiently stringent, and commensurate rules to implement the 2012 Human Trafficking Deterrence with those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape. and Suppression Act (HTDSA) and began prosecuting cases In the reporting period, the government drafted but did not under the law. However, the lack of adequate law enforcement yet adopt implementing rules for the HTDSA. The new law efforts and institutional weaknesses continued to contribute repeals the sections of the Repression of Women and Children to the trafficking of Bangladeshi migrant workers abroad. Act (WCA) that prohibited the trafficking of women and The government took limited steps to regulate fraudulent children for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation recruitment agents and their unlicensed subagents. Inadequate or involuntary servitude; however, cases filed under these trafficking victim protection remained a serious problem. sections before the passage of the HTDSA would still be valid and would come under the jurisdiction of the HTDSA.

BANGLADESH TIER RANKING BY YEAR In 2012, the government reported investigating 67 and prosecuting 129 alleged trafficking cases, compared with 143 cases investigated and 80 cases prosecuted in 2011. During the reporting period, the government convicted eight trafficking offenders, and sentenced at least five of them to 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 life imprisonment under Sections 5 (prohibiting “women trafficking”) and Section 6(1) (prohibiting “girl trafficking”) of the WCA. This is a decrease from the 14 convictions obtained Recommendations for Bangladesh: Finalize, adopt, and in 2011, with eight offenders sentenced to life imprisonment. disseminate the implementing rules for the HTDSA, and train government officials on its implementation; take steps to The alleged human trafficking complicity of some Bangladeshi sharply reduce all recruitment fees charged by licensed labor government officials remained a problem. Several NGOs recruiters, and enforce violations with criminal sanctions; reported links between members of parliament, corrupt increase efforts to prosecute trafficking cases and convict recruiting agencies, and village level brokers. Corrupt trafficking offenders, respecting due process; use the HTDSA politicians, police, and border security forces on both sides to prosecute fraudulent labor recruiters; continue to train of the India-Bangladesh border reportedly recognized a token government officials, including law enforcement, labor used by human traffickers to evade arrest if caught at the inspectors, and immigration officers, on methods to proactively border. NGOs and the media reported that some registered identify trafficking cases, including of adults and children recruitment agencies in Dhaka had links with employers subjected to bonded labor; take steps to address any allegations who subjected migrant workers to trafficking and with of trafficking-related complicity of public officials, particularly brokers in destination countries who facilitated fraudulent through criminal prosecution; improve oversight of recruitment. The Government of Bangladesh reported that Bangladesh’s international recruiting agencies to ensure they it continued prosecuting cases of three government officials are not promoting practices that contribute to labor trafficking; suspected of trafficking-related complicity under Section 5 of provide support services for adult male trafficking victims the WCA, although there were no further developments in and victims of forced labor; conduct awareness campaigns those cases. The government provided some anti-trafficking about the existence of laws against bonded labor targeted to training at the police training academy and more thorough government officials, employers, and vulnerable populations; training modules at detective training schools. Government improve services for shelters, legal aid, counseling, and trained agencies provided facilities in support of some NGO-led staff at Bangladeshi embassies in destination countries; shorten law enforcement trainings, and the public prosecutor and the time required for Bangladeshi victims to receive superintendent of police led some training sessions on the documentation at Bangladeshi embassies required for HTDSA in other trainings organized by civil society groups. repatriation; increase the accessibility of information about the migration process to potential migrants before they decide Protection to migrate; improve quality of pre-departure trainings, The Government of Bangladesh made limited efforts to protect including sessions on labor rights, labor laws, and methods victims of trafficking over the last year. While the government to access justice and assistance in destination countries and trained police on standard operating procedures for trafficking in Bangladesh; improve data collection on the number of 88 BARBADOS 89 2013 2012 Amend the 2011 Amend the 2011 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 BARBADOS TIER RANKING BY YEAR to trafficking. prostitutionThe of children is known to exist the Eastern Caribbean. trafficking over previousthe year; therefore, Barbados placedis the abilitythe of Bangladeshigovernment to protect these the inter-ministerial anti-trafficking committee meetings, to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to sufficiently stringent(without an alternativeof a and fine) such as rape; simplify the law and de-link from it the separate plan human on trafficking which specifiesimplementing prostitution in Barbados. In the past, foreigners reportedly provided to Bangladeshi soldiers prior to their deployment goods, a phenomenon documented by UNICEF throughout The Government Barbados of does not fully comply with the workers in Malaysia. The Secretary Home continued to chair which met regularly, and the Ministry Affairs Home of was granted a waiver an of otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has developed a written plan in Barbados, including Barbadian and immigrant children isit making significant efforts to do so. The government has The MHA published its annual report humanon trafficking. Training,including awarenessabout human trafficking, was human trafficking in a substantive way. have been subjected to forced labor in Barbados, with the highest risk sectors being domestic service, agriculture, and year, the government did not take measures to reduce the legislationto prohibit bothdomestic and international forms not shown evidence increasing of efforts to address human commensurate with those prescribed other for serious crimes, crime human of smuggling so that is it easier law for engaging in transactionalsex with older men material for construction. Legal and illegal immigrants from Jamaica, the minimum standards the for elimination trafficking; of however, meet the minimum standards the for elimination trafficking of measures, and demonstrates its commitment to addressing demand commercial for sex acts. Bangladesh is a party not of humanof trafficking and prescribe penalties that are on Tieron 2 Watch List a fourth for consecutive year. Barbados In 2013, theIn Barbadian 2013, government adopted a national action Inter-ministerial coordination continuedto be a challenge. Recommendations Barbados: for andis devoting sufficient resources to implement thatplan. agencies and addresses prosecution, protection, and prevention a bimonthly counter-trafficking coordination committee. and children subjected tosex trafficking andforced labor. abroad international on peacekeeping missions. During the Evidencesuggests there are foreign women forced into Barbados is source a and destination country men, for women, DominicanRepublic, and Guyana appear to be vulnerable (MHA) continued to work with civil society groups through BARBADOS List) (Tier 2 Watch basis. More than 600 trafficking victims but trafficking victimswere technically to able access support Prevention to approximately$500; nonetheless,questions remainabout the Bangladeshi government and BAIRA, the Dhaka Principles there was no information whether on these practices included to improve the oversight Bangladesh’s of labor recruiting the government adopted the Abu Dhabi Dialogue Framework trafficking during the reporting period. The government the illegal activities some of BAIRA-affiliated recruitment to male victims trafficking. of A senior governmentofficial trafficking victims among vulnerable populationsor refer shelter in the Bangladeshi Embassy in Riyadh female for services vulnerable for people through shelter homes, drop- principle that migrant workers should not be charged any process. In the reporting period, the Task Force deregistered partnership with civil society organizations, continued to raise provide sufficient financialcompensation and rarely addressed was the government entering into a written agreement with workers overseas for labor, and handle most complaints of government did not provide protective services specifically were eitherself-identified identifiedor by civil society groups The Bangladeshi government made few efforts to prevent investigationsand prosecutions theirof traffickers. An NGO in centers, and safe homes administered by the Ministry in 2012. Thein government 2012. did provide not fund or shelters or investigations, including provisions for identifying trafficking identifying for provisions including investigations, for Migrationfor with Dignity were launched, including the fraudulent recruitment charging or illegal recruitment fees. In fees. However, continued it to allow BAIRA to set extremely high familiarize workers with their rights and reduce recruitment vulnerablepopulations. The Ministry Expatriate of Welfare’s victims may have been detained indefinitely for their lackof victims, government officials not did systematicallyidentify victims trafficking of protectiveto services; victim referrals recruitmentwith recruitment fees capped the at equivalent recruitment fees. The only effort to adhere to these principles reported that some trafficking victimswere detained when they returned to Bangladesh after migrating irregularly to another labor trafficking. When Bangladeshi migrantworkers lodged expatriate laborers, while the government exercised inadequate country. Unregistered Rohingya refugeeswho were trafficking complaints of labor and recruitment violations, theymost manpower in destination countries to adequately address documentation. The government did not provide temporary Malaysia to establish government-to-government labor oversight to ensure practices did not facilitate debt bondage of of Regional Collaboration, which includes provisions to officials encouraged victims of trafficking to participatein often resorted to arbitration by the BAIRA, which did not of Socialof Welfare. The governmentcontinued to run one other services specifically dedicated to traffickingvictims, occurred an on ad-hoc or permanentor residency status foreignfor trafficking victims. awarenesshuman of trafficking to governmentofficials and and legal recruitment fees, license individual agencies, certify also sustained policies that permitted the forced labor of agents. There was information no whether on law enforcement acknowledged the Bangladeshi diplomatic corps lacked the Bangladeshi workers abroad. Many government ministries, in Bangladeshi migrant workers abroad to continue. For example, Bangladeshi domestic workers fleeing abusive employers. The December meeting following 2012, a 2011 in Dhaka between Vigilance Task Force continued to operate; its mandate was 65 recruitment65 agencies engaging for in illegal practices, but enforcement officials to understand and apply the law; government did not establish formal, systematic procedures to implement formal procedures for officials across the guide officials across the government in proactively identifying government to proactively identify trafficking victims among victims of sex trafficking and forced labor and referring them vulnerable populations, such as Barbadians and foreigners to available services, though it reportedly employed interim in prostitution as well as migrant workers, and refer them to procedures during the last year. The government provided available services; when conducting trafficking investigations, funding for an NGO crisis center providing shelter and ensure suspected victims are taken to a safe and hospitable services primarily for domestic violence victims, but also

BELARUS location, as victims of human trafficking often feel threatened for female trafficking victims. Despite significant financial and are reluctant to identify themselves as victims during a strain, this organization provided very high quality services, raid; enact protections for victims of trafficking, including had staff trained to handle trafficking cases, and assisted one provisions that provide foreign victims with relief from sex trafficking victim during the reporting period. The other immediate deportation, and ensure victims are not punished identified victim declined assistance. The government had for crimes committed as a direct result of being subjected to an agreement with a separate NGO to serve as a shelter for human trafficking; increase funding to the NGO shelter and male victims of human trafficking, though this NGO did not crisis center to ensure adequate assistance, including free assist any male trafficking victims during the reporting period. health care, is available to human trafficking victims. The government did not have formal policies to encourage victim assistance in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking offenders. It also did not have an official policy or Prosecution law providing foreign trafficking victims with legal alternatives The government launched at least two trafficking investigations to their removal to countries where they would face hardship or but did not address weaknesses in its anti-trafficking legal retribution, though it developed interim procedures directing framework or initiate any prosecutions of alleged trafficking authorities to provide temporary residence status to foreign offenders, raising concern about impunity for human victims. In practice the government worked with IOM to trafficking in Barbados. Barbadian law does not appear to provide safe and voluntary repatriation for one foreign victim prohibit all forms of human trafficking and does not prescribe identified during the year. The government also had interim penalties that are sufficiently stringent or commensurate with procedures in place directing authorities not to penalize the prescribed penalties for other serious crimes, such as trafficking victims for unlawful offenses committed solely as rape. The following Barbadian laws address criminal offenses a direct result of being subjected to human trafficking. within the definition of trafficking in persons: Article 8 of the Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) Bill of 2011, Articles 33 and 34 of the Offenses against the Person Act, as well as Prevention Articles 18 and 20, which cover some elements of sex trafficking The government made some efforts to prevent human trafficking occurring within the country. The TOC Bill prohibits some in Barbados. Officials broadcast short public awareness forms of trafficking, though it appears to be inconsistent with messages through mass media and held town hall meetings international standards because it requires movement across to raise awareness about human trafficking. The government’s borders as a necessary element of human trafficking. All of the inter-ministerial anti-trafficking taskforce included NGOs and sections addressing the prostitution of children use the age of met monthly to coordinate the government’s anti-trafficking 16 as the threshold under which aggravated penalties would efforts. The government drafted a work plan for addressing be imposed rather than the age of 18, the definition of a child human trafficking and funded the operation of a hotline under the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. Moreover, it is not clear that staffed by professionals trained to identify human trafficking. Barbadian law considers any children in prostitution with The government did not report any efforts to reduce the third-party involvement to be victims of human trafficking. demand for commercial sex acts or forced labor over the year. Compelling prostitution under Article 20 is punishable by five The government has not identified a problem with child sex years’ imprisonment, while the trafficking of an adult under tourism. Barbados is not a party to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. the TOC Bill is potentially punishable by a fine with no jail time, both of which are far less than Barbados’ prescribed penalty for rape—life imprisonment. BELARUS (Tier 2 Watch List) The Barbadian police appointed an inspector to handle Belarus is a source, transit, and destination country for women, human trafficking cases, and police conducted at least two sex men, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. trafficking investigations during 2012. This is an increase from Belarusian women and children are subjected to sex trafficking no investigations conducted during the previous reporting in Russia, Italy, Egypt, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Spain, period. Like the previous year, the government did not report Belgium, Turkey, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, any prosecutions or convictions of trafficking offenders. The Germany, Greece, Lebanon, Poland, and within Belarus. government provided in-kind assistance to an IOM-led anti- Some Belarusian women are transported through Latvia trafficking training and a foreign government-sponsored and Lithuania en route to Western Europe, where they are anti-trafficking law enforcement training for officials from subsequently subjected to forced prostitution. Belarusian various ministries. men, women, and children are found in forced labor in the construction industry and other sectors in Russia and Belarus. Protection The Government of Belarus restricted Belarusian workers in The government demonstrated efforts to protect trafficking state-owned wood processing factories as well as construction victims during the reporting period. Officials identified workers employed in modernization projects at those factories two suspected foreign sex trafficking victims, which was a from leaving their jobs. Belarusian men seeking work abroad positive development, as the government did not identify are increasingly subjected to forced labor. Workers are recruited any trafficking victims in previous reporting periods. The through informal advertisements and notice boards and then 90 BELARUS 91 Protection Prosecution under Article compared and 64 with in in 2010. 181, 2011 14 trafficking cases under non-trafficking statutes, including the trafficking 39 investigations reported Belarusian 2010. in the collaboration of NGOs and international organizations, trained Belarusianover 175 and foreigngovernment law transnational trafficking-related cases with counterparts from temporary in nature and workers were free not to sign new seven under Article and sub-Article 171 which criminalize 171, sub-Article which criminalizes 181, profiting from servitude. state-run industry and secured significantly fewer convictions. stringent and are commensurate with penalties prescribed pimping and engaging in prostitution, and one case under prison, but did not report the length the of prison term. The persons crimes. Some observers noted that judges required person to prove human trafficking under Article which181, provided the equivalent to approximately $12,300 to its permitted to appeal the decision to the government-appointed provincial governor, but not to a judge. At least one instance period. However, the government explained the decree was Thisdownward trajectory corresponded with decreasea in government reported sentencing the convicted offender to government issued decree a establishing coerced labor in a government did not reportthe investigation prosecutionor The government demonstrated mixed protection efforts This was an increase in which from the 2011, government international anti-trafficking training center, which, with The Government Belarus of demonstrated decreased law identification efforts continued to decrease. 2012 the In for other for serious crimes, such as rape. The Government of forbidding workers in state-owned wood processing factories from resigning without their employers’ permission. The forfeiture offenders’ of assets. These penalties are sufficiently victims are given care; cultivate a climate cooperation of with rather than the initiation an of investigation. reported nine trafficking investigations, but remained below ranging from five15 years’to imprisonment in addition to the enforcement officialson investigatinghuman trafficking cases. enforcement efforts during the reporting period, as the evidence money of transfers the or buying and selling a of contracts required under the decree. during thereporting period, identifyingvery fewvictims decree applied to thousands employees; of employees are may be one reason was it infrequently used. The government of traffickingof offeringand limited services. While newtwo of workersof barred from quitting occurred during the reporting of anyof public official for alleged complicity in trafficking in In December Alexander 2012, Lukashenka issued a decree NGO partners providing critical victim protection services; andextend legal counseling to victims upon identification anti-trafficking laws increased victimprotection, victim authorities convicted one traffickingoffender under Article Law enforcement officials reported jointly investigating several Belarusian government identified12 victimsof trafficking Belarus reported eight trafficking investigations under2012 in Poland, Russia, Turkey, Germany, Israel, and Estonia. Belarusian law prohibits both sex and labortrafficking through Article The government 181. investigated eight additional Articleits of criminal 181 code, which prescribes penalties 181 in 2012, in in contrast 2012, 181 The to seven and in 12 2010. in 2011 2013 2012 Revoke the December 2012 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 BELARUS TIER RANKING BY YEAR been opened in order to ensure that victims receive appropriate trafficking victims in cases in which a criminal case has not that do not involve the purchasing and selling a person of are thecriminal code to prosecute trafficking cases, even in cases to trafficking victims.However, until these laws are fully that forbade thousands workers of in the wood processing the minimum standards the for elimination trafficking; of these efforts, the government did not demonstrate evidence of taken by minibuses from employment centers to foreign third consecutive year. Belarus was granted a waiver from an still considered trafficking cases under Belarusian law; improve shelters and the right to access care without first agreeing to secured only one conviction under the trafficking statute. The presidential decree forbidding wood processing workers’ passed a new law permitting state funding services for provided period; therefore, Belarus is placed Tier on 2 Watch List a for identification and referral mechanism; certify individuals as government continued its efforts to prevent trafficking through workers, and promotion trafficking of hotlines. government passed a new anti-trafficking law that authorized without their employers’ permission. Despite an increase including children, are provided with appropriate assistance inside Belarus and forced labor victims; ensure all victims, implemented through regulations, available government- industryfrom leavingtheir jobs instate-owned factories in trafficking victimsidentified and offered care by NGOs, increasing anti-trafficking efforts over previousthe reporting The Government Belarus of does fully not comply with for thefor elimination trafficking of and is devoting sufficient funded services to victims remained very limited, and victims facedbureaucratic hurdles in accessing state shelters. The forced prostitution offenders; increase use Article of of 181 haswrittena plan that, if implemented, would constitute however,is it making significant efforts do to so. Despite victim assistance; reduce the bureaucratic steps required to victim identification, includingof teenagers prostitutionin vigorous investigation and prosecution forced of labor and resignation without their employers’ permission; demonstrate resources to implement that plan. new victim protections including the provision beds of in state countries such as Russia. cooperate with criminal proceedings. The government also definitionhumanof trafficking to ensure that trafficking cases makingsignificant efforts meetto the minimum standards offering victim care; continue efforts to formalize a national otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government Recommendations for Belarus: and protection; increase resources devoted to victim assistance and protection within Belarus; provide funding to NGOs also charged under other statutes; examine the revised legal awareness campaigns, online tools potential for migrant authorities certified very few victims of trafficking and access shelter; establish a program to ensure that repatriated During the reporting period, the government issued a decree trafficking investigations and demonstrated a reduced capacity rehabilitation. The government also hosted a seminar for to ensure human trafficking offenses were recognized and psychologists providing services at the crisis room facilities. victims were appropriately offered care. Experts observed that Observers noted that the government did not consistently the number of trafficking victims identified by the government screen for trafficking indicators during the prosecution of was far from commensurate with the number of Belarusian prostitution cases; in 2012, authorities issued fines to hundreds victims identified by NGOs and other sources outside of the of women in prostitution and arrested more than 150 for up country, particularly with regard to reports of increased labor to 15 days in prison. BELGIUM trafficking of Belarusians in Russia. In fact, NGOs in Belarus assisted 196 trafficking victims in 2012, more than the 142 assisted in 2011. Observers reported that law enforcement Prevention officials referred more than 50 percent of the trafficking victims The Government of Belarus improved its efforts to prevent cared for to NGOs. Law enforcement officers used specialized trafficking in 2012. The government conducted public references and instructions to identify trafficking victims awareness campaigns on radio, in print, and on television. and refer them for rehabilitation. The government continued The Government of Belarus supported two NGO-operated to draft proposals for the introduction of a national victim anti-trafficking hotlines and, with assistance from an NGO, identification and referral mechanism. The government’s prepared and printed leaflets and bulletins to inform vulnerable diplomatic missions abroad helped four Belarusian trafficking groups about the hotline. The MOI reviewed and approved victims return to the country and referred one victim to an advertisements for work abroad and significantly improved NGO for care. its website, with updated pages on licensed employment and marriage agencies as well as a new section on securing Two new laws were passed that, when implemented, could employment and avoiding exploitation in Russia. The new anti- improve victim protection practices. One statute broadened trafficking law created the position of a national rapporteur and the definition of a trafficking victim, provided for beds in charged it with coordinating anti-trafficking law enforcement non-trafficking-specific state shelters, and allowed victims activities, liaising with international organizations and foreign to receive care without first requiring their cooperation with governments on trafficking, and annually reporting to the criminal proceedings. Another law allowed the government government; the government designated the Minister of to provide funding to NGOs running social welfare programs; the Interior as the national rapporteur during the reporting however, the government was still developing guidelines for period. The government reported implementing its 2011- implementation and did not expect the funding mechanism 2012 plan of action on victim assistance. The government to be fully enforced until 2014. The government reported continued to implement the 2011-2013 State Program to providing the equivalent of at least approximately $28,200 Counteract Trafficking in Human Beings, Illegal Migration, for victim reintegration. This was an improvement from 2011, and Other Related Illicit Activities, and the MOI remained when the government did not report any funding for victim the coordinating agency that annually reported on the reintegration. The government did not have trafficking-specific government’s progress. facilities available to care for victims, but it maintained 50 non-trafficking-specific “crisis rooms,” which, per the new anti-trafficking law, offered temporary shelter, including beds, meals, and personal hygiene products, usually for up to 10 BELGIUM (Tier 1) days. The government did not report how many trafficking Belgium is a destination, transit, and a limited source country victims received assistance at these facilities. Observers noted for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and victims needed to obtain many signatures to get access to sex trafficking. Foreign victims originate in Eastern Europe, these crisis rooms, impeding ready access to shelter. While the Africa, East Asia, as well as Brazil and India. Prominent government did not identify any child victims of trafficking, source countries for victims exploited in Belgium include the Ministry of Education reported maintaining social and Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Nigeria, China, and Turkey. education centers that could provide shelter and rehabilitative Male victims are subjected to forced labor in restaurants, services. Similar to past years, a large number of victims bars, sweatshops, horticulture sites, fruit farms, construction declined shelter from state-supported centers for fear of social sites, cleaning businesses, and retail shops. The main source stigma or reprisal. During the reporting period, the Ministry countries for labor trafficking victims in Belgium include of Health Care approved a list of medical services available for China, India, Brazil, and Bulgaria. Belgian underage girls, who trafficking victims at all state-run medical institutions, which are recruited by local pimps, and foreign children — including are normally restricted to providing services to individuals ethnic Roma — are subjected to sex trafficking within the residing in their region. Experts noted trafficking victims country. Some Belgian women have been subjected to sex could easily obtain medical assistance from the state-run trafficking in Luxembourg. Forced begging within the Roma hospitals; however, to receive prompt and high-quality medical community in Belgium also occurs. Foreign workers continued assistance anonymously, victims reportedly had to pay for to be subjected to forced domestic service, including in the certain medical services and seek help at private clinics. The diplomatic community assigned to Belgium. During the year, government adopted regulations in February 2012 that provide authorities reported the increased number of refugees from free-of-charge legal assistance from state-run bar associations North Africa in the country were vulnerable to trafficking. during investigations and prosecutions, although victims were without legal counseling prior to police initiating an The Government of Belgium fully complies with the minimum investigation. The Ministry of Interior (MOI) reported that standards for the elimination of trafficking. The government the government provided lawyers to some trafficking victims. pursued a multi-disciplinary, case-based approach to Authorities did not issue any temporary residence permits in trafficking informed by the work of a quasi-governmental 2012, as the government did not identify any foreign trafficking office that serves as the country’s de facto National Rapporteur victims. In 2012, the government hosted a seminar for staff on human trafficking. The government continued to engage members of the crisis room facilities on principles of social 92 BELGIUM 93 between one and three years, were sentenced 11 tothree to five Protection traffickers and agree to counselingat a specialized trafficking trafficking victims. The Rapporteur report urgedmore a victim- trafficking victims greaterlegal status immediately upon their trafficking-related complicity 2012. in trafficking victims; an evaluationof this directive,however, tools to identify victims. During the year, the government than one year to five years’ imprisonment; threeoffenders the royal family Abu of Dhabi (UAE) allegedly for subjecting status, victims must have broken off all contact with their shelter, conditions that are especially challenging child for shelters assisted new adult 185 victims compared in 2012, to suspects in cases forced of begging and 2 suspects organ of potential trafficking victims. participate in court proceedings and recommended granting provided specialized, comprehensive assistance to trafficking prosecuted suspected 381 human traffickingoffenders in prison sentences compared in 2012, to 68 prison sentences were sentenced to less than one year, were sentenced 18 to in 2008. The government did not report any investigations identification. Non-EU citizen victims may obtain permanent indefinitelengths of time may be available without conviction, The government sustained its efforts to protect victims in human trafficking crimes. The government reported it for convictedfor traffickers Sentences 2011. in ranged less from for whichfor data was available. The government reported 48 subjectingfor young Belarusian and Lithuanian women to forced prostitution. the In 2012, Government Belgium of years offenders and 10 were sentenced to five yearsmore. or victims including psycho-social, medical, andlegal care. These victim identification by involvingmore front-line responders victims,some protection was conditioned on burdensome residencyin Belgiumonly after thesuccessful prosecution refer victims carefor based 2008 a on interagency directivefor residency and protective services to most foreign trafficking requirements; victims are granted immunity from fines, removal. The government reported convicted it and sentenced centered approach, especially victims for who are reluctant to continued to fund three dedicated NGO-run shelters that continued to develop multi-disciplinary methods to improve continued its efforts to prosecute eight family members of continued to employ systematic proceduresto identify and determined that front-line responders needed more practical detailed leaflethospital for staffhow on identifyto and refer detention, deportation or onlyif they assist in the prosecution of traffickingof Federal 2012. in and regional governments other than police; instance, for through the distribution a of theirof trafficker. Furthermore, orderin to qualify for victim offenses, 18 (14 in 2011) for coerced for criminality, inoffenses, 2011) in 2011) (14 (8 7 18 prosecutionsor any of Belgian government officials for InOctober courta 2012, appeals of in Liege sentenced an and sentencing their of traffickers; residence permits for at leastat 48 traffickingoffenders 2012, in themost recent year (165 in 2011) for labor for trafficking in 2011) or economic(165 exploitation 2012, compared2012, with prosecutions 358 prosecuted it in 2011; Although the Belgian government reported offered it Albaniansex trafficking offender to eight years’ imprisonment 17 girls17 to forced servitude while staying a Brussels at hotel 190 (170 in 2011) offenders sex for in 2011) trafficking190 (170 offenses, 164 150 new150 victims assisted the previous year. The government “takes greater account the of coercion component” involved 2013 2012 Follow through plans on 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 BELGIUM TIER RANKING BY YEAR be an aggravating factor under its trafficking law and does to develop more practical tools front-line for responders to Prosecution to Act its 1995 Containing Measures to Repress Trafficking the government increased the number trafficking of offenders trafficking and have access to services regardlessof participation traffickers; develop the capacity to capture comprehensive trafficking victims in legalizedthe commercial sex sector; the diplomatic community. Country experts reportedthe share Belgium’s bestpractices with othercountries, including prosecution data. The government considers coercion to prescribed other for serious crimes, such as rape. However, prevailing wage, hours, and working conditions can constitute penalty all for forms trafficking—20 of years’ imprisonment prohibits all forms trafficking of through2005a amendment prosecute traffickingoffenses; during the reporting period priorities,including establishing adequate protection measures pursue criminal charges against their traffickers remained who received prison sentences five of yearsmore.or Belgium government offered different levels protection of to victims whose cases doresult not in a conviction who or do not in Persons. As amended, the law’s maximum prescribed The government continued to investigate and vigorously involving diplomats in Belgium. in proceedings, success prosecutions, of citizenship; or and for victimsfor who do not wish to pursue a case against their victims and their need assistance for with law enforcement vigorously prosecuted in Belgium; ensure all trafficking victims vulnerable to deportation. law enforcement data to demonstrate vigorous prosecution line with Article European the 2 of 2011 Union Directive on not require evidence such of in order to secure a trafficking conviction. A previous Rapporteur report noted that the law cases are included as traffickingoffenses in the government’s concerns over-breadth. of The failure an of employer to meet expand the government’s international leadership to role conviction data those for casesthat involved force, fraud, or coercion to demonstrate that trafficking offenders are expanded legal definition of traffickingin Belgium andin continue to examine ways to balance the rights trafficking of efforts to investigate and prevent domestic servitude within detect trafficking victims, including among potential dependingthe on victim’slegal status in Belgium. Victims more front-line more responders in victim identification. The on itson case-based approach and self-critical reporting, as well of forcedof labor and sex traffickingoffenders; in lightof the Recommendations for Belgium: as efforts to investigate and prevent domestic servitude are not punished crimes for committed as a result their of Belgium follows a definition traffickingof that raises Belgian governmentremained a leader in the region its for Human Trafficking,provide disaggregatedprosecution and —is sufficiently stringent and commensurate with penalties “exploitation” under Belgium’s anti-trafficking law; these if authorities establish a formal charge of trafficking. During The Government of Belize does not fully comply with the the year, the government issued or renewed 620 residence minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, permits to trafficking victims. The government was unable it is making significant efforts to do so. The government to provide how many were newly issued. Victim-witnesses enacted an anti-trafficking law late in the reporting period were granted access to the Belgian labor market during legal that raised penalties for human trafficking offenses. It also BELIZE proceedings; the government reported that an unspecified enacted a law prohibiting and punishing the commercial number of trafficking victims were provided with such access sexual exploitation of children under the age of 18, but allowed during the year. for 16- and 17-year-old children to engage in sexual activity in exchange for remuneration, gifts, goods, food, or other benefits, thus rendering them vulnerable to commercial sexual Prevention exploitation. During the year, the government identified The Government of Belgium sustained trafficking prevention an increased number of trafficking victims. However it efforts, and demonstrated transparency in these efforts, during sentenced only one trafficking offender in absentia to jail the year. The Rapporteur’s office continued to publish an time. Furthermore, it did not report the investigation or annual self-critical report on the government’s anti-trafficking prosecution of any public officials for alleged complicity in activities, focused on the financial aspects of trafficking. human trafficking-related offenses. Lack of punishment for The report of a Senate working group on human trafficking trafficking offenders, especially complicit officials, remained a contained a critical analysis of the strengths and weaknesses significant obstacle to the government’s ability to authentically of the government’s anti-trafficking efforts and made a address its trafficking problem. number of recommendations for improvement. In June 2012, the government approved its 2012-2014 National Action

Plan on trafficking, which includes creation of legal status BELIZE TIER RANKING BY YEAR for the shelters, launches new awareness campaigns, and strengthens the prosecution of traffickers. The government continued to co-sponsor the nationwide campaign, “Stop Child Prostitution” in 2012 and continued to distribute a multilingual flyer on visas for potential trafficking victims. 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 The government also continued outreach to domestic workers in diplomatic households to inform them of their rights and provide them with avenues to report abuse; among Recommendations for Belize: Proactively implement the other measures, requiring domestic workers to appear in recently passed anti-trafficking law by aggressively investigating person annually to renew their identification cards. Belgian and prosecuting forced labor and sex trafficking offenders, authorities identified child sex tourism as a serious problem including officials complicit in trafficking; take steps to ensure among Belgian nationals, but reported no prosecutions of such the effective prohibition of the commercial sexual exploitation activity. The government provided specific anti-trafficking of children, including those of ages 16 and 17; seek criminal training to Belgian troops prior to their deployment abroad punishment for any guilty trafficking offender; monitor human on international peacekeeping missions. There were no efforts trafficking trial procedures, and ensure trafficking offenders to reduce demand for commercial sex acts. receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the crime; complete the anti-trafficking committee’s development and implementation of formal procedures to guide officials BELIZE (Tier 2) in proactively identifying victims of sex trafficking and forced labor, including among migrant laborers and people in Belize is a source, destination, and transit country for men, prostitution, and refer them for care; continue to increase women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced partnerships with NGOs to address reintegration of trafficking labor. A common form of human trafficking in Belize is the victims in Belize; ensure identified foreign victims are not coerced prostitution of children, often occurring through penalized for crimes, such as immigration violations, parents pushing their children to provide sexual favors to older committed as a direct result of being subjected to human men in exchange for school fees, money, and gifts. Child sex trafficking; and implement a targeted campaign educating tourism, involving primarily U.S. citizens, has been identified domestic and foreign communities about forced domestic as an emerging trend in Belize. Additionally, sex trafficking service and other types of forced labor, commercial sexual and forced labor of Belizean and foreign women and girls, exploitation of children, and other forms of human trafficking. primarily from Central America, occurs in bars, nightclubs, and brothels throughout the country. Foreign men, women, and children, particularly from Central America, Mexico, and Prosecution Asia, migrate voluntarily to Belize in search of work; some The Government of Belize improved its capacity to prosecute may fall victim to forced labor. Children and adults working trafficking offenders during the reporting period; however, in the agricultural and fishing sectors in Belize are vulnerable despite an increase in arrests of suspected trafficking offenders, to forced labor. Forced labor has been identified in the service the government did not sufficiently punish convicted trafficking sector among the South Asian and Chinese communities offenders in 2012. In February 2013 the government enacted in Belize, primarily in restaurants and shops with owners the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Act which prohibits from the same country. There has been at least one case of all forms of trafficking and prescribes punishments of one to a Belizean trafficking victim identified in previous years in eight years’ imprisonment, up to 12 years’ imprisonment if the the United States. victim is a child, and up to 25 years’ imprisonment in cases involving sexual assault or other aggravating circumstances. This law repealed and replaced the government’s previous anti- trafficking law. Notably, the new law elevated the offense of 94 BENIN 95 , which by applying residency; for however, the government did not by a senior Ministry Human of Development official. During Prevention the administrative capital. The practice vidomegon of traditionally provided educational or vocational opportunities to children by placing them in the homes wealthier of families, they were able to receive assistance. the year,the committee anti-trafficking released 2012-2014 a the and role responsibilities the of anti-trafficking coordination theDepartment Human of Services to document actual and to guide immigration authorities and prison officials, the targeted the at demand forced for labor clients or the of sex trade to reduce the demand commercial for sex acts. subjected to domestic servitude sex or trafficking in Cotonou, particularly in the cotton sector—in artisanal mines, at potential trafficking cases. The government continuedits placed child victims in foster care with or relatives. protection measures, including a provision assistance for and women, children, and possibly men subjected to forced labor were detained involuntarily in these shelters. The government with the investigation and prosecution of trafficking offenders, government’s new anti-trafficking law includes some victim government deported punished or some foreign victims before is now used to exploit children in domestic servitude. Children The governmentmade some progressin prevention efforts The recently passed anti-trafficking law institutionalized interagency cooperation trafficking on in Belize formalizing by increased transparency in its anti-trafficking efforts by Thegovernment did conductnot any awareness campaigns including shelters in the Cayo and Belize districts, with or families around the country. There were no reports that victims from prosecution punishment or crimes for committed as a victims participating in court cases were detained not or victims without funds. The government did report not granting victim restitution. The law also exempts trafficking victims residency to any trafficking victims during the past year. The result being of subjected to human trafficking. Therewere reports, however, that due to lack identification of procedures law enforcement authorities despite their interest in seeking national strategic plan, which outlined steps to guide, monitor, justice. Authorities reported that identifiedforeign trafficking coordinate Belize’s anti-traffickingprograms through an committee. During the year, the government demonstrated cases although in 2012, court delays caused victims to become cover the costs the of application, presenting a barrier to those during the reporting period. The government continued to developing a system use for by front-line responders and discouraged and often led them to cease cooperation with deported during the reporting period. After the conclusion of courtof cases, foreign victims could remain in the country and sex trafficking. The majorityidentifiedof victims are girls are forced to labor farms, on in commercial agriculture— anti-trafficking committee13 of agencies and NGOs chaired andevaluate the government’s anti-trafficking efforts. awareness campaign in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Hindi. andthe government reported nine victimswere assisted in such Benin is a country origin, of transit, and destination for Authorities in Belize reportedly encouraged victims to assist BENIN (Tier 2) after Protection trafficking victims to available services. The government spent the equivalent approximately of to $96,500 provide in 2012 training identification on of trafficking victims during the trafficking victims during the reporting period. Officials trial before the Supreme Court. The government provided in- the traffickingoffender to anyjail time but ratheronly to torepeated rape and beatings, the court did sentencenot time. In another case, the government convicted a resort thatcriminalizes the facilitation prostitution of children of under years 18 age. of This law also allows and 16- for 17-year- up to25 years’ imprisonment in some cases, issufficiently thereporting period, the government also passed the 2013 trafficking “summary a from offence” tried in lowerthe courts toan indictableoffense tried before the SupremeCourt. The the previous year. Law enforcement and other officials did seven trafficking victims during the year. The Government services trafficking for victims, compared with the equivalent sentence. This is a decline from the previous year, when two sexual favors to older men in exchange remuneration for is specific clause in the law may render children vulnerable to stringentand commensurate with other serious crimes. During specific sentencing information for this convictedoffender. prescribed maximum penalty eight of years’ imprisonment, period; however, no traffickingoffenders received a custodial government reported some front-line responders received identification but not in victim care. The governmentprovided in identifying victims sex of trafficking andforced labor increase from two victims identified previousthe year. The government reportedassisted it seven trafficking victims in TheBelizean government sustained its efforts to protect in the course a trafficking of investigation remained pending foreign citizens in prostitution during the year. However, the kind assistance anti-trafficking for training for law enforcement victim care and assistance through placements in safe houses, reporting period. The government reported that the new reportedly identified13 new traffickingvictims, a notable reporting period. reported TIP in the Report, 2011 who allegedly raped a victim remained pending. Trafficking-related complicity remained remuneration, gifts, goods, food, other or benefits. This not systematically employ formal mechanisms to guide them commercial sexual exploitation given that coerced prostitution convicted traffickingoffenders receivedleastat one year jail common in Belize. The government reported prosecuted it Five human traffickingprosecutions previousfrom years draft procedures to guide officials and NGOs in referring fleeing the country, but the government provide not did the fivemonths. Despite the child 14 yearsbeing of age, length the of approximatelyof The Department $125,000 in 2011. of Belizeof reported that NGOs were actively engaged in victim ownersubjecting for child a to sex and labor trafficking for timeof she was heldin servitude, and her being subjected of childrenof by parents pushing their children to provide old childrenold to engage in sexual activity in exchange for among vulnerable populations such as migrant laborers or andlabor officials from many different ministries during the a serious problem. The prosecution a government of official, a fine. One trafficking offender was tried in absentia and convicted two traffickingoffenders during the reporting Commercial Sexual Exploitation Children (Prohibition) Act Human Services provided shelter and basic assistance to 2012-2014 strategic plan contains2012-2014 plans to update and develop 2012, compared2012, with trafficking 12 victims assisted during construction sites, or as street or market vendors to produce officials on relevant legislation and identification and referral or hawk items. Children from Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Togo, procedures; greatly increase funding to the OCPM, the Ministry and Niger are also in forced labor in these sectors; Togolese of Labor, and the Ministry of Family to ensure they can girls are exploited in prostitution in Benin. Cases of child sex adequately carry out their responsibilities for inspecting

BENIN tourism, involving both boys and girls, were reported in the worksites for trafficking crimes and providing support to Department of Mono and on the shores of the Bight of Benin. victims; improve efforts to collect law enforcement data on In northern Benin, children in Koranic schools, known as talibe, trafficking offenses and make these data available to other are exploited in forced begging by Koranic teachers known as government agencies and the public; and launch a nationwide marabout. The majority of child trafficking victims are from anti-trafficking awareness campaign. the northern regions of Benin, and many are recruited and transported to Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Gabon, and, to a lesser extent, Niger, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Guinea- Prosecution Bissau, where they are forced to labor in homes, mines, quarries, During the reporting period, the government maintained its restaurants, street vending, and on cocoa farms. The majority anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts with regard to child of child victims intercepted in Benin, either from Benin or labor trafficking and initiated its first prosecution of an adult other West African countries, are en route to exploitation in labor trafficking suspect; however, it took no discernible Nigeria. Beninese adult and child trafficking victims have prosecutorial action against sex trafficking or forced labor also been identified in Lebanon and the United Kingdom. not involving movement of victims. Existing laws do not Ghanaian and Nigerian women are trafficked into domestic prohibit all forms of trafficking. The 2006 Act Relating to servitude and forced prostitution in Benin. the Transportation of Minors and the Suppression of Child Trafficking criminalizes all forms of child trafficking and The Government of Benin does not fully comply with the prescribes penalties of 10 to 20 years’ imprisonment. These minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; penalties are sufficiently stringent and exceed those prescribed however, it is making significant efforts to do so. During the for other serious crimes, such as rape. However, the Act focuses reporting period, it finalized draft anti-trafficking legislation on prohibiting and punishing the movement of children that prohibits and prescribes penalties for the trafficking of rather than their ultimate exploitation and prescribes much adults, which awaits parliamentary approval. It continued lower penalties—six months to two years’ imprisonment its efforts to prosecute and convict child labor traffickers or fines—for actual trafficking crimes involving labor and to protect their victims, though authorities focused on exploitation which are not sufficiently stringent. The country’s intercepting trafficking transit situations rather than rescuing penal code outlaws procuring or offering of someone for persons from exploitation. prostitution and the facilitation of prostitution and prescribes punishments of six months to two years’ imprisonment, During the reporting period, the government identified 170 while the labor code prohibits forced labor and prescribes potential child trafficking victims and convicted 20 individuals punishments of two months to one years’ imprisonment or a for unlawfully transporting them. Although the government fine. These punishments are neither sufficiently stringent nor also initiated prosecution of six offenders for their involvement commensurate with punishments prescribed for other serious in the trafficking of adults, it failed to systematically investigate crimes, such as rape. In September 2012, the government, in such cases or provide protective services to adult victims partnership with UNODC, completed drafting comprehensive identified in or repatriated to Benin in 2012. It also did not anti-trafficking legislation which includes prohibitions and investigate or prosecute any sex trafficking or forced labor penalties for the trafficking of adults; the finalized draft awaits offenses or cases that did not involve the movement of victims parliamentary approval. within Benin or across borders. Anti-trafficking progress was stymied by the government’s failure to adequately fund and During the year, the Ministry of the Interior’s OCPM capacitate the Office for the Protection of Minors (OCPM), investigated 63 cases and referred 19 suspects to the Court the Ministry of Family, and the Ministry of Labor. of Cotonou for prosecution. In its first prosecution involving the trafficking of adults, in May 2012, OCPM apprehended and referred six suspects to the Court of Cotonou who are BENIN TIER RANKING BY YEAR alleged to have coordinated employment for Beninese women in Lebanon and procured their travel documents. Outside the capital, the government convicted 20 individuals for the illegal movement of children under Act 2006-04, compared to 25 offenders convicted in 2011; sentences ranged from a 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 six-month suspended prison term to two years’ imprisonment and fines equivalent to approximately $20 to $600. These penalties were lower than those applied in the previous Recommendations for Benin: Finalize and enact draft reporting period and were inadequate to deter the commission legislation to criminalize all forms of trafficking consistent of trafficking crimes. Due to a backlog in the courts, ten similar with the 2000 UN TIP Protocol; increase efforts to convict prosecutions remained pending at the close of the reporting and punish trafficking offenders, including use of existing period. The government failed to investigate or prosecute any statutes to prosecute sex trafficking and forced labor crimes, sex trafficking offenses, forced labor on worksites, or cases in as well as the trafficking of adults; ensure adequate sentencing which victims were not moved within Benin or across borders, of convicted trafficking offenders, including the increased as all offenders prosecuted were Beninese and discovered imposition of prison sentences rather than fines; develop transporting children for intended labor exploitation. systematic procedures for the proactive identification of victims —including those found to be in situations of forced labor— OCPM, a specialized unit responsible for all criminal cases and their subsequent referral to care; train law enforcement involving children, remained understaffed, underfunded, 96 BHUTAN 97 , or karaoke, or bars, are subjected to , police,local authorities, mining operators, owners required employees to sign a contract to gendarmes drayung between these offices and the OCPM. Effectivenessof the labor Prevention the country. Bhutanese girls who work as domestic servants to Combat Child Trafficking continuedits coordinating efforts to quarries in Abeokuta, Nigeria and facilitated the repatriation the Civil Service’s Office of Labor imposed administrative there was no mechanism to coordinate efforts and casework though such training was conducted by a foreign donor. the government neither made systematic efforts to identify to combat child labor trafficking and the anti-trafficking undertake efforts during the year. In July the 2012, government that victims were detained,fined, or jailed for unlawful acts sex andlabor trafficking. A civil society group asserted that some some which of likely included trafficking crimes. In addition, screening individuals in prostitution, which may have left September during 2012, an ILO-funded training, Ministry of penalties, resulting in fines, even for serious labor violations, work in the karaoke bar five for years, and the employeeswere government, in cooperation with the ILO, UNICEF, and workedin partnership with international organizations to includingchild trafficking. The Joint Nigeria-Benin Committee inspectorate remained limited by an inadequate number of inspectors and insufficient resources to conduct inspections. The government took no systematic steps to reduce the demand identified or in repatriated to Benin. Therewere no reports The government made minimal efforts to prevent trafficking in persons during the year. Although government ministries for commercialfor sex acts forced or labor both within the country hasyetnot allocated funding to implementthe plan.The UNHCR,raised awareness the on worst forms child of labor, vulnerable to forced labor and sex trafficking, and Bhutanese victims unidentified in the law enforcement system. law, specificallylaw, in source communities. For example, during childrenare subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking within child labor to officials, including judges in the children’s courts, committed as a direct result being of trafficked.However, carry out awareness campaigns, the labor inspectoratefailed coordinating body—the Trafficking and ExploitationTechnical commercial sexual exploitation children. of In June 2012, Forms of Child Labor (2012-2015); however, Formsthe government Child of Labor (2012-2015); deploymentabroad international on peacekeeping missions, Ministries Justice of and Family held sessions to raise awareness of tenof child trafficking victims from Nigeria during the year. In of childof trafficking and the relatedprovisions under Beninese and entertainers in drayungs aspart the of Day Action of World Against Child Labor, the aimed reducing at child labor trafficking from Zakpota, Benin andCSP staff. Inspectors with the Ministry Labor of and and transnationally during the reporting period. provided It adult trafficking victims nor employed any mechanism for adopted the National Plan the for Elimination the of Worst Labor officialsprovided instructionon techniques to combat Beninese troops with anti-trafficking trainingprior to their Bhutan is a destination country men, for women, and children October inKandi, 2012 officials raised awareness of the Working Group the of National Monitoring and Coordination Working Group Child for Protection—similarly failed to BHUTAN (Tier 2) , social workers, and judges. The government did not Protection two adult labor trafficking victims. The Ministryof Foreign them to potential additional trauma. Although the Beninese the repatriation least at of eight Beninese trafficking victims underbilaterala agreement, failed it to carry in 2012 out trafficking victims throughout the country, particularly in rural to cover their basic needs. Through their broad services in to their families, typically after schooling vocational or training term NGO shelters. For example, in January security 2013, supportvictims of crime of and vulnerable groups, centers 85 staffed by government and NGO personnel, but located on proceedings unless a judge required it, preferring not to expose partnershipwith UNICEF and NGOs to coordinate placement provided by the Ministry Family of had been secured. Officials police premises in Cotonou, before referring them to long- protective services to adult victims identify or victims of government identifiedone and assisted in the repatriationof government partnered with the Congolese government on workedwith the MinistryFamily of to return Beninese children with the Ministries Family, of Justice, and Interior worked in with them placement for to Togo in an NGO-run shelter. OCPM government officials allegedly complicit humanin trafficking who reportedly protected traffickersor sought to hinder the in Lebanon. Although the OCPM maintained jurisdiction to Togolese and Ghanaian children who were allegedly destined identified. OCPMprovided them temporary shelter, wellas interviewing the children took it into custody, compared to 249 identified the majority 2011; in of these childrenidentified in identified potential170 child labor traffickingvictims by The government sustained efforts to protect potential forced forces intercepted and the OCPM subsequently identified12 failed to shelter provide or protective services to such victims for social for promotion under (CSP) the Ministry Family, of for such for children, while an NGO provided financial support for domesticfor servitude in Nigeria; the children were assisted fuel to conduct investigations and provide immediatevictim repatriation child of trafficking victims to Benin. report efforts to investigate, prosecute, convict, sentence or joint investigations extraditionsor chargedof defendants encourage child victims to take part in investigations court or communities. Government social workers provided counseling commercial sexual exploitation forced or labor. The OCPM child labor victims during the year, though did it not provide crimes, including individuals in the Benin diplomatic corps child trafficking, as partitsof broader trainingon child rights Faso, Gabon, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, and were also Togo drafting specific trafficking training modulesfor thepolice, of victimsof into their communities. home The OCPM did not offered basic social services, food, and temporary shelter to of child of trafficking victims withhost families provided who areas where such services were scarce and in the reintegration additionalcare to children prior to reinsertion into their home at OCPM’sat transit center before government officials traveled as legal, medical, and psychological services in a transit center and protection. During the year,the Ministry Justice of began and without adequate office supplies, transportation, and assistance. The National Police Academy provided 1,000 senior and entry-level police officers with trainingon counteracting assist adult trafficking victims,it and otherofficial entities Beninesewomen who encountered forced labor prostitution or gendarmes 2012 were Beninese,2012 though trafficked children from Burkina Affairs reported the efforts its of consulate in Beirut to assist —a key component this of agreement. During the year, the financially penalized if they terminated their employment respectively, and prohibits all forms of trafficking of children earlier; some employees were required to reside in these bars. “for the purpose of exploitation” in Article 224 of the Child A civil society group noted that some of these employed girls Care and Protection Act of 2011. Punishments range from three are vulnerable to being forced into prostitution with customers years to life imprisonment. The Labor and Employment Act of under threat of physical abuse from the drayung owners. Young, 2007 also prohibits most forms of forced labor, with penalties rural Bhutanese are transported to urban areas, generally by from three years to less than five years’ imprisonment. These BOLIVIA relatives, for domestic work, and some of them are subjected penalties are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with to domestic servitude. Indian and Bangladeshi men who work those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape. The in Bhutan’s construction and hydropower sectors and Indian government did not investigate or prosecute any suspected women and girls who work in domestic service in Bhutan trafficking offenders in the reporting period. The government are vulnerable to human trafficking. Immigration officials did not report any prosecutions of government employees noted there was a growing problem of undocumented Indian for alleged complicity in trafficking-related offenses during domestic workers in Bhutan. In the reporting period, a foreign the reporting period. Some NGOs expressed concern that girl was subjected to forced labor in a restaurant in Bhutan. government officials and police officers were not sufficiently trained to understand and respond to trafficking cases. The Government of Bhutan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. The government did Protection not use procedures to identify trafficking victims among The Government of Bhutan undertook modest efforts to vulnerable populations, but funded an NGO whose services protect victims of human trafficking. The government did were available to protect trafficking victims. Some government not employ systematic procedures to identify victims and agencies have a limited understanding of the definitions of refer them to protective care. Women and children who were human trafficking. trafficking victims were able to access shelter and services from a government-funded NGO, but there were no known protective facilities for male trafficking victims. Adult victims BHUTAN TIER RANKING BY YEAR were not able to leave the shelter unchaperoned until after all court proceedings had been completed. The government identified a foreign child trafficking victim who was found working in a restaurant. The girl was referred to care facilities and the trafficker was fined for employing an undocumented 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 worker. Sex trafficking victims may have been punished for prostitution offenses. The Government of Bhutan deported undocumented Indian and Bangladeshi migrant workers Recommendations for Bhutan: Amend Section 154 in the without screening them for trafficking victimization; however, penal code to refine the definition of human trafficking so the government worked with foreign civil society groups and the purpose of the crime is “exploitation” rather than “any foreign governments, and when necessary, paid for temporary illegal purpose;” undertake and publish a comprehensive lodging and airfare to ensure the welfare of these deported assessment of all forms of human trafficking—including labor migrant workers. The law does not provide legal alternatives trafficking of men—in Bhutan; train government officials on to removal of trafficking victims to countries in which victims the existence of human trafficking and the implementation would face retribution or hardship. of anti-trafficking laws; establish shelters for trafficking victims in border areas; develop procedures to proactively identify trafficking victims, both men and women, and refer them to Prevention protection services; continue to fund NGOs that provide The Government of Bhutan undertook minimal efforts protective services to trafficking victims; ensure that trafficking to prevent human trafficking in the reporting period. In victims are not penalized for acts committed as a result of February 2013, a government-funded NGO conducted a being trafficked, such as prostitution or immigration offenses; cross-border sensitization training on human trafficking undertake human trafficking awareness-raising measures with an international organization and an Indian NGO. The among vulnerable populations; and accede to the 2000 UN government did not launch any campaigns to raise awareness TIP Protocol. of human trafficking in the country. The government did not report whether it took steps to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts. Bhutan is not a party to the 2000 UN Prosecution TIP Protocol. The Government of Bhutan did not take law enforcement efforts against human trafficking over the last year. Article 154 of the penal code was amended in 2011 broadly to criminalize a person who “recruits, transports, sells or buys, harbors BOLIVIA (Tier 2) or receives a person through the use of threat or force or Bolivia is principally a source country for men, women, and deception within, into or outside of Bhutan for any illegal children who are exploited in sex trafficking and forced labor purpose.” This definition departs from the Palermo Protocol within the country or abroad. Bolivians are found in conditions definition because it requires that the purpose be otherwise of forced labor in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Spain, the “illegal,” rather than simply be for the purpose of “exploitation.” United States, and other countries, usually in sweatshops Bhutan also defines trafficking to include the buying, selling and agriculture, as well as in domestic service. Within Bolivia, or transporting of a child for any illegal purpose and the women, children, and men are subjected to sex trafficking, often same actions if done for the purpose of engaging a person in urban areas. Bolivian women and girls are also exploited in in prostitution in articles 227 and 379 of the penal code, 98 BOLIVIA 99 Protection trafficking victims. Law enforcementofficials and prosecutors uneven, and civil society organizations provided the majority of trafficking investigations, althoughit is unclearhow many traffickingoffender reported 2012; in sentences ranged from two to years’ 12 imprisonment, although the convicted labor traffickingoffender remained underhouse arrest after appealing supported no specialized shelters adult for victims. Authorities specialized care without government funding. The government such aspimping, which prior to the new law carried lesser Specialized victim services were lacking in most the of country. prosecutors investigated child sex trafficking as other crimes, prosecutors to prioritize investigations cases of involving child penalties eight of to years’ 12 imprisonment. Some officials penalties. prosecutionswere initiated The in government 2012. reported government institutions. The government operated one shelter was designated to handle trafficking cases in addition to their government did not report the total number victims of referred within the country to or other countries without proper were also fundedby foreign governments. Many theof cases in La Paz girls for in commercial sexual exploitation but in 2012, often in 2012, funded by NGOs,international organizations, investigation, prosecutions, convictions or government of identifying possible trafficking 319 victims. Officials referred The government paid the salaries officers for 14 specialized in investigated by these units involved missing persons, limiting for assistancefor Based in 2012. press on accounts and trafficking however, the police opened a missing persons unit in La Paz, human trafficking cases. The national coordinationoffice her sentence. In comparison, the government in 2011 reported victims to services and shelters during the year, although the victims were more limited. responsible prosecution for human of trafficking andother received anti-trafficking training from governmentofficials least one prosecutor in each Bolivia’s of nine departments lacked formal procedures identifying for trafficking victims labor illegal or adoption. Prosecutors reported opening 95 convictions, most victims identifiedwere girls in sex trafficking, crimes collected law enforcement data from across the country course, and victim assistance guidelines during the year. At existing caseload. the In 2012, attorney general instructed cases involving victims 319 There in 2012. was no information convicting four sex trafficking offenders and one labor convicting two forced labor and seven sex traffickingoffenders. conflatedhuman traffickingwith the movement of children documentation. According to press reports, some police and officials for trafficking-relatedcomplicity. victims,of efforts to protect trafficking victims remained officers’ ability to focuson trafficking cases. During the year, allowing the La Paz anti-trafficking unit to focusits work on and efforts to identify forced labor victims adult or trafficking and developed training materials, including an online training as well as a foreign government.Authorities reported no among vulnerable populations. Bolivian police reported available regarding many how these of cases involved forced anti-trafficking and anti-smuggling police units; these units Police reported investigating potential human trafficking While the government reported assisting an increased number 2012 outlining2012 required victim support procedures different for Authorities issued a victim attention protocol in December 2013 2012 Enhance victim services 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 BOLIVIA TIER RANKING BY YEAR been identified in forcedprostitution in Bolivia. Members Prosecution trafficking units focushumanon trafficking as opposed to trafficking victimsproactively by developing formalprocedures trafficking policies. numberThe of traffickingconvictions tofulfill of some the law’s new requirements until2013. trafficking. Within the country, Bolivian children are found trafficking offenses, and convict and punish trafficking stringent and commensurate with penalties prescribed under strengthened interagency coordination, and established anti- services. servitude, and the forced prostitution adults; of ensure that specialized assistance trafficking for victims, including for sex trafficking in neighboring countries, including Argentina, prohibited all forms human of trafficking andprescribed prohibits all forms trafficking of and establishes penaltiesof populations; intensify law enforcementefforts against the The government enacted a new trafficking law in July2012 that The government increased investigations human of trafficking it didit not provide dedicated funding to government ministries it is it makingsignificant efforts to do so. During the year, the government enacted a new trafficking law that strengthened The Government Bolivia of does not fully comply with the in domestic servitude, forced begging, and forced labor in for prosecutorsfor and police and ensure that dedicated human few specialized services trafficking for victims, and services adultfor victims and victims forced of labor were inadequate. for identifyingfor trafficking victims among vulnerable forced labor adults of and children, including domestic victim protection and traffickingprevention efforts.However, victims forced of labor; strengthen efforts to prosecute victims, achieved the first conviction domesticfor servitude, returningBolivian trafficking victims receive reintegration remained relative low to the large number victims of found in local governments to implementtheir new responsibilities. majority law of enforcement efforts focused child on victims. during the year, though convictions remained and low the miningand agriculture minimum standards the for elimination trafficking; of however, diverges from the 2000 UN TIP Protocol by penalizing illegal other crimes such as missing persons; enhance efforts to identify offenders and fraudulent labor recruiters; increase resources of indigenousof communities are particularly vulnerable to other nearby countries, including Brazil and Paraguay, have adoption as human trafficking. Previously, Bolivian law across the country by increasing resources designated for Bolivia, particularly forced for labor. Thegovernment funded Peru, andChile. a more limited To extent, women from Bolivian lawother for serious crimes, such as rape.The law Recommendations for Bolivia: Authoritiesassisted an increased number sex of trafficking Also, the government didallocate not dedicated funding for 10 to 15 years’ to 15 10 imprisonment. These penalties are sufficiently also operated general shelters for vulnerable girls, including year. The government provided human rights training with victims of violence and juvenile offenders. One of these centers anti-trafficking content for its troops before they deployed on reported assisting 45 girl victims in 2012. Many general centers international peacekeeping missions. did not accept children older than fourteen. Local governments operated two special victims units in 2012, including one opened during the year; these units focused on providing legal and psychological services to victims of gender-based violence, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA including victims of human trafficking. The special victims unit (Tier 2) in Santa Cruz provided social, medical, and legal assistance to 46 victims in 2012. NGOs and religious groups without Bosnia and Herzegovina is a source, destination, and transit government funding provided the majority of shelter care and country for men, women, and children subjected to sex reintegration programs to victims. Many of these programs were trafficking and forced labor. Bosnian women and girls are not exclusively for trafficking victims but also provided services subjected to sex trafficking within the country in private to victims of gender-based violence or sexual abuse. The new residences, motels, and gas stations. There is an increasing law established that local governments should create specialized problem of Roma boys and girls being subjected to forced centers for trafficking victims; the central government did begging by organized criminal groups. Victims from Serbia, not allocate dedicated funding to establish these centers, but Bulgaria, Germany, and Ukraine were subjected to trafficking provides departments with a budget to administer all social within the country. Bosnian victims are subjected to sex service programs. Services for male victims were virtually trafficking and forced labor in Serbia, Slovenia, Macedonia, nonexistent, and minor male victims were referred to juvenile Azerbaijan, Croatia, Spain, Italy, and other countries in Europe. justice detention centers for shelter. Argentine officials reported identifying hundreds of Bolivian victims of trafficking during The Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina does not fully

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of the year, many of whom reportedly chose to return to Bolivia. trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. An international organization funded the repatriation of 40 victims from Argentina and 10 from Peru with government The government enhanced its efforts to protect victims of assistance for paperwork but did not have sufficient funding to trafficking through improved funding levels for anti-trafficking assist all Bolivian victims exploited in neighboring countries. activities in the national budget and amended legislation Authorities assisted repatriated child victims. to enable victims of trafficking who are in the country on a humanitarian visa to obtain employment. The government The government encouraged victims to participate in trafficking convicted and sentenced one public official to prison for a investigations and prosecutions, though victims often chose trafficking-related offense. However, the government has not to cooperate out of fear of reprisals from traffickers and not yet amended sub-national laws to criminalize all forms lack of faith in the judicial system. During the year, some of trafficking consistent with national and international law. government officials providing services were insensitive to the Police complicity in trafficking-related offenses and authorities’ needs of victims, while other officials released the names of lack of sensitivity to child victims of sex trafficking reportedly child trafficking victims to the press. The new trafficking law impeded efforts to hold trafficking offenders accountable. criminalizes the release of victim information by government employees and established penalties of three to eight years’ imprisonment. There were no reports of identified victims BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA TIER RANKING BY YEAR being jailed or penalized for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of their being subjected to human trafficking. The government did not provide foreign trafficking victims with legal alternatives to deportation to countries where they may face retribution or hardship. 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Prevention Recommendations for Bosnia and Herzegovina: Vigorously The government maintained human trafficking prevention investigate sex and labor trafficking and hold trafficking efforts during the year. The national anti-trafficking council, offenders accountable through prosecutions and appropriate which also focused on smuggling, met regularly in 2012 and sentences; harmonize sub-national laws to explicitly developed implementing guidelines for the new trafficking criminalize all forms of trafficking consistent with the state law, which were formalized in February 2013. The government law and the 2000 UN TIP Protocol; continue to vigorously developed public service announcements on the new law that investigate and prosecute officials complicit in trafficking- aired during the year. The implementing guidelines of the new related crimes; ensure child victims of trafficking are not law required media outlets to run a certain number of minutes punished for acts committed as a direct result of being of public service announcements about human trafficking and trafficked; include labor inspectors in the national referral the new law each month, which some media outlets stated mechanism with a goal to increase identification of male would deprive them of a significant amount of advertising victims and labor trafficking; and increase funding for income. Effective coordination between government agencies reintegration services for domestic victims. was uneven outside of the capital, although one department formed an anti-trafficking council in 2012. Police officers continued to conduct awareness programs in public schools Prosecution in the La Paz area. There were no reported investigations, The Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina demonstrated prosecutions, or convictions for child sex tourism during modest anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts over the last the year. No government efforts to reduce demand for year, convicting one official for a trafficking-related offense commercial sex acts or forced labor were reported during the and cooperating on transnational trafficking investigations. 100 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 101 bi-annual training victim on identification and referral for budget line item, and providing more assistance to NGOs. This Prevention to allow victims trafficking of humanitariana hold who visa to theirsafe repatriation. The government rarely referred foreign trafficking public awareness campaign, targeted to young to work legally in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The government to forced begging. Nineteen the of identified 39 victims trafficking victims, making the anti-trafficking budget a regular trafficking compared to previousthe year, during which the the reporting period, seven NGOs received small grants to trafficking taskforce to increase expert participationled to a staff regional at day centers street for children that serve Roma strategy and action equivalent plan in 2013: to approximately significantly improved the government’s ability to address people seeking employment outside the of country. The period, which was equal to the number victims of issued such permits Observers in 2011. reported that once prosecutors permittingvictims trafficking of withhumanitarian a visa government amended legislation during the reporting period work legally in the country and to count time spent under such without providing them adequate assistance arranging or for grant equivalent to approximately $6,700 an for NGO anti- were children, including three boys. All the of adult victims government drew the equivalent to approximately $46,000, initiated deportation procedures against victims trafficking of The government made moderate efforts to prevent trafficking identified39 victimsof trafficking2012,compared in with 34 identifiedwere women. The national referral mechanism identify and assist victims forced of labor. The government from a general fund all for victims sexual of violence and did victimstook advantage the of reflection period The 2012. in victims to legal serviceproviders, despite agreements with an victims the of Ten identified in 2011. victimswere subjected victims werepermittednot to leave theshelter without a victims being detained otherwise or penalized unlawful for reflection period, time in which they could recover before requested and received residence permits during the reporting nationalanti-trafficking coordinator continued to provide new plan and strategy to combat trafficking. At the of end the not fund services foreign for victims trafficking. of During evaluationthe of 2008-2012 national action planto inform a closedcasea due to lack evidence, of the government often equivalent to approximately $46,000 assistance for to domestic chaperone. A restructuringthe of national interagency anti- modest prevention campaign in secondary schools targeting demand commercial for sex acts. The government organized an deciding whetherto cooperate with law enforcement; two determined a victim’s testimony was not needed, when or they during the reporting period. The government funded a did not incorporate labor inspectors, hampering efforts to meet basic needs victims of trafficking. of Three NGO shelters marked improvementin the taskforce’s investigation tactics. Ministry Security, of in cooperation with an NGO, launched NGO to provide such services. There were no reports adult of and other populations vulnerable to forced begging. The ananti-trafficking website. The government supporteda a visatowards permanent residency. Four victims trafficking of allocated the equivalent $100,000 of to implement the national assisted child 18 and three adult victims trafficking; of the acts committed as a result their of being trafficked. Victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina are permitted a 30-day $69,000assistance for to foreign trafficking victims, and the border police to how on identify trafficking. The government Protection training to officialshow on identify to victimsforcedof traffickers and their customers,often in exchangebribes. for to prostitution permit police to charge children age 14 tofinea months 26 and prison, in gaveoffenderone one-year a twooffenders in Bihac each tothree months’ imprisonment under the jurisdiction the of state. The government has yet to traffickingoffenders were prosecuted under the Enticement to Prostitution statute in Article Federation of 210 Bosnia of to 10 years’ to 10 imprisonment; the criminal code was amended trafficking, providing stable funding services for and suspended sentence, and acquitted one defendant. The state state, the Federation Bosnia of and Herzegovina and the Srpska but returned another case referred by the Brcko District Sextrafficking forcedand labor areprohibited through Article period, observers reported that police continued to treat child prosecutor’s office. Sub-national laws against enticement prosecutor’s office acceptedone suspected trafficking case investigations 29 of suspects. These penalties are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those prescribed other for serious crimes, such as rape. The national government convicted one traffickingoffender The government improved efforts to protect victims of intoten Serbian victims exploitedin Bosnia and Herzegovina. The national anti-trafficking coordinator, in cooperation with There was one reported conviction a government of official in trafficking, particularlyat localthe level, continued; interrogations. imprisonment misusing for his position to sexually exploit international Cantonal law. prosecutors’ offices within the for allegedfor involvement in trafficking-relatedoffenses; a former social welfare official was sentenced to six years’ human trafficking, and law enforcement academies trained harmonizesub-national laws with the state anti-trafficking victims sex of trafficking offendersas and subjected them to referred by the Banja Luka prosecutor’s office in Republika labor. Judicial centers trained new judges and prosecutors on law and the 2000 UN TIP Protocol to explicitly criminalize not consistent with the definitionhumanof trafficking under new investigations eight of trafficking suspects ongoingand cooperated with the Serbian government an on investigation exploitedchildren weredocumented duringthe reporting convicted one offender under Article and 198 sentenced him judicial authority. The Brcko District is a self-governing unit convictions The state prosecutor’s in 2011. office reported Federation prosecuted twotrafficking offenders in Sarajevo and during the reporting period, a minor improvement over no during the reporting period to increase minimum sentences. observers allegedthat localpolice ignored activelyor protected one in Tuzla enticement for to prostitution. Courts sentenced an NGO and with international funding, provided specialized a child. Allegations police of and other official complicity andolder with prostitution; while no such prosecutions of and acquitted defendant. one Courts in Republika Srpska andHerzegovina’s criminal code, and in Article Brcko 207 of all forms trafficking. of In the absenceof such statutes, some Republika Srpska covers pimping and forced prostitution but is Republika Srpska. Each entity has political, legislative, and Bosnia and Herzegovinaconsists two of entities within the District’s criminal code. Article the of 198 criminal code of 186 of the of 186 criminal code, which prescribespenalties three of reporting period, the Council of Ministers adopted the Strategy soldiers, and teachers were found among the clients of children to Combat Trafficking in Persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina in prostitution during the previous reporting period. and a new national action plan for 2013-2015. The strategy aimed to strengthen criminal prosecution of traffickers and improve victim protection, prevention, and partnerships BOTSWANA TIER RANKING BY YEAR with NGOs. The Ministry of Defense, in cooperation with the OSCE, maintained a training program for peacekeepers on identifying and reporting human trafficking. BOTSWANA 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 BOTSWANA (Tier 2)

Botswana is a source and destination country for women and Recommendations for Botswana: Enact comprehensive children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. Residents anti-trafficking legislation; increase efforts to investigate and of Botswana most susceptible to trafficking are unemployed criminally prosecute suspected trafficking offenders under men and women, those living in rural poverty, agricultural existing laws in both transnational and internal trafficking workers, and children. Some parents in poor rural communities cases; develop a formal system to identify trafficking victims send their children to work for wealthier families as domestic proactively and train law enforcement, immigration, and social servants in cities or as herders at remote cattle posts. Young welfare officials to use this system to identify victims among Batswana serving as domestic workers for extended family vulnerable populations; develop guidelines for government- or friends of family in some cases may be denied access to provided services to include child victims of trafficking; launch education and basic necessities or subjected to confinement a national human trafficking awareness campaign; and institute or verbal, physical, or sexual abuse—all conditions indicative a unified system for documenting and collecting data on of forced labor. Batswana girls are exploited in prostitution human trafficking cases. within the country, including in bars and by truck drivers along major highways. The ILO and a child welfare organization Prosecution in Botswana believe that a significant minority of persons in The Government of Botswana demonstrated minimal progress prostitution are children. NGO reports during the year cited the in its anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts despite its rescue of 60 girls and boys from prostitution. Undocumented development of comprehensive legislation over the last year. It Asian immigrants may be vulnerable to forced labor due to the failed, however, to demonstrate efforts to vigorously investigate threat of deportation; in the previous reporting period, one and prosecute trafficking offenses under existing law. Botswana Indian national was held in forced labor through nonpayment does not have a law specifically prohibiting trafficking in of wages and withholding of his passport by traffickers of the persons, though provisions in the Penal Code of 1998, such same nationality. NGOs report forced labor of both adults and as those in sections 150-158 (forced prostitution), section children of the San ethnic minority group on private farms 256 (kidnapping for slavery), and sections 260-262 (slavery and cattle posts. and forced labor), prohibit most forms of trafficking. The The Government of Botswana does not fully comply with sufficiently stringent penalties prescribed for offenses under the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; these sections range from seven to 10 years’ imprisonment, however, it is making significant efforts to do so. The and are commensurate with those prescribed for other government completed drafting anti-trafficking legislation, serious crimes, such as rape. Sections 57 and 114 of the 2009 which is currently pending approval by the Cabinet. The Children’s Act prohibit child prostitution and child trafficking, Ministry of Defense, Justice, and Security (MDJS) coordinated respectively; section 57 prescribes penalties of two to five years’ two workshops to review the draft legislation, with foreign imprisonment for facilitation or coercion of children into government and civil society input and in partnership with prostitution, while section 114 prescribes penalties of five to UNODC through a donor-funded program. The government 15 years’ imprisonment for child trafficking. The Children’s Act, nonetheless failed to criminally prosecute or convict trafficking however, fails to define child trafficking, potentially limiting its offenders during the year. The government also failed to identify utility. The Attorney General completed drafting anti-trafficking or assist trafficking victims during the year. However, as part of legislation in October 2012 and submitted it to the Cabinet an ILO project in 2011, a government-funded NGO identified for review in early March 2013; the draft will then be sent to 58 victims of commercial sexual exploitation. Another NGO Parliament for debate and passage. In partnership with UNODC, separately identified an additional two victims of commercial the MDJS held two sessions to review the draft legislation and sexual exploitation. When victims were brought for assistance solicit feedback from government stakeholders in October by NGOs, the government offered counseling and modest 2012 and from civil society in February 2013, through which reintegration services. However, protection services were the legislation was strengthened and awareness of trafficking not provided to the large majority of children discovered in increased among government and NGO stakeholders. prostitution, as they did not qualify as orphans or destitute, Unlike the previous reporting period, the government did not which is legally required for such assistance; such services formally report comprehensive data on potential trafficking were not provided to any trafficking victims during the crimes. The Botswana Police Service reported its investigation current reporting period. For the second consecutive year, of two suspected trafficking cases. A trafficking prosecution the government failed to finalize formal identification and initiated in 2010 remained ongoing. In 2012, with support referral procedures and did not coordinate trafficking awareness from the government, IOM trained 16 immigration and law campaigns. The government failed to proactively investigate enforcement officers during a trainer-to-trainer program that official complicity in trafficking and trafficking-related crimes. took place in a government-owned facility; these officials A report released during the year indicated that police officers, independently trained an additional 121 officials using this 102 BRAZIL 103 are cases had , or slave, or labor, is and environmental have also been identified in rural areas, often cattle on ranches, charcoal byadvocating children remain in school. The government trafficking in Brazil. Some transgender Brazilians are forced transgender Brazilians have been exploited in sex trafficking the second consecutive year, though made it some efforts to the Northeast. Brazilian women are found in sex trafficking spread awareness hazardous of and exploitative child labor. such as Suriname, but also as far away as Japan. Authorities sexual exploitation victims aspart the of ILO project during the productioncamps, sugar-cane plantations, as well as in logging, particularly in resort and coastal areas in Brazil’s northeast. priests, assisted in identifyingand rehabilitating child labor and previous reporting period. In November the 2012, Department in the Amazon region.Forced labor victims are commonly gatos. Brazilians in trabalhoescravo intoprostitution within the country, and Brazilian men and work days in or degrading working conditions. While not weekly nationwide program Radio on Botswana, in particular government did not make efforts to reduce the demand for working to complete the list. Child laborcommittees, which involving debt bondage wereidentified during the year. Some identifiedmore than 300 Brazilian sex trafficking victims in Spain and Italy. Child sex tourism remains problem, a includesocial workers, school teachers, labor inspection investigated five suspects for allegedly purchasing sex from in urban areas, primarily in construction, as well as in the forced labor. A significantnumber of Brazilianwomen and forced labor victims, one recent study noted that 60 percent UnderBrazilian the law, term trabalhoescravo raising event in rural villages in Southern District. The Minister trabalho escravo reported that between the 2005 foreign and 2011 ministry launch any trafficking-specific prevention campaigns for lured with promises good of pay by local recruiters known as commercial sex acts during the reporting period. countries, including Paraguay, have been exploited in sex extent, the United States. experienced key indicators forced of labor, and numerous cases compilationlista of hazardous of forms work of and is still children in prostitution; case one was pending prosecution children are exploited in sex trafficking within the country, mining, and agricultural production. An NGO identified degradation and deforestation-related activities, particularly defined as forced laboror labor performed during exhausting men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and of workersof interviewed in rural trabalho escravo official recognitionof the need to increase the understanding trafficking of among Batswana, the government not did officers, and communityleaders such localas chiefs and Laborof and Social Security held an anti-trafficking awareness- Laborof raised awareness exploitative of child labor through a Inpartnership with the ILO, thegovernment continued its a strong link between trabalho escravo abroad, often in Western Europe neighboring or countries lessera abroad.To extent, some women from neighboring all individuals identified workingas in trabalho escravo at theat end the of reporting period. With that exception, the andfederal police report higher rates child of prostitution in Brazilian men, and to lesser extent children, are subjected to Brazil is a large source, destination, and transit country for Child sex tourists typically arrive from Europe and, to a lesser BRAZIL (Tier 2) Prevention Protection trafficking during the year. In partnership with UNODC, the to conditions trafficking of are likely deported before being thegovernment deported undocumented foreign migrants uniforms, and exemption from paying school fees. therefore were judged not to qualify existing for social services the needy students program, which provided toiletries, school these victims constitute portion a the of children 328 identified them immediate medical care, counseling, shelter or provide or the previous reporting period. Although the government trafficking during the year. The government failed identifyto the government did not investigate prosecute, or as appropriate, supported reintegration services as part in 2011 this of provided only informal screening trafficking for victimization penalizing trafficking victims during the year. Additionally, protect trafficking victims from punishment for unlawful programming. This child was assisted through enrollment in provided services to the one of children 58 removed from prostitution, as the children were not orphaned destitute or and process victims for gender-based of violence and vulnerable project through the return these of children to their families, period. Nonetheless, as part an of ILO project, a government- government began to develop a national action plan. Despite within hours 24 arrest of and, due to limited time and resources, in 2010, remainedin 2010, within the care this of shelter a third for government employees such for complicity in trafficking crimes. groups. Botswana has no social services specifically assisting Thegovernment continued minimal efforts toprevent The government decreased its efforts to protect victims of for thefor 300 undocumented foreign migrants deported each funded NGO identified 58 victims of childprostitution during hasnever resulted in the identification a of trafficking victim. year and government social workers continued to oversee her vulnerable population for victimization, thereby likely victims human of trafficking. The government funded an referred to social service officials. This informal screening refer them to care. The government began to develop referral a example, in implementing prostitution laws, police exclusively child prostitution. Department Social of Services staff only case. During the year, this NGO reported its identificationof children. One child victim domestic of servitude, identified continuation schooling of some for children, and land to start curriculum, anincrease police from officers 81 trained in day; thus, illegal immigrants who may have been subjected develop formal procedures to identify trafficking victims and or thator allow foreign victims relief from deportation. For or provideor assistance to trafficking victims during the reporting NGO-operated shelter, which provided general services to NGO to be among the clients children of in commercial sex; actscommitted as directa result their of being trafficked arrest persons soliciting prostitution but do not screen this as part an of ILO project, which served to identify children riskat entering of already or involved in agricultural labor or addition, the government did not make systematic efforts or anincome-generating program others, for failed it to provide any such assistance to victims in the current reporting year. In Botswana doeshave not laws, regulations, policies or that BotswanaCivil Service—were reported by government-fundeda 58 child58 trafficking victims, all removed prostitution; from 2011. Police officers,2011. soldiers, and teachers—membersof the restaurant and hospitality industries. Brazil is a destination prosecuted or convicted during the year. Brazilian laws prohibit for men, women, and children from Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, most forms of trafficking in persons. Articles 231 and 231-A and China in situations of trabalho escravo in garment factories of the penal code prohibit sex trafficking involving movement, and textile sweatshops in metropolitan centers, particularly with violence, threats, or fraud as aggravating elements, as Sao Paulo. Some Brazilian women and children, as well as opposed to necessary elements of the offense. These articles

BRAZIL girls from other countries in the region, have been subjected prescribe penalties of two to eight years’ imprisonment, to domestic servitude. Brazilian forced labor victims have which are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with been identified abroad. those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape. These articles are inconsistent with international standards because The Government of Brazil does not fully comply with the they require movement as a necessary element of human minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, trafficking, and also prohibit movement of a person for the it is making significant efforts to do so. Authorities continued purpose of prostitution, which is not a trafficking crime as to prosecute and convict trafficking offenders, continued defined in the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. However, other penal funding for 16 anti-trafficking offices, and increased awareness code statutes prohibit sex trafficking that does not involve on trafficking in persons by launching well-publicized media moving the victim. Many internal sex trafficking cases appear campaigns about trafficking warning signs. The government to be investigated as other crimes, such as sexual exploitation also launched a national anti-trafficking plan and committed of children. During the year, the Senate committee on human to spend the equivalent of approximately $2.9 million to trafficking released a report that recommended new legislation implement it by 2014. Despite this progress, challenges to increase penalties for trafficking offenders and to expressly remain. Brazilian officials continued to define trafficking as criminalize labor trafficking. a movement-based crime and statutes prohibiting trafficking were both too broad and too narrow, making it difficult to Some labor trafficking offenses are criminalized pursuant to assess fully government efforts to combat trafficking. The Article 149 of the penal code, which prohibits trabalho escravo, government continued to investigate and prosecute trabalho or reducing a person to a condition analogous to slavery, escravo cases, though sentences for some trabalho escravo prescribing penalties of two to eight years’ imprisonment. offenders remained inadequate. The government also did not Article 149, however, goes beyond situations in which people fund specialized services, such as shelters, for sex trafficking are held in service through force, fraud, or coercion, and victim and did not report how many total sex trafficking criminalizes other treatment that is not considered human victims were identified or referred to services during the year. trafficking, including situations in which persons were Specialized services, including shelters and job training, were subjected to exhausting work days or degrading working unavailable to many of the more than 2,600 potential labor conditions. Some convicted labor trafficking offenders have trafficking victims identified during the year. Some identified not served jail time in Brazil, as most are eligible to appeal foreign trabalho escravo victims were deported. their convictions while out on bail, or serve sentences in a half-way home, or pay fines. Article 207 of the penal code prohibits fraudulent recruitment of workers, with sentences BRAZIL TIER RANKING BY YEAR of one to three years’ imprisonment.

While there were not comprehensive statistics on law enforcement efforts against all forms of trafficking in Brazil, the government enhanced data collection efforts during the 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 year, including by reporting the number of convictions under trafficking-related statutes achieved in 2012. Given that these laws also criminalize non-trafficking offenses and other laws Recommendations for Brazil: Increase efforts to investigate may have been used to prosecute and convict trafficking and prosecute trafficking offenses, and convict and sentence offenders, it was unclear how many trafficking offenders trafficking offenders, including those involved in internal sex were convicted and sentenced in 2012. Authorities reported trafficking; dedicate increased funding for specialized at least nine prosecutions and six convictions under internal assistance, shelters, and protection for victims of sex trafficking sex trafficking statutes, as well as at least two convictions and forced labor, in partnership with civil society; vigorously under international sex trafficking statutes in 2012, but did investigate and prosecute those who engage in the prostitution not report the range of sentences. Many trafficking offenders of children, including through child sex tourism; amend were free to appeal their convictions while out on bail, and legislation to apply more stringent sentences for trafficking officials noted that delays in the justice system made it difficult offenders to ensure that convicted trafficking offenders cannot to hold traffickers accountable for their crimes, sometimes due serve sentences through community services or fines; enhance to delayed transfer of cases from police to prosecutors. There data collection on trafficking prosecutions, convictions, and was no public data on the number of individuals prosecuted or victim identification and increase transparency by making convicted in cases of sex trafficking not involving movement this data public; and increase collaboration between in 2012. Prosecutors typically prosecute cases of sex trafficking government entities involved in combating trabalho escravo, not involving movement under pimping statutes instead of sex trafficking, and child prostitution, in order to ensure the sex trafficking statute. coordinated efforts against all forms of human trafficking. To investigate potential cases of trabalho escravo, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) conducted 135 operations involving 241 Prosecution properties in 2012, compared with 171 operations involving Authorities continued to investigate and prosecute human 342 properties in 2011. According to data from federal trafficking and improved data collection on trafficking-related prosecutors’ offices, there were 503 police investigations of crimes, but it was unclear how many trafficking offenders were potential trabalho escravo open at the end of 2012. Based on 104 BRAZIL 105 . but authorities noted that these services are not specifically underfunded. NGOs and international organizations provided unavailable, and anNGO noted that identified sex trafficking traffickingoffices in partnershipwith state governments in trafficking victims. Therewere a total 12 of assistance posts, to refer child sex trafficking victims to the government-run to legal and health services and offered temporary shelter for to an alternate shelter. was It unclear many how child victims sextrafficking wasoften miscategorized, and authorities did sexual exploitation during the year. shelter assistance, though victims who were Brazilian citizens shelter options sex for trafficking victimswere generally six which of were opened during the year. The offices and shelter, counseling, and medical aid to women through its specialized social service centers, where they could be referred shelters children for in commercial sexual exploitation were period specialized for care. There were no specialized services posts generally functioned during business hours, and staff were provided withunpaid wages plusthree months’ salary government reported that rescued workers were due the workers and forced labor victims remain unidentified. Child were limited due to lack funding. of Brazilian police continued were referred to these centers during the year, and specialized The federal government continued to fund regional anti- These offices are responsible for coordinatinglocal government The government funded assistance posts in airports and other inadequate funding and highlighted some office’s limited in some parts the of country, particularly in the Northeast. The Ministry Social of Development provided generalized wage like laborers in situations trabalho of escravo for traffickingfor victims.It was unclearhow many trafficking for malefor and transgender sex trafficking victims. Long-term key transit points to aid repatriated citizens, including possible victims were not offered three months’ salary minimum at victimservices and shelters are underfunded and inadequate victims received these services and in some 2012, services referring victims movement-based of trafficking to services. received training during year victim on assistance. The report released by the Senate noted in that 2012 some offices received leviedagainst employers, in some cases authorities did not lacking. NGOs noted some government-run centers were not prepared willing or to handle trafficking cases, wereand not report the number children of identified in commercial nationwide network least at of centers 187 and shelters, 72 effortsagainst trafficking, raising public awareness, and exploitative experience, suggesting that many exploited Forced labor victims were not eligible government-provided for did not receive them due to nonpayment by employers. The did not fundspecialized shelters trafficking for victims, and file for these indemnities, and in other cases the victims of forcedof labor were rescued by mobile units during their as shelters legal or psychological or services. minimumat wage. Although labor prosecutors reported awarding some victims monetary compensation from fines additional victim services, often with foreign funding,and authorities referred victims to NGOs during the reporting ability to assist victims. There was public no information about many how total victims these entities identified and assisted what or in services 2012 victims were referred to, such 24 hours, 24 after which the children were referred to families or Additional challenges remained. The federal government 16 states,16 which one of opened during the reporting period. 13 percent13 workers of that had experienced strong indicators mobile units against them, cases they referred in 2012. In 2012, the MOL’s the In in 2012, MOL’s 2012. trabalho escravo was prevalent have been citedas in 2012 were in given 2012 prison sentences ; it is; it unclear many how these of laborers trabalhoescravo trabalho escravo . A trabalho escravo Protection the number trafficking of victimsidentified and assisted that described trafficking indicators and suggested referral the year. The government operated anti-traffickingoffices to possible cases child of domestic servitude with awareness to authorities were investigated and that only around 10 that were fulfilled through community serviceor reduced to trafficking victims had access to specialized services during these sentences: according to press reports, some individuals services, butdid fund not specialized services victims for of sex traffickingor forced labor. Authorities continued to use payfines. Labor inspectors prosecutorsand canonly apply percentwere criminally prosecuted.In some areas, local political pressure, threats from landowners, shortage labor of police physical for protection, but this did not always occur were victims forced of labor. A recent study reported that only with Public Ministry prosecutors who initiate criminal cases. inSao Paulo reported identifying sex 18 trafficking victims in prostitution. During the year, however, authorities issued andin different 2012, governmententities used different in 16 statesin 16 that referred victims to government and NGO The Brazilian government maintained efforts to ensure that investigate prosecute or three members Congress of trabalho for There were no reports investigations, of prosecutions, or impediments in the investigation some of these of cases. Mobile inspection teams should have been accompanied by federal inspectorspolice or officers, and the remoteness of areas in whichrural The Ministry Labor’s of anti- indicating the difficulty preventing in recurrence of this crime. There was no centralized data the on range penalties of for years’imprisonment. During the year, NGOs identified some year,butwas it clearnot many, how if were any, acquittals. victims among other vulnerable populations, such as people victims, but training local for and state level police was uneven. not reportnot systematicprocedures identifying for sex trafficking convictions public of officials for complicity in sex trafficking efforts,as opposed to criminal laboror investigations,but civil penalties, and their efforts were not always coordinated continued to free laborers and require those responsible to cases individuals of and companies with multiple accusations convicted of definitions when counting traffickingvictims. Authorities mobile units identified and freed 2,560 laborers in situations mechanisms. There were no comprehensive statistics regarding mobile inspection teams to identify forced laborers, but did fines, while others facedlong sentences, in some cases10 for of otherofficials how on identify to trafficking cases and assist offenses during the year. authorities In 2012 continued to officials reported that these guidelineswere under review. openprosecutions under Article before courts 149 in 2012. a guide government for entities working trafficking on andsometimes limited prosecutors’ ability to investigate cases. and investigations involving trabalho escravo available butincomplete data, there were approximately 286 and victims 59 trabalho of escravo escravo uthorities trained federal police, labor inspectors, and Official guidelines instructed laborprosecutors to respond Of these prosecutions, resulted 39 insentences during the 2011 that only2011 half the of trabalho escravo An NGO thatfiled the manyof these complaints noted in equivalent of approximately $4.4 million in back-pay in 2012. law strengthening state-level penalties for companies using The state of Mato Grosso continued to fund a program to trabalho escravo in their supply chain. The government took provide vocational training in construction skills and other public measures to reduce demand for commercial sexual services to freed slave laborers, and was one of the only states exploitation of children by continuing to raise awareness to do so. According to NGOs and international organizations, during the Carnival season. Despite the significant number of a significant percentage of rescued slave laborers have been child sex tourists visiting Brazil, there were no public reports BRUNEI re-trafficked, due to few alternate forms of employment and of prosecutions or convictions for child sex tourism in 2012. a lack of substantive assistance and services. The Brazilian government provided anti-trafficking training to its military troops prior to their deployment abroad on The government encouraged trafficking victims to participate international peacekeeping missions. in investigations and prosecutions of trafficking, and some did so during the year. Some victims were reluctant to testify due to fear of reprisals from traffickers. Victims of sex trafficking were eligible for short-term protection under a program for BRUNEI (Tier 2) witnesses, but it was unclear how many victims participated in Brunei is a destination country and, to a much lesser extent, this program in 2012. The government generally did not detain, a source and transit country for men and women who are fine, or otherwise penalize identified victims of trafficking for subjected to forced labor and forced prostitution. Men and unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked. women from countries within the region such as Indonesia, Foreign victims of trafficking were eligible for permanent visa Bangladesh, China, the Philippines, and Malaysia migrate status, although authorities did not report how many victims to Brunei primarily for domestic work, and are sometimes received this status in 2012. During the reporting period, subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude after their however, federal police officers deported some identified arrival. There are approximately 100,000 migrant workers foreign victims of trabalho escravo, despite official guidance in Brunei, some of whom face debt bondage, nonpayment instructing officials not to do so. Brazilian consulates abroad of wages, passport confiscation, abusive employers, and assisted Brazilian victims. confinement to the home—conditions widely recognized as indicators of human trafficking. Although it is illegal for Prevention employers in Brunei to withhold wages of domestic workers The Brazilian government took steps to prevent human for more than 10 days, some employers have been known to trafficking during the year, most significantly by formally withhold wages in order to recoup labor broker or recruitment launching the second national anti-trafficking plan for 2012- fees or as a tool to maintain the service of the workers. While 2016. The plan for movement-based trafficking established officials attempt to ensure that workers understand contracts government priorities in several areas, including changing by reviewing the details and witnessing the signatures, foreign the law, increasing the number of anti-trafficking offices nationals continue to have difficulties understanding contract and assistance posts, and improving data collection. The provisions as many lack basic literacy skills or do not speak government announced that it would dedicate the equivalent the local language. Many victims enter the country on social of $2.9 million to implement this new national plan by 2014, visit passes or tourist visas. including by opening an additional 10 anti-trafficking offices The Government of Brunei does not fully comply with and training 400 government officials. The National Secretary the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; of Justice coordinated interagency efforts on movement-based however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Continuing trafficking, and federal government entities reported meeting its anti-trafficking law enforcement progress, the government frequently in 2012. In 2012 the government released a study obtained its first successful trafficking conviction, and initiated it conducted with UNODC on Brazilian trafficking victims three prosecutions. The government developed and began exploited abroad between 2005 and 2011. Many states and implementing procedures to proactively identify victims some municipalities had local-level anti-trafficking coalitions, among vulnerable groups, though no victims were identified committees, and plans, some of which were launched in 2012. during the year. General-purpose government shelters The national commission to eradicate trabalho escravo, a council provided services for female trafficking victims identified composed of government agencies, NGOs and international during a previous year, though no specialized services were organizations, continued to coordinate efforts against trabalho available for male or child trafficking victims. The government escravo, and some states had local commissions displaying expanded its anti-trafficking police force unit, forming an ad varying degrees of activity. Authorities distributed awareness hoc interagency committee which met to coordinate its efforts. materials targeted at Brazilians traveling abroad or within the The government continued to monitor recruitment agencies for country. Civil society organizations, private sector companies licensing violations, and it prosecuted a case of forced labor; and various federal, state, and municipal entities collaborated however, overall efforts to address labor trafficking, including on anti-trafficking initiatives. document confiscation and debt bondage, could be improved. The MOL published a “dirty list,” which publicly identified individuals and corporate entities determined to be responsible for trabalho escravo. The most recent version of the list, released BRUNEI TIER RANKING BY YEAR in December 2012, added more than one hundred new entries from the 2011 list, for a total of 400 total employers, some of whom were denied access to credit by public and private financial institutions because of this designation. In some cases, owners of companies included on the list created new 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 companies to avoid consequences associated with the list. In December 2012, the Sao Paulo state legislature passed a 106 BRUNEI 107 began implementing a new standardized procedure of by this other or methods. Foreign women identified during brothel raids weredetained and deported; unlike last year, Prevention tourism, and did it not take discernible measures to decrease the demand forced for labor commercial or sex acts during the year. Brunei is not a party to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. to actively identify and charge violators immigration of trafficking victims among this population during the reporting trafficking policies and responses; this new committee met six times during the year and began drafting a national plan of to court, and the government prepared posters and cards in to educate the traveling Brunei public and incoming foreign trafficking and distributingit to front-lineofficials. However, theseefforts did not yieldany victims identified during the year. that could be used to assist female trafficking victims, though to reduce the risk hardship, of retribution, re-trafficking or there were reports no that women found in prostitution were Specialist TraffickingUnit within the Royal BruneiPolice Force, period. The government reported that certain labor trafficking prevent trafficking during the reporting period. The Labor prostitution;however, sexno trafficking victimswere identified government did not make notable efforts to prevent child sex workers. The government reported developing performance indicators its for awareness campaigns but did not provide were generally not permitted to leave except under special in There May 2012. continued to be no safeguards in place The Bruneian government continued its modest efforts to The government maintained three general-purpose shelters identified during previousthe reporting periodwere sheltered individuals helping to prevent suppress or trafficking, but as isit funded primarily by court settlements—of which there for allfor labor recruitment agencies, prosecuting twoagencies relatedfor violations. The government expanded its Heads of forming an ad hoc interagency committee to oversee its anti- have been none—its funding level remained Police low. victims would be eligible a case-by-case on basis to receive laws without reporting identificationor of assistance to any no similar facilities male for victims specialized or services for employment passes to temporarily work in Brunei while child victims were available. Victims residing in theshelters circumstances, and as granted by the police. Four victims during the year. disseminated stories with details all of trafficking casesbrought questions to beused byofficials identifyto indicators of or how they how or were applied to measure effectiveness. The or convicted.or Similarly, immigration authorities continued of thoseof repatriated deported. or additional information about what these indicators were assisting in investigations, though none received this benefit actionto combat trafficking. The government-influenced press and had access to services until their voluntary repatriation available to pay the cost victims’ of repatriationand to award asking screening questions when apprehending persons in allowed to stay a government-run at shelterwithout being fined English and Malay distribution for and posting transit at points Brunei’s 2004 law established a fund that is theoretically Department continued efforts to enforce licensing requirements Differentiate between human human between Differentiate but because the law includes the separate crime human of Protection Prosecution trafficking among vulnerable groups, such as foreignworkers to domestic servitude; this case remained ongoing the at trafficking throughits Trafficking andSmuggling Persons the 2004 lawto be paid directly to victims as restitution; that victims trafficking of are not threatenedotherwise or trafficked; establish a policy whereby all victims are eligible trafficking and smuggling legal in protocol and trainings, tocombat these separate crimes; continue to increase the specialized training to officers in the Headsof Specialist smuggling, is it unclear if any these of were trafficking cases. sex with children, prescribing a punishment years’ up to of 10 stringent and commensurate with penalties prescribed for servicesto victims; accede to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol; and procedures the for systematic identificationof victims of procedures trafficking for investigations, providedand some prohibition traveling on outside the country commercial for penal code in the previous reporting period included a punished crimes for committed as a direct result being of passports as means a extracting of forced labor; ensure proactive procedures to identify victims trafficking of among prostitution, and implement them widely; enforce stringent government made preliminary efforts to implement proactive The Government Brunei of continued modest efforts to identify TraffickingUnit within the Royal BruneiPolice Force. The government reported developing standard operating imprisonment. The government obtained its first conviction The Government Brunei of prohibits both sex and labor The government demonstrated increased progress in its forced prostitution. Over the course the of reporting period, 57 formalize and allocate funding to the ad hoc interagency for employmentfor passes to work legally in Brunei; consider years’ imprisonment subjecting for three Thai women to years’ imprisonment.These punishments are sufficiently vulnerable groups, such as migrant workers and females in labor recruitment forced or labor; prosecute employers and labor traffickingoffenses using the anti-trafficking and law, number investigations of and prosecutions both of sex and close the of reporting period. Criminal penalties do not yet cases were investigated and three prosecutions were initiated, committee; develop a national plan action of prosecuting for continue to support comprehensive and visible anti-trafficking employment agencies who unlawfullyconfiscate workers’ criminal penalties against those involved in fraudulent convict and punish traffickingoffenders; trainofficers on other serious offenses, such as rape. Amendments to the of a traffickingof offender, sentencing a Thai national to four Ina positive step, thegovernment investigated and prosecuted Recommendations forBrunei: and individuals in prostitution, developing a checklist of and protecttrafficking victims during the reporting period. The a police officer and his wife for subjectinghousehold a worker appear to have been imposed in any cases labor of trafficking. anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts during the past year. awareness campaigns directed employers at foreignof workers andclients the of sex trade. andpreventing trafficking crimes and ensuringprotective a policy to allow resources from the fund established by and disaggregate data collection law on enforcement efforts Order 2004, of which prescribes punishments up to of 30 prohibit the prosecution of trafficking victims for acts BULGARIA (Tier 2) committed as a direct result of their being trafficked; continue Bulgaria is a source and, to a lesser extent, a transit and to increase the number of victims referred by government destination country for women and children who are subjected officials to service providers for assistance, especially to sex trafficking, and men, women, and children subjected to repatriated victims; increase the capacity of existing shelters forced labor. Bulgarian women and children are subjected to sex for adult female trafficking victims, and implement service trafficking within the country, particularly in resort areas and offerings including legal services, reintegration assistance, and shelter for male victims as outlined in the national referral

BULGARIA border towns, as well as in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, mechanism; and intensify outreach activities to Roma the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, communities. Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Bulgarian men, women, and children are subjected to conditions of forced labor Prosecution in Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, The Government of Bulgaria made limited progress in its anti- Israel, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the trafficking law enforcement efforts during the reporting period, United Kingdom. Labor trafficking victims are predominantly as prosecutions of alleged traffickers declined slightly and exploited in agriculture, construction, and in restaurants. investigations of allegedly complicit public officials remained Ethnic Roma men, women, and children are particularly low. Bulgaria prohibits both sex and labor trafficking through vulnerable to becoming trafficking victims due to social Article 159 of its Criminal Code, which prescribes penalties marginalization, and represent a significant share of identified of between two and 15 years’ imprisonment for convicted trafficking victims. Some Bulgarian children are forced into offenders. These penalties are sufficiently stringent and street begging and petty theft within Bulgaria and also in commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes, Greece, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Bulgarian such as rape. In 2012, police conducted 121 sex trafficking women and girls with mental disabilities are increasingly investigations and seven labor trafficking investigations, subjected to sex trafficking, particularly in the Netherlands. compared with 119 sex trafficking and nine labor trafficking The Government of Bulgaria does not fully comply with investigations conducted in 2011. Authorities prosecuted 91 the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; individuals for sex trafficking and two for labor trafficking in however, it is making significant efforts to do so. During 2012, compared to 102 persons prosecuted for sex trafficking the reporting period, the government provided increased and 13 for labor trafficking in 2011. The government convicted funding for two state-owned trafficking shelters, identified 94 offenders of sex trafficking and three offenders of labor more victims of trafficking, and provided care for more female trafficking in 2012, compared to 95 sex trafficking offenders trafficking victims. Shelter capacity for female victims was and 17 labor trafficking offenders convicted in 2011. The insufficient, and the government lacked specialized services percentage of convicted offenders sentenced to prison terms for male victims. The government prosecuted slightly fewer remained low; the government reported that 53 of the 110 cases against alleged trafficking offenders, and the majority offenders convicted for trafficking and the separate offense of convicted offenders did not receive a sentence requiring of baby selling were sentenced to time in prison, with 40 time in prison. Law enforcement action against public defendants sentenced to up to three years’ imprisonment, 12 officials and police officers remained limited, although one defendants sentenced to three to five years, and one defendant court imposed a 10-year sentence on a former municipal sentenced to five to 10 years’ imprisonment. The remaining official for leading an organized crime group involved in 57 convicted offenders received suspended sentences, 33 of trafficking. The government more than doubled funding for whom were also fined. prevention campaigns, which included a number of robust Combating human trafficking is covered in the regular public awareness events and advertisements. It also held curricula of the Interior Ministry’s Police Academy, the Foreign trainings on trafficking for labor mediators, social workers, Ministry’s Diplomatic Institute, and the National Institute of journalists, and Roma specialists working to prevent trafficking. Justice, which is the country’s training institution for judges, Although the government increased its outreach to Roma prosecutors, and investigators. The government sponsored communities, Roma engagement remained insufficient overall. seminars for a total of 180 investigating police officers, The government adopted its 2013 national action plan in prosecutors, and judges on international law enforcement January. cooperation and best practices in countering both sex and labor trafficking. Bulgarian law enforcement officials also collaborated on joint human trafficking investigations with BULGARIA TIER RANKING BY YEAR law enforcement counterparts from nine other governments.

The government demonstrated inadequate efforts to combat trafficking-related complicity of government officials in the reporting period. The government began investigations of 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 five police officers in 2012 for trafficking-related complicity, all of which were ongoing at the close of the reporting period. By comparison, the government investigated seven police Recommendations for Bulgaria: Investigate, prosecute, and officers in 2011 and 12 officers in 2010. The alleged criminal convict government officials complicit in trafficking, and acts that were the subject of the 2012 investigations included ensure that convicted officials receive prison sentences; forcing a woman into prostitution, recruiting victims, and enhance efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict trafficking warning traffickers of planned police raids. In January 2012, offenders, and ensure that the vast majority of convicted a court imposed a 10-year sentence on a former municipal offenders serve time in prison; take legislative action to councilor who was charged with leading an organized crime 108 BURKINA FASO 109 before mandatory repatriation to their country origin;of the bodies, sponsored a number innovative of public awareness- Prevention trade. Burkinabe children are transported to Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, the punishments offenders. for trafficking. Burkinabe children are subjected to forced labor as trafficking and reach vulnerable groupslooking for summer trafficked otherfrom countries in the region, such as Ghana, to forced prostitution in the destination countries. Women social and criminal impact trafficking of at universities. The servants, and beggars recruited as pupils by individuals posing spent the equivalent to approximately prevention on $87,600 publishing outdoor and print advertisements emphasizing prostitution is regulated not in Bulgaria. period. The inter-ministerial coordinating the body, National women ostensibly for legitimate employment in Lebanon and identifying labor exploitation, and approximately 50 social workers trafficking on victimprotection and assistance. The with Roma communities and using public-private partnerships governmentcontinued to enforce provisiona in the Penal who profit from immoral activities, leastat and women10 were inRomaa community, and 30 national and local journalists. The Commission hosted an international conference where The Government Bulgaria of demonstrated substantial from Mali to Cote d’Ivoire, and is a destination children for for moreeffective for prevention campaigns. theIn 2012, National women for and children subjected to forced labor and sex farm hands, panners gold and washers, street vendors, domestic from theequivalent to approximately spent $37,000 in various countries in Europe, and subsequently subject them recovery period foreignfor child victims was days. 70 The raising campaigns to attempt to reduce the demand sex for jobsabroad. TheDeputy Prime Minister, Commission experts, exploitation, and referred all them of to the Labor Ministry’s efforts to reduce the demand commercial for sex by could beused against potential sex trafficking victims because efforts to prevent human trafficking during the reporting campaigns, training, and international visits, a large increase causes human of trafficking, with expert panelsworkingon Faso is a transit countrytraffickers for transporting children more than experts 100 from countries 47 discussed the root Inspectorate investigation for into fraudulent job offers and as religious teachers. Girls are exploited in the commercial sex and Niger subsequent for forced labor sex or trafficking. Burkina administrative punishment; the Commission in 2011, referred approved in January The government 2013. demonstrated arrested under this provision in January this 2013; provision andvictims trafficking of gave three publiclectures on the a national action plan combating for human trafficking. The Burkina Faso is a country origin, of transit, and destination Commission trained approximately 225 labor mediators on Commission alsoorganized trainingsprevention for specialists Commission received 64 complaints potential of labor Code that allows up to for two years’ imprisonment those of CommissionCombating for Trafficking Human in Beings, Guinea, Mali, and Nigeria. a lesser To extent, traffickers recruit 2012 plan was2012 approved in and May plan the 2012 was2013 2011. The commission,2011. in coordination with its nine local BURKINA FASO (Tier 2) 11 such11 cases. The Government Bulgaria of annually adopts Protection the national referral mechanism should be incorporated into the legal framework so that first responders are obligated to shelters. NGO representatives reported that government support labor of trafficking victims wasonly basic despite the services outlined them for in the national referral mechanism. shelter has a capacity six of persons, and the in 2012 two shelters accommodated victims 24 in total, a large increase state-run shelters received more funding and provided care were permitted to remain in Bulgaria 40 for days recovery for government’s national referral mechanism, law enforcement information leaks hadcompromised several anti-trafficking group involved in human trafficking; an appealof the sentence The government operated crisis 14 centers child for victims of They also reported that victims were unaware their of right to The government allocated the equivalent approximately of identified victimsof were70 whom children. 2011, in Of the investigations. The national prosecution service recorded in protecting trafficking victims over the last Two year. The Government Bulgaria of demonstrated mixed results investigations four of border police officers oneand police is pending. There were other no reported prosecutions or fromthe nine victimsassisted in eachthe of previoustwo for more women; more for however, limiteda number victims of foreign victim a Czech in 2012, national who was sexually years. All were 24 female sex trafficking victims. Victims victims who chose not to assist in trafficking investigations violence that provided shelter and psychological and medical victims labor of trafficking. The governmentidentified one refer victims to specialized care. reintegration, suchas preparation job for interviews. Each regardless their of nationality readiness or to assist with police received government-funded services overall. Through the law allowed foreign victims who cooperated with law enforcement to stay and work in Bulgaria the for duration of criminal proceedings before mandatory repatriation. Foreign encouraged victims to assist in the prosecution trafficking of cases, and offered it witness protection programs. Bulgarian could leave the shelters their on own without supervision. convictionsagainst public officials in the reporting period. exploited in Bulgaria. medical and psychiatric services, as well as assistance in data victims on who chose to assist law enforcement. In Male victims had difficulty obtaininglegal and reintegration of trafficking, of including 65 children, compared 512 with officers responsible for investigating trafficking, noting that operations. officer for trafficking-relatedcorruption. There were reports In 2012, twoIn 2012, districts’ prosecution services terminated NGOs provided victim services in these shelters, including assistance to approximately child 24 victims trafficking of in apply compensation. for NGO representatives claimed that assistance, and did not have access to trafficking-specific andBurgas provided rent-free facilities these for shelters. andother officials referred trafficking victims to services alleging corruption the on part Ministry of Interior of 646 victims, were victims 574 sex of trafficking were72 and $59,300 for victim for $59,300 assistance to the two state-run shelters in The local spent$27,000 governments in 2011. Varna of 2012, a largea 2012, increasefrom the equivalent approximately of 2012, compared to 67 in 2011 and 79 in 2010. Thegovernment and compared in79 2010. 2012, in to 67 2011 2012, the2012, prosecution service identified a totalof 646 victims from other West African countries, including Nigeria, Togo, rape. The government reported investigating 96 suspected Benin, and Niger, are fraudulently recruited for employment trafficking cases, initiating 31 prosecutions, and convicting in Burkina Faso and subsequently subjected to situations of no trafficking offenders in 2012, a decrease in investigations forced prostitution, forced labor in restaurants, or domestic and convictions compared with the previous year; however, servitude in private homes. 24 of the 31 cases remained pending at the close of the reporting period. Over the course of the reporting period, The Government of Burkina Faso does not fully comply with the the Government of Burkina Faso provided anti-trafficking minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, training to police officers, social workers, and judges, which it is making significant efforts to do so. The government included information on trafficking victim identification, recognizes that sex trafficking and forced labor are problems victim assistance, investigation procedures, and prosecution in the country, and makes continued efforts to identify child of trafficking crimes. The trainings were provided to 409 trafficking victims. As a result of a mission to Beirut in March participants and conducted by the government with the BURKINA FASO 2012, in conjunction with INTERPOL, adult Burkinabe women financial support of UNICEF and INTERPOL. The Ministry were identified as trafficking victims and provided assistance of Territorial Administration, Decentralization, and Security by Burkinabe authorities; these were the first adult victims to conducted periodic raids of sites vulnerable to trafficking, be acknowledged by the government. Despite this achievement, such as brothels and farms, which also served as a means the government did not take additional steps to identify adult to address the demand for commercial sex acts and forced victims of trafficking among vulnerable populations. The labor. The Government of Burkina Faso did not report any government sustained anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts, investigations or prosecutions of government employees for conducting 96 investigations and initiating 31 prosecutions. alleged complicity in trafficking-related offenses during the However, at the close of the reporting period, the government reporting period; however, law enforcement efforts remained had not yet obtained any convictions, and 24 prosecutions hindered by limited human and financial resources, and remained pending. The government continues to struggle to general corruption in the judiciary. compile comprehensive data on its law enforcement efforts.

Protection BURKINA FASO TIER RANKING BY YEAR The government sustained its efforts to identify and provide protective services to large numbers of child trafficking victims during the year, and identified adult victims for the first time. In 2012, the Ministry of Social Action (MSA) identified 1,910 child victims of trafficking, of which 1,427 were boys and 483 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 were girls; 1,554 were victims of internal trafficking, while the remaining 356 were victims of transnational trafficking. A large number of these children were intercepted and rescued Recommendations for Burkina Faso: Strengthen the system prior to reaching their destinations where they would face for collecting anti-trafficking law enforcement data, and ensure exploitation, typically in gold mines or in city centers as that authorities responsible for data collection are supplied domestic servants or street beggars; it is unclear whether with adequate means for accessing and compiling this these children were victims or potential victims of trafficking. information; increase efforts to prosecute and convict The aforementioned INTERPOL mission to Lebanon, led by trafficking offenders, and apply appropriate penalties as Burkinabe police, resulted in the identification of 25 adult prescribed by the May 2008 anti-trafficking law; train law female victims of trafficking. These women were recruited by enforcement officials to identify trafficking victims among traffickers who promised them jobs as nannies, housekeepers, vulnerable populations, such as women in prostitution and or cashiers in shops; however, once in Lebanon, the women children working in agriculture and mining, and refer them were forced into domestic servitude and prostitution. To to protective services; strengthen efforts to identify traffickers date, four victims have been returned to Burkina Faso and posing as Koranic school teachers and pursue criminal have received assistance from the government, including prosecution of such individuals; improve coordination psychological and social support. The Government of Burkina between the national and regional committees that combat Faso noted that the women victims in the Lebanon trafficking trafficking in persons, including by increasing funding to cases provided valuable information which allowed the regional bodies; and, while continuing to fund transit centers authorities to investigate the traffickers. During the year, the and vocational training programs, develop a formal referral government, in collaboration with a variety of local NGOs mechanism for coordinating with NGOs to provide victims and international organizations, continued to operate 23 with long-term care. multi-purpose transit centers, which provided limited food, medical care, and counseling before reuniting victims with their families. The government did not report housing any Prosecution of the adult victims identified in the Lebanon cases in these The government sustained its anti-trafficking law enforcement shelters. The shelters are open, and victims are free to leave efforts during the year, though the number of suspected at any time. To complement funding from other donors, the trafficking cases it investigated and prosecuted continued government allocated the equivalent of approximately $14,000 to be few compared with the significant number of victims to support protection activities, including funding for these identified in 2012. The government also struggled to compile transit centers. The law provides that foreign citizens may apply complete data on its law enforcement efforts. The country’s for asylum if they fear they will face hardship or retribution May 2008 anti-trafficking law prohibits all forms of trafficking if returned to their country of origin, although no trafficking and prescribes maximum penalties of 10 years’ imprisonment; victims sought this protection during the year. There were no these penalties are sufficiently stringent and commensurate reports that trafficking victims were penalized for unlawful with prescribed penalties for other serious offenses, such as acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked. 110 BURMA 111 to Malaysia were sold the two countries, which allows Burmese migrants to work urban areas. There is evidence that a small number foreign of the Irrawaddy Delta migrate to Kawthaung, the southernmost thedissolution a ceasefire of with the Kachin Independence threatsfinancial of physicaland harm, to compelhouseholds toprovide forcedlabor. Those livingin areaswith thehighest seeking work in Thailand’s fishing and domesticwork sectors servitude, and girls and boys to sex trafficking, particularly in serve in Burma’s national army in part as a way offsetting of somechildren are threatened with jail if theyagreedonot to slavery military on installations. There are reports that victims seekers transiting Thailand route en Since authorities refuse to recognize members certain of ethnic pedophiles have attempted to enter Burma with the intent to point in the country, in search work of in fishingor agriculture; which often leads to their being trafficked upon arrival in women, and children to forced labor, and men and boys groups in tea shops, industries, home agricultural plantations, Therewere anecdotal reports that some were forced tolabor included in the memorandum understanding of between in certain industriesin Thailand. Networks both on sides Thailand.Exploiters subject children and adults to domestic into forced labor Thai on fishing boats, reportedly with the into working the for development infrastructure, of in state- for recruitmentfor conscription. or Anecdotal reports indicate that failing this, manyultimately travelto Thailand,where some for thefor military. The Burmese military, and to a lesser extent, havetargeted orphans and children the on streets and in vulnerable to forced labor and sex trafficking. Therewere railway stations, and young novice monks from monasteries reports during the year that Burmese officials kidnapped re-trafficked DKBAby elements, in collusion with Thaiofficials. run agricultural and commercial ventures, and as porters not provide them with identification documentation, members join the army, and are sometimes physicallyabused. Children coercion,threats, and violence to serve in the Burma Army civilian officials have used various formsof coercion, including did so outside formal channels, as these industries are not military presence, including remote border areas populated by minority ethnic groups, are most risk at forced for labor. The due to an ongoing conflict between the Burma Army and the deported from Thailand into Democratic Karen Buddhist Army minority groups (including the Rohingyas) as citizens and do desertions. Children the of urban poor are particular at risk Military and, to a lesser extent, civilian officials subject men, the of border facilitate migration undocumented of workers, observers estimate that thousands children of areforced to of theseof communities are made more vulnerable to trafficking. officials have systematically forced men,women, and children on palmon oil and rubber plantations near Kawthaung. Those of conscription.of Past UN reports indicate that army recruiters as young years as 11 are old forced through intimidation, as well as the armed wings ethnic of minoritygroups. Some are also subjected to forced labor by private individuals and and as beggars. Economic migrants from central Burma and assistance Thai of military officials. Military and civilian are subsequently subjected to forced laborsex or trafficking. Kachin Independence Army. Kachin ethnic minority are particularly vulnerable to trafficking June and October fighting 2012, has displaced an estimated Rohingya women from Sittwe and subjected them to sexual Duringthe year, there were reports that some Rohingya asylum (DKBA)-controlled areas Burma of continue to be extorted and 75,000Kachin and 115,000 Rakhine residents who are highly Army and sectarian in June 2011 violence in Rakhine State in bothby government officials privateand actors continues to be a significantproblem. Military personnel and insurgent bothlegal and illegal means in neighboring countries, where the Trafficking Personsin and Assimilated Practices, which Prevention the country, particularly in conflict-prone ethnic areas. Since to sex trafficking and domestic servitude. The government throughout East Asia and to destinations in the Middle East, to sex trafficking in other countries. Many Burmese men,women, the issue traffickers of posing as Koranic school teachers who to provincial governors In in addition 2012. to the annual together police, social workers, transit companies, NGOs, and some become victims trafficking. of Trafficking within Burma subjected to forced labor, and women for and children subjected session with participants from Ghana, Canada, and Cote signed a joint declarationin October that 2012 commits each provide guidance, and make recommendations, was opened public. To increasepublic. To regional participation, membership in the prevent trafficking in persons over the last year. The MSA industries abroad, where women and girls are also subjected where many are subject to forced labor and sex trafficking. Men government provided Burkinabe troops with anti-trafficking is beginning to address the systemic political and economic in addressing the issue within the Muslim community. The TheGovernment Burkina of Faso failedto adequately address The Burkinabegovernment sustained moderate efforts to factors that cause many Burmese to seek employment through forced laborsex or trafficking in these countries.Poor economic force children to beg in the streets, due to sensitivities involved remained severely underfunded and lacked sufficient resources. radio programming, conferences, and lectures the for general levelto coordinate activities to identify and assistvictims continue to be the leading perpetrators forced of labor inside conditions within Burma have led large numbers Burmese of country to finalizebilateral a cooperative agreement against cross-border child trafficking in early 2013. counseling the on dangers trafficking of to allwomen who collaboratewith neighboring countries anti-trafficking on efforts, includinghosting regionalmeetings and traininga enforcementefforts. Despite these efforts, the regional bodies conducted a number awareness-raising of activities, including militia engage in the unlawful conscription child of soldiers and men, women, and children to migrate legally and illegally d’Ivoire. The first ladiesof Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire meets annually to assess the current trafficking situation, on international peacekeeping missions. other groups engaged in combating traffickinga on regional open-forumdiscussions, film screenings, theater forums, Indonesia, Singapore, the United States, China, Bangladesh, India, South Korea, and Qatar are subjected to conditions of In 2012, theIn 2012, government directedthe MSA to provide National Committee meeting, regional 13 bodies brought NationalCommittee Vigilance for and Surveillance Against are subjected to forced labor in the fishing and construction and children who migrate work for to Thailand, Malaysia, andhuman rights training prior to their deployment abroad apply visas for to Lebanon. Additionally, continued it to and potential victims trafficking, of wellas as support law Burma is a source country men, for women, and children BURMA List) (Tier 2 Watch exploit Burmese children, and some may have entered the trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual country. Outside observers and Burmese authorities have both exploitation. expressed concern over a possible increase in the problem as tourism in Burma increases. Prosecution The Government of Burma does not fully comply with The Government of Burma reported continued anti-trafficking BURMA the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; law enforcement efforts during the year, focusing primarily however, it is making significant efforts to do so. The on the recruitment and transport of Burmese women and government continued implementation of the numerous girls across international borders for forced marriages and sex reforms it undertook during the previous reporting year, and trafficking. There were reports from the local media and other it modestly increased its efforts to prevent trafficking. In June observers of efforts to prosecute and punish perpetrators of 2012, following five years of discussions, the government signed internal trafficking—including military officers’ recruitment an action plan with the UN to eliminate the recruitment and of children and Burmese nationals’ exploitation of children use of children in its armed forces, though unfettered UN in domestic servitude—but the government failed to provide access to military bases has since been problematic. Authorities sufficient evidence to determine the extent of these efforts. continued efforts to address the cross-border sex trafficking There were no reports of investigations or prosecutions of of women and girls, and increased the number of dedicated military officials for extracting forced labor from civilians. anti-trafficking officers in its police force. Nevertheless, the government’s victim protection efforts remained inadequate. Burma prohibits sex and labor trafficking through its 2005 The lack of specialized services and rehabilitation efforts, as Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law, which prescribes criminal well as weak local-level coordination between police and penalties that are sufficiently stringent and commensurate social welfare officials, undermined its ability to successfully with those prescribed for rape. Forced labor, including the prosecute and punish trafficking offenders. Forced labor of recruitment of children into the army, is a criminal offense civilians and the recruitment of child soldiers by both military under both the new Wards and Village Tracts Administration officials and private entities remained serious problems. The Act passed in March 2012, and Penal Code Section 374, which climate of impunity and repression created under the previous could result in imprisonment for up to one year, a fine, or both. government and the lingering lack of accountability in military In addition, forced labor is prohibited under Section 359 of ranks for forced labor and the recruitment of child soldiers Burma’s 2008 constitution. The Government of Burma reported continue to represent the primary causal factors for Burma’s investigating 120 cases of trafficking, and prosecuting 215 significant trafficking problem; therefore, Burma is placed on offenders in 2012, compared with 136 investigations and 231 Tier 2 Watch List for a second consecutive year. prosecutions in 2011. As in previous years, the government’s law enforcement efforts focused primarily on the sex trafficking and forced service of Burmese women through forced marriages

BURMA TIER RANKING BY YEAR to Chinese men. The government’s law enforcement efforts to combat trafficking within Burma have been consistently weak, but during the year the government reported investigating 19 suspected cases of internal trafficking. It did not provide additional information about the nature of these cases or 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 whether they resulted in any prosecutions or convictions. Media reports, however, indicate that two offenders were convicted in February 2013 for child sex trafficking within the country, Recommendations for Burma: Vigorously prosecute and and that court proceedings occurred in at least two cases of punish offenders of both sex and labor trafficking, including child domestic servitude, though the outcome of these cases trafficking occurring within Burma; continue to implement is unknown. Burmese court proceedings continued to lack the terms of the ILO action plan for the elimination of forced transparency and did not accord due process to defendants. labor offenses perpetrated by government employees, Burma’s judiciary lacks sufficient independence; international particularly military personnel; increase efforts to investigate organizations and NGOs were often unable to verify court and sanction, including through criminal prosecution, statistics provided by the government. Additionally, limited government and military perpetrators of internal trafficking capacity and training of the police coupled with the lack of offenses, including child soldier recruitment and other such transparency in the justice system make it uncertain whether crimes; actively identify and demobilize all children serving all trafficking statistics provided by authorities were indeed in the armed forces; abide by the terms of the UN-backed for trafficking crimes. action plan to grant international monitors unhindered access to inspect recruitment centers, training centers, and military Corruption and lack of accountability remain pervasive in bases to support the identification, demobilization, and Burma and affect all aspects of society; officials frequently rehabilitation of child soldiers; ensure no children are arrested engage in corrupt practices with impunity. Police can be or imprisoned for desertion or attempting to leave the army; expected to self-limit investigations when well-connected through partnerships with local and international NGOs, individuals are alleged to be involved in forced labor or sex prioritize and significantly increase victim identification and trafficking cases. During the reporting period, government protection efforts, including victim shelters and provision of officials did not publicly acknowledge that any government services for male victims; develop and implement formal personnel were involved in trafficking, and reported that victim identification and referral procedures, including for it did not investigate, prosecute, or punish any complicit victims identified within the country; consider appointing officials. However, an unverified report to an international labor attachés to work in additional overseas diplomatic organization from the Ministry of Defense suggests that the missions to support the prevention of forced labor of Burmese government disciplined 30 military officers and 154 enlisted migrants abroad; and focus more attention on the internal personnel for the recruitment of children; though the majority 112 BURMA 113 but noted that the lack adequate of victim protection and Prevention trafficking. In June2012, after five years of discussionswith the UN, the government signed a UN-backed action plan for the identification, release, and rehabilitation of children in the Burmese military. The plan includes provisions long- for term reintegration demobilized of children, strengthening of them vulnerable to beingre-trafficked. Longer-term support traffickers, the government provide not did access legal to to identify possible victims with whom they come in contact to inspect the for presence children. of The government traffickinghotline established during previous the year. thousands anti-prostitution of interventions may have led to sex trafficking victims being treated as law violators. Although the trafficking victims, oneand facility dedicated to female victims some civil society members, continued to coordinate the substandard. Victims had very limited access to psycho-social seized property traffickers. of The government provide not did soldiers; UNICEF trained military officialsprocedures on government’s anti-traffickingprograms and policies, in line with the five-year national actionplan to human combat was performed once repatriated victims reached Burma, and where theymay face hardship retribution, or though iffew, within the country. The government was unwilling to allow government established and publicized a dedicated phone government has discontinued its policy forcing of repatriated The Government Burma of increased its efforts to prevent all implemented aspects itsof UN-backed action plan child on for traffickingfor victims was virtually nonexistent. International forms human of trafficking over the last year. The government’s for releasingfor identified children, and during the year the victims’for transportation. The government continued to UN monitors unhindered access to all military installations victims. While in government facilities,victims received basic victims the equivalent to approximately $2,000 total from the victims to stay in a government center before returning to their villages, poorly coordinated returns in practice causedmost victims from China to remain the at centers while DSW and recruitmentprocedures to prevent child recruitment, child- rehabilitation efforts—including economic opportunities— repatriations,and front-line officers lacked adequate training recruitment. The government continued to operate a national line and post office box to receive complaintson underage no individualized services were available victims; for thelack counselors. There remained no shelter facilities availableto encouraging victims to assist in investigations and prosecutions civil society partners completed family tracing and arranged medical care and had access to counseling, which was often male victims trafficking. of No additional victim screening demobilized child soldiers. Government authorities reported made difficult it to obtain victims’ cooperation prosecutions. in majority victims of were identified through international of adequateof protective measures returned for victims made organizations and NGOs provided reintegration support to operate five centerswomen for and children in need, including trafficking.of NGOs and foreign donorsprovided the majority fundingof the for limited protectiveservices available to Inadequate efforts to screen indicators for trafficking of in assistance. the In 2012, government disbursed to several alternatives to the removal foreign of victims to countries foreignany, victims were identified during the year. Central Body the for Suppression Trafficking of Personsin (CB-TIP), comprising representatives from agencies 26 and Although victims have the right to file civil suits against their been recruited into its military’sranks. InJanuary the 2013, Protection the government identified and released 66 children who had that the of 100 victims repatriated during the year were men temporary shelter and facilitate safe passage to Burmese victims the government approveda plan to hirean additional1,000 the aggregate number ATTF of officersmore than doubled to a total some of 400 the at In end January 2012. of 2013, the police continued to identify and investigate trafficking the ILO and other international partners in reviewing remedies the government did not confirm these reports. the abilitycivilian of police and courtsto address cases of under civilian rather than military courts, though there was soldier were reportedly dismissed, and two officers and seven soldiers accused committing of forced labor would be tried prisoners of war. proceduresin placethe for identification of victims, but the provided by foreign donors. who had been captured from the Burmese army and held as implementation its of UN-backed action plan child on soldiers, Thailand, from and China, 131 a decrease from 229 victims The Burmese government continued modest efforts to provide investigation courses, reaching 122 police officers, and three involvement in recruiting children military for service, but investigate prosecute or such cases. In April Burma’s 2012, forced labor complaints; received it in complaints 2012 274 forced labor. Through anti-trafficking 26 taskforces(ATTF) for thefor long-standing problems forced of labor and child soldier forced labor and the recruitment child of soldiers by the victims to DSW to receive protective services, but there were victimized in forced labor Thai on fishing boats. Through repatriated to Burma by foreign authorities The police in 2011. reported identifying an additional 66 victims during the year, repatriatedfrom abroad, but its overall victim protection reports that the Ministry Defense of undertook independent liaison officesidentified threevictims. The government reported no referral mechanisms in placevictims for otherof forms no evidence that this policy had been implemented. There were effortswere inadequate. Department Social of Welfare (DSW) child protection investigation courses, with additional funding conscription committed by members the of military civilian or efforts to investigate and punish military personnel their for commander-in-chief reportedlyissued an order stating that enlisted personnel were reportedly imprisoned. The power of trafficking,of working-leveland cooperation between DSW officials received 2012 in repatriated195 victims, 64 from offenses and arrest suspected traffickingoffenders. newTwo operating in key cities and international at border crossings, of militaryof recruitment children of and 68 complaints of officers, law enforcementofficials generally were notable to of theseof received reprimands, three officers oneand enlisted andthe police remained weak. The government has written and border officials from newlytwo established international administrators. The ILO continued to receive and investigate armed forces. Without assent from high-ranking military and influenceof the Burmese military continued to limit Policeand border officials consistently referred repatriated Kachin IndependenceArmy released to the ILO eight children During the year, the government continued its cooperation with ATTF officers over the coming year. The MinistryHome of Affairs conducted and partially funded four human trafficking ATTFs were opened during the current reporting year, and protection training for the military, public awareness raising, relatives residing with them; mothers sometimes also initiate and accountability for perpetrators. Though the government their daughters into the sex trade, at times through threats and released some children and facilitated training on the action bullying. Incarcerated women facilitate commercial sex between plan at military focal points, it has not taken steps to prevent male prisoners and detained children within the Burundian recruitment, such as through strengthening age verification prison system. Male tourists from East Africa and the Middle procedures, and UN monitors report the government has not East, teachers, police officers, gendarme, military, and prison provided access to all its military installations in line with officials exploit Burundian girls in prostitution. Business people BURUNDI the terms of the plan. recruit Burundian girls for prostitution in Bujumbura, as well as in Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, and the Middle East, and recruit In August 2012, the CB-TIP conducted training sessions for boys and girls for various types of forced labor in southern 42 of the country’s 16,589 community-based anti-trafficking Burundi and Tanzania. watch groups in targeted areas where trafficking is known to be prevalent. The Ministry of Labor continued efforts to The Government of Burundi does not fully comply with the prevent forced labor of Burmese citizens at home and abroad; minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, together with Thai officials, it opened five temporary passport- it is making significant efforts to do so. Despite these measures, issuing centers in Thailand, staffed by Burmese labor ministry the government did not demonstrate evidence of overall personnel. The centers assisted more than 1.3 million expatriate increasing anti-trafficking efforts over the previous reporting Burmese workers in obtaining temporary Burmese identity period; therefore, Burundi is placed on Tier 2 Watch List for a documents, and the labor attaché in the Burmese embassy third consecutive year. Burundi was granted a waiver from an in Thailand continued providing assistance and advocacy on otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government behalf of the large number of Burmese workers in Thailand. has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute The government could increase its efforts to prevent the forced making significant efforts to meet the minimum standards for labor of its citizens abroad by embedding labor attachés in the elimination of trafficking and is devoting sufficient resources additional overseas diplomatic missions. to implement that plan. Despite the demonstration of interest by the government and the support of donor countries, there The government continued human trafficking awareness were few tangible anti-trafficking results in 2012. The Office of campaigns during the reporting period, including in the First Vice President established a commission to propose cooperation with a foreign donor, and it launched a national future efforts to combat trafficking; however, the government campaign in partnership with the ILO on preventing forced has not implemented any of its suggestions. The government labor and underage recruitment into the armed forces. In failed to prosecute trafficking offenses vigorously or increase its an effort to prevent child sex tourism, Burmese authorities capacity to protect victims; most victim assistance continued to reported preventing two Australian nationals from entering the be provided by NGOs without government support. The lack country as a result of information about prior criminal activities of coordination and data collection on anti-trafficking efforts provided by the Australian government. The government did in Burundi remains a serious concern. not make any discernible efforts to reduce the demand for forced labor inside Burma during the reporting period.

BURUNDI TIER RANKING BY YEAR BURUNDI (Tier 2 Watch List)

Burundi is a source country for children and possibly women subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. Children and young 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 adults are coerced into forced labor on plantations or small farms in southern Burundi, small-scale menial labor in gold mines in Cibitoke, labor-intensive tasks such as collecting river stones Recommendations for Burundi: Finalize and enact draft for construction in Bujumbura, or informal commerce in the anti-trafficking legislation; enforce the trafficking provisions streets of larger cities. Some traffickers are the victims’ family in the 2009 Criminal Code amendments through increased members, neighbors, or friends who recruit them for forced labor prosecution of trafficking offenses and conviction and under the pretext of assisting with education or employment punishment of trafficking offenders, including complicit opportunities. Some families are complicit in the exploitation officials; ensure all police, prosecutors, judges, and border of children and adults with disabilities, accepting payment guards receive anti-trafficking training, including how to refer from traffickers who run forced street begging operations. cases for investigation; establish standardized policies and Children in domestic servitude in private homes or working procedures for government officials to identify and interview in guest houses and other entertainment establishments are potential trafficking victims proactively and transfer them to coerced—with threats of being fired—into committing sex acts the care of local organizations when appropriate; continue the for their employers or clients. Children are also fraudulently anti-trafficking public awareness campaign currently being recruited for domestic work and later exploited in prostitution. undertaken by the police; establish mechanisms for increasing A joint survey conducted by UNICEF and the Government of protective services to victims, possibly through partnerships Burundi in September 2011 identified 92 children as victims of with NGOs or international organizations; and establish broad- commercial sexual exploitation. Young women offer vulnerable based institutional capacity to coordinate and guide anti- girls room and board within their homes, eventually pushing trafficking efforts by forming an inter-ministerial committee some of them into prostitution to pay for living expenses; or building upon the existing technical commission. these brothels are located in poorer areas of Bujumbura, along the lake, and on trucking routes. Extended family members sometimes also financially profit from the prostitution of young 114 BURUNDI 115 based violence issues; in the previous reporting period, a CDF been penalized unlawful for acts committed as a direct result Prevention Prevention trafficking during the year, thoughit remained withouta the country to educate officials localand populations about the dangers human of trafficking, and encourage citizens to to assist victims gender-basedof violence in reporting cases though the center could assist trafficking victims,it is unclear to refer victims to service-providing organizations; however, thereafter, though without referral additional for services. unknown number trafficking of victims by communalleaders these officials;however, the government not did independently to some local NGOs to assist victims gender-based of violence the capacity existing, of commune-level centers family for procedures identifying for trafficking victims, some may have prostitution who were arrested, jailed, fined. or However, police provided limited shelter and food to child trafficking victims pointsprovided counseling to children in prostitution and provide information on its victim identificationor referral provide. The Ministry National of Solidarity provided funding The government operated two centers, in Kigobe and Buyenzi government, in partnership with UNICEF, opened a one-stop if did it so during the year. The government has not yet finalized a system proactivelyto identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populationsor Thegovernment maintained its modest efforts to prevent in 2012, the in2012, government, in partnershipwith an NGO, began in temporary custody, keeping them in a holding area separate The government did encourage not victims to assist in the investigation prosecution or trafficking of cases during the year. face hardship retribution. or from adult detainees while authorities attempted to locate their families. In some instances, the brigade and its provincial focal for hospital for care to an unspecified number of trafficking victims. Women,for and the Food World Program. The Ministry of UNDP, the UNUNDP, Population Fund, the UN Development Fund victims. NGOs reported the identification and referralof an legal alternatives to their removal to a country where they may national committee to coordinate an action plan to guide its number victims of forced of child labor identified, providedand not attempt to identify trafficking victims womenamong in children’sassociations largely funded by UN agencies; none continued its national awareness-raising campaign throughout counseling through the centers during the year. the In 2012, center in Gitega—staffed by Burundian governmentemployees— effortsadequate or support to theservices these organizations communes, to assist street children, including an unknown developmentsuch of procedures. Without standardized mediated between these victims and their parents immediately medicalservices; the government provided the equivalent of development that (CDF) address human rightsand gender- of theirof being trafficked. The Children and Ethics Brigade did In addition, the in 2012, government establisheda center to National Solidarity also continued to establish and new, increase arespecifically focusedproviding on assistance to trafficking assisted an NGO in the reintegration one trafficking of victim. anti-trafficking efforts. 2012, In the Children and Ethics Brigade andreceiving immediatecare, including psycho-social support; and border police following their anti-trafficking trainingof and trafficking, while the Ministryof Healthprovided vouchers assist victims crime of where they receive basic counseling and approximately in $102,000, addition to support from UNICEF, Burundian law does not provide foreign trafficking victims with , and prison officials. Protection Prosecution teachers, police officers, military, gendarme trafficking young girls prostitutioninto in Cibitoke; the assistant thereafter without prosecution, times at because corruption of of trafficking crimes between the police and magistrate. The to adequately track its caseload. Police arrested two suspected the police after finding their missing daughter prostitutionin the sole government entity that made specific anti-trafficking traffickingoffenders during the year, a decrease four from trafficking crimes, especially in addressing forced child labor. to years’ 20 imprisonment, but do not providedefinition a of scheduled debate for in the council ministers of before being sent to parliament debate for and passage. The Children and sexual exploitation children of but released them shortly second consecutive year, the government failed to train any of status a second of case involving the arrest a Burundian of man such as rape. Forced labor is prohibited by Article the 2 of Labor sex traffickingoffenses can also be addressed using penal code suspected offenders during the reporting period, but did not police and judicial officials. As previousin years, the government prescribe penalties one to of five years’ imprisonment, and prosecutorthe of provinceinvestigated the case. Government within the Burundian prison system. gaps in existing laws. However, in July in partnership 2012, withUNODC, government stakeholders reviewed the draft, whichisnow in the office of the First Vice President for final The government made minimal efforts to protect victims its officials, including law enforcement personnel,on relevant The government failed to complete its draft comprehensive imprisonment, but these articles do not require theuse force, of initiate any prosecutions achieve or any trafficking convictions The Government Burundi of failed to vigorously investigate failed to prosecute convict or any public officials suspectedof for facilitatingfor the prostitution five of girls is unknown. For the for a violation;for officials cite this weaknessas a in combating fraud, coercion. or These penalties are sufficiently stringent and forms human of trafficking,prescribing punishmentsof five from prosecutions initiated during previous reporting periods. he was released because conflicting of understandings of human trafficking, impeding investigators’ prosecutors’ and repeatedlyapprehended suspects involvedin the commercial lack investigative of skills and trafficking awareness reportedly legislationand indicators victim for identification. Officials’ continued to hinder investigations and prosecutions. Police commensurate with those prescribed other for serious offenses, childprostitution, with prescribed penalties 10 years’five of to efforts during the year; however, the brigade lacked capacity editing; must it then be sent to the General Secretariat to be complicity in human trafficking crimes, including a diplomat, For example, in February a police officer 2013, was suspectedof during the reporting period. Care centers in Burundi are offenders arrested In parents May 2012, in informed 2011. operated by NGOs, religious organizations, and or women’s officials took no action to stop childprostitution occurring at a bar.at The police arrested the establishment’s owner, but anti-traffickinglegislation intended to rectify this and other ability to identify and prosecute traffickingoffenses. Elementsof articles brothel-keeping on and procuring prostitution, which and prosecute traffickingoffenses It arrested2012. in two Ethics Brigade, under the Burundian National Police, was Law, though the Criminal Code prescribes explicit no penalties Articles and 242 Burundi’s of 243 Criminal Code prohibit some report trafficking cases to local authorities. In 2012, the brigade countries, especially in Malaysia and Thailand. Cambodian gave sensitization workshops for provincial civil servants, migrant workers have reported employers in destination civil society, and police officers in the provinces of Makamba, countries withholding copies of employment contracts and Rutana, Karuzi, Cankuzo, Muyinga, Kayanza, Bubanza, and confiscating passports. Recruitment agencies have reportedly Cibitoke. In addition, sensitization campaigns also targeted engaged in the falsification of legal identification and age 15 secondary schools. The Office of the First Vice President verification documents to allow for the illegal recruitment established a technical commission to complete an assessment of children. The ban on the legal emigration of Cambodian of the government’s current anti-trafficking efforts and propose women to Malaysia for work in domestic service caused many

CAMBODIA future action items; however, the government failed to act on recruitment agencies to shut down. In many cases, these the commission’s suggestions as elaborated in a November recruitment agencies were the only link between Cambodian 2012 report. Coordination across government ministries to workers in Malaysia and their families in Cambodia. As combat trafficking remained poor, and relevant agencies and a result, the ban created difficulties in accounting for the police units are largely unaware of the problem, which severely workers already in Malaysia and increased their vulnerability hindered progress. With donor funding, an NGO-led joint to exploitation and abuse. Despite the ongoing ban, women taskforce on human trafficking, including representation from and girls seeking employment continued to migrate to Malaysia, the National Police and the Ministries of Justice and National reportedly through the use of tourist visas; some of them Solidarity, continued to meet every three months to share subsequently became victims of domestic servitude. NGOs information; however, the government did not take an active report that some Cambodian victims transited through role or assume leadership of the taskforce. In 2012, the Ministry Thailand en route to Malaysia, and some Vietnamese victims of Labor’s 15 inspectors conducted no child labor inspections. were transported through Cambodia by criminal gangs before During the year, the National Multi-Sectoral Committee for being exploited in Thailand and Malaysia. the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor educated local officials in several provinces about child labor laws and Within Cambodia, children from impoverished families are the worst forms of child labor. The government did not make highly vulnerable to forced labor, including domestic servitude, efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts or child and have been sent by their parents to beg on the streets in sex tourism during the reporting period. The government, in Thailand. Cambodian children are also transported to Vietnam partnership with a foreign donor, provided Burundian troops for forced labor and forced begging. The Svay Pak brothel area with anti-trafficking training prior to their deployment abroad outside Phnom Penh, where young children are exploited in on international peacekeeping missions. the sex trade, continues to operate despite numerous attempts by police to close it down.

Within the country, Cambodian and ethnic Vietnamese CAMBODIA (Tier 2 Watch List) women and girls migrate or are transported from rural areas to Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Poipet, Koh Kong, and Sihanoukville, Cambodia is a source, transit, and destination country for where they are subjected to sex trafficking in brothels and men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex increasingly in venues such as beer gardens, massage parlors, trafficking. Cambodian men, women, and children migrate salons, karaoke bars, and non-commercial sites. Police and to countries within the region—primarily Thailand and NGOs report that child sex traffickers have adopted new tactics Malaysia, but also Singapore, Vietnam, and South Korea— designed to evade prosecution; increasingly, commercial for work in factories, restaurants, or other industries, but sexual exploitation of children occurs in locations other than many are subsequently subjected to sex trafficking, domestic brothels, often through the use of additional brokers, though servitude, debt bondage, or forced labor within the fishing, traffickers in commercial establishments continue to facilitate construction, food processing, and agricultural industries. this type of exploitation. Sex trafficking of children under the Vietnamese women and children, many of whom are age of 15, once promoted through highly visible methods, has victims of debt bondage, are transported to Cambodia and become increasingly clandestine. The sale of virgin women forced into commercial sex. Corrupt officials in Cambodia and girls continues to be a problem in Cambodia. Cambodian and Thailand facilitate the transport of victims across the men form the largest source of demand for child prostitution; border. Additionally, an unknown number of unidentified however, men from other Asian countries, the United States, trafficking victims are among the large number of migrants and Europe travel to Cambodia to engage in child sex tourism. deported from Thailand each year. During the year, male Cambodians continued to be subjected to forced labor on Thai- The Government of Cambodia does not fully comply with flagged fishing boats; an organization that assists victims in the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; Cambodia reported an increase in the number of repatriations however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Despite these of Cambodian victims in the Thai fishing industry in the measures, the government failed to make progress in holding first two months of 2013. Cambodian victims who escaped trafficking offenders and child sex tourists accountable because their fishing industry traffickers were identified in Malaysia, of inadequate prosecutions and sentences, and its efforts Indonesia, Mauritius, Fiji, Senegal, and South Africa. The men to protect victims remained inadequate. The government reported being deceived by Thai fishing boat owners about the prosecuted and convicted fewer trafficking offenders and expected length of service and their wages. Some Cambodian identified fewer victims than it did in the previous year. The men also reported severe abuses by Thai captains and being government did not make efforts to address trafficking-related forced to remain aboard the vessels for up to two years. corruption during the year, and complicity of government officials contributed to a climate of impunity for trafficking The inability to understand formal obligations, read contracts, offenders and a denial of justice to victims. The government or pay processing fees, and inadequate regulatory government developed operational procedures to assist male trafficking oversight rendered some Cambodian migrant workers victims but did not provide adequate protections to such vulnerable to forced labor and debt bondage in destination victims during the year. The government continued to lack 116 CAMBODIA 117 in absentia been deemed illegal by Cambodian judges in recent years. beenextended to the investigation suspected of offenses cases. building brokers who send migrants across the border into Thailand Protection Prosecution traffickingor trafficking-related activities.former The head of the Phnom Penh Municipal Police’s Anti-Human Trafficking unwilling to participate. Victims whose families received out- testimonies, hampering the pursuit successful of prosecutions. under the 2008 human trafficking Furthermore, law. child sex traffickers’ methods have become increasingly sophisticated trafficking endeavors. Local observers believe corruption to be the cause impunity of afforded to recruiting firms, including trafficking.Police officials reportedly cooperatewith labor the current year, the Ministry Justice of reported (MOJ) 50 the prosecutions 102 and convictions 62 in the previous using the anti-trafficking law 39 and trafficking-related trafficking and the remaining for sex trafficking. During the training more than for 1,400 law enforcement and judicial systematicprocedures to identify victims and refer them to some with reported financial ties to senior governmentofficials, smuggling, and a lack expertise of in evidence collection led SexualExploitation explicitly addresses traffickingoffenses in prosecutions resulting in 44 convictions, a decrease from police and judicial officials lacked adequate expertise to without regard their for vulnerability to trafficking. The government reported that no government officialswere were reportedly related to sex trafficking;four staff members incentives victims for to participate in prosecutions, left many Thoughexplicitlynot prohibited by Cambodian undercover law, investigation authority other for types investigations, of such investigation necessary collecting for sufficient evidence and investigated, prosecuted, convicted or involvement for in The Government Cambodia of failed to demonstrate progress in its anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts. 2008 The Law identify and prosecute a significantnumber of trafficking for complicity for in trafficking in previous the year, was not from one licensed recruiting agency were convicted labor of year,the government designedand delivered donor-funded year. Of the 44 convictions, fiveoffenders were prosecuted large. cases. Inadequate efforts to protect victims, including a lack of evidencecollection operations in human trafficking cases have engaging in illegal recruitment practices that contribute to commensurate with other serious crimes, such as rape. During cases.Officials at times conflated labor trafficking and human of-court settlements from traffickersat times changed their offenders were prosecuted under the penal code and Law on officialson implementationof the anti-trafficking but law, on theon Suppression Human of Trafficking and Commercial officers to rely almost whollyon victim testimony to build andJuvenile Protection Department, convicted apprehended during the reporting period and remained at as counter-narcotics investigations, similar approval has not anddifficult to detect, makingproactive and undercover and prescribes penalties that are sufficiently stringent and Endemic corruption all at levels continued to impede anti- While the government has specifically approved undercover A number government of entities continued to employ Aggravated Circumstances. The majority the of convictions 12 of its of 12 30 articles. The law prohibits all forms trafficking of 2013 2012 Increase efforts to 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 ) authorizing the use undercover of investigative CAMBODIA TIER RANKING BY YEAR CAMBODIA TIER RANKING BY prakas trafficking victims to NGOs with increased support and trafficking victims; expand efforts proactively to identify to male victims; streamline procedures reportingfor and techniques in the enforcement the of anti-trafficking law; the previous year, Cambodia is placed on Tier 2 Watch List. the previous year, Cambodia is placed Tier on 2 Watch List. to assist trafficking victims. The government’s policy not to allow undercover anti-trafficking operations hampered services, including legal aid, psycho-social support, and systematic proceduresits for diplomatic missionsabroad public awarenesscampaigns aimed reducing at the demand perhaps by appointing a dedicated labor attaché in countries withlarge numbers Cambodian of workers; improve work in other countries; institute a nationwide victim workers; increase efforts to make court processes efficient more without Cambodian diplomatic representation; revise sub- workers during pre-departure training, and recruitment of workers younger than sensitize 18; law enforcement authorities going abroad; enforce criminal penalties labor for recruitment government prosecuted and convicted the staff members one of interagency cooperationand coordination between police, identificationprotocol; augment governmental referrals of improve efforts to investigate and prosecute government for commercialfor sex and child sex tourism by locals and foreign from participating in investigations and prosecutions. The victims trafficking of among vulnerable groups, such as vigorously investigate, prosecute, convict, and punish offenders reintegration programs; establish systematic procedures to responding to cases in which victimsare identified in countries recruitment process, such as debt bondage, detention of recruitment,placement, and protection migrant of workers laborrecruitment company their for in role labor trafficking. law enforcement’s ability to pursue cases successfully, as nationals. court officials, andother government personnelon trafficking cases and victim referral processes; and continue to promulgate children and Cambodians emigrating returning or for from establish witness protection provisions specifically for companies engaging in illegal acts committed during the decree number 190 to include more comprehensive, transparent, men, especially in fishing, and makemore services available monitoring and enforcement measures to better regulate the did its failure to address disincentives keeping victims officials complicit humanin trafficking; initiatemore stringent of bothof labor and sex trafficking; issue an executive decree overallincreasing efforts to address human trafficking over Recommendations for Cambodia: assist Cambodian victims through diplomatic missions abroad, and sensitive to the needs and interests trafficking of victims; andunequivocal stipulations the for protection migrant of andpolicymakers to the prevalence trafficking of of adult Becausethe government did demonstratenot evidence of ( NGOs for care, but the government made limited progress in work but failed to ensure that procedures or safeguards were in strengthening these procedures and making them uniform place to assist Cambodian women already working in Malaysia. nationwide, and the number of victims identified decreased This prohibition may have contributed to the increased from the previous year. The majority of medical, legal, and vulnerability of Cambodian domestic workers in Malaysia, shelter services were provided by NGOs, which cared for because when the majority of the recruitment companies victims of a number of forms of abuse. Although there were subsequently shut down, exploited women who remained in no procedures in place for law enforcement officials’ proactive Malaysia had little access to support or remediation, which identification of victims among vulnerable groups, the the companies had provided in the past. The Cambodian

CAMBODIA government continued efforts to develop victim identification embassy in Kuala Lumpur provided temporary shelter to an guidelines in consultation with UN agencies. Authorities unknown number of Cambodian domestic workers who faced systematically referred identified victims to NGO shelters abuse in Malaysia, but it did not have systematic procedures to receive care but did not develop a policy for formally to assist trafficking victims through its diplomatic mission transferring custody of child victims, leaving NGOs that in Malaysia or other countries. accepted these victims for care vulnerable to court actions against them. The government operated a temporary shelter The Cambodian government required foreign victims found in Phnom Penh for female victims of trafficking and other in Cambodia to be repatriated to their home countries and did crimes, though the authorities did not offer further assistance not provide legal alternatives to their removal should they face to victims. Lack of available long-term care made victims, hardship or retribution upon return to their countries of origin. particularly child sex trafficking victims, highly vulnerable There were no reports that identified victims were punished to re-trafficking. The Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans, and for crimes committed as a result of being trafficked; improved Youth Rehabilitation (MOSAVY) released an Operational efforts to proactively identify victims among vulnerable groups Standard Procedure on Reintegration Support to Male would help ensure that unidentified victims were not punished. Trafficking Victims outlining procedures for the processing Authorities reportedly encouraged victims to participate in and reintegration of male trafficking victims, but protection investigations and prosecutions of traffickers, and foreign for male trafficking victims remained inadequate. Despite the victims were eligible for temporary legal residence in order prevalence of male victims, the availability of men’s shelters to do so. However, Cambodia’s weak and corrupt judicial remained severely limited, as NGOs were not required by the and law enforcement systems, lengthy legal processes, and Cambodian government to accept male victims and many credible fears of retaliation on the part of victims combined refused to do so. Foreign victims of trafficking had the same with the lack of witness protection, long-term residency access to victim care facilities as Cambodian trafficking victims; options for foreign victims, or access to resources continued however, there were a limited number of shelters with the to hinder victims’ willingness to cooperate in cases, thereby ability to provide specialized care to foreign victims, including impeding their access to legal redress. The government did foreign language capabilities and culturally sensitive support. not consistently follow procedures to ensure victims’ interests. Although it had in place standards that required service MOSAVY reported receiving and referring 570 trafficking providers, including police, to ensure a safe place in which victims to shelters, and the local police referred 388 victims to conduct interviews with victims, the government typically of sex trafficking to provincial agencies for NGO referrals. lacked the necessary equipment and office space to do so, and The total number of victims identified and referred, 958, is perpetrators and victims were often interviewed in the same a decrease from the 1,131 victims identified and referred location. Victims were theoretically eligible for restitution, during the previous reporting period. With assistance from an though this was limited in practice by a legal requirement international organization, MOSAVY continued to operate a that compensation be paid only following the completion of transit center in Poipet, where it received 27 victims identified a convicted offender’s jail term. by Thai authorities and identified an additional 64 victims of trafficking from among the approximately 100,000 Cambodian migrants deported from Thailand, a decrease from the 104 Prevention victims identified during the previous year. Because victim The Government of Cambodia continued efforts to prevent identification procedures on both sides of the border were trafficking during the reporting period. The National inadequate, the number of actual trafficking victims among Committee on the Suppression of Human Trafficking, this population was likely much higher. International and local Smuggling, and Labor and Sexual Exploitation and its NGOs unofficially repatriated victims of Thai fishing vessels, secretariat continued to lead the country’s anti-trafficking thus the total number of returning victims was not known. efforts, including through issuing an annual report on the One organization reported repatriating 51 male victims from government’s anti-trafficking efforts and working to implement Mauritius, Indonesia, Fiji, Senegal, China, Malaysia, and the committee’s anti-trafficking action plan. The committee, South Africa and providing support for the government in its working groups, and its provincial-level affiliates held a repatriating 17 male victims from Indonesia and Malaysia total of 176 meetings during the year. In an effort to better during the reporting period, but this represented only a fraction address exploitation of Cambodian workers abroad, the of the total number of Cambodian men believed to have been government established a migration working group within trafficked onto fishing boats. The government did not have its anti-trafficking committee comprising representatives adequate procedures in place to facilitate the rescue of victims from the government, recruitment agencies, and civil society. of forced labor on fishing boats identified overseas; NGOs Although this group sent a delegation to Malaysia in December reported the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International 2012, the two countries did not finalize a bilateral MOU on the Cooperation did not have a focal point for these cases and labor migration of Cambodian domestic workers to Malaysia. did not respond to requests for assistance during the year. The government did not improve or enforce sub-decree 190, approved during the previous reporting year, which governs the In the previous reporting period, the government prohibited activities of companies that recruit Cambodians to work abroad, the migration of additional women to Malaysia for domestic though it did convict four staff members from one licensed 118 CAMEROON 119 2013 2012 Vigorously prosecute 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 CAMEROON TIER RANKING BY YEAR better life in the city. Traffickers are increasingly resorting Prosecution take significant steps preventto human trafficking. Despite these efforts, the government did not make adequate progress to educate police, judges, lawyers, and social workers about the new law against human trafficking; dedicate resources to to kidnappingtheir victims, however, as heightened public to give their children to these intermediaries. Cameroonian trafficking victimswere alsoidentified in Denmark, Cyprus, the minimum standards the for elimination trafficking; of trafficking law enforcement efforts during the reporting services, and data collection remained sporadic and did not statistics victim on identification and law enforcement. services, and socialize these mechanisms among government street vending; mining; agriculture, including tea on and cocoa sectors, where they perform odd jobs as errand boys and Spain, Germany, Norway, Slovakia, the United Arab Emirates, procedures to identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations and refer them to care centers and continued to period. Law Relating The 2011 to the Fight Against Trafficking persons, and under Section 4 prescribes a penalty to 20 10 of proceduresreferring for trafficking victims NGOto care plantations;in the urban transportation and construction witness protection. The government also developed formal with smaller numbers in Russia. During the year, Cameroonian The Government Cameroon of sustained modest anti- in Personsand Slavery prohibits all forms trafficking of in in ensuring trafficking victims received access protectiveto improve the collection statistics of relating to victim identification and law enforcement; develop standardized The Government Cameroon of does not fully comply with improvements to its legal and regulatory framework by using forced labor forcedor prostitution in Switzerland and France, hereditary servitude in the northern regions. however, is it making significant efforts to do so. During the years’ imprisonment, penalties that are sufficiently stringent reporting year, the government continued to make modest laborers construction on sites; and in prostitution within the northern chiefdoms. Cameroonian women are lured to Europe cover the entirecountry, resultingin unreliable and incomplete employees complicit in trafficking-relatedoffenses; continue childrento an intermediarypromising an education a or children are exploited in manysectors such as domestic service; country. Reports indicate the existence hereditary of slavery in drafting amendments to address shortcomings in victim officials and the NGO community; and address cases of offers domestic of work and subsequently become victims of and convict traffickingoffenders, including government awareness about trafficking hasled to parents beingless willing and other regions by fraudulent internet marriage proposals or and several West and Central African countries. a newly enacted law to prosecute three traffickers and by Recommendations for Cameroon: being trafficked, improved efforts proactivelyto identify by unsafe migration. Officials from the Ministry Women’s of tourism offenses during the year, and two cases were ongoing. to conduct education and awareness campaigns. The sex acts, the governmentcontinued to conduct police raids subsequently deported to face child sex abuse charges in Russia. sextourists rather than the local populationthat is the main source demand of commercial for sex with children. peacekeeping initiatives. part the of funeral ceremonies Cambodia’s for former king. prosecutions pedophiles of accused exploiting of children in producing billboards, magazine advertisements, and handouts withoutinvestigating claims that his lawyer bribed the victim’s were among criminals the 412 pardoned in February as 2013 was pardoned and released early from prison in the previous government distributed CDs and DVDs with content to The government deported a convicted foreign pedophile—who The government’s handling pedophilia of cases weakened the The Ministry Tourism of sustained collaboration with NGOs in These policies lacked clear delineation responsibilities of of forced prostitution. Trafficking operations usually target two familyto change her testimony. Several convicted pedophiles victims among vulnerable groups would ensure unidentified victims were not punished as law violators. The anti-trafficking victims were punished crimes for committed as a result of reporting period—to South Korea, but only after extensive recruitmentprocess and did detail not suitable controls or recruiting agency labor for trafficking. Overall, Cambodia’s recruitment agencies and government authorities during the laws and regulations governing recruitment, placement, children subjectedto forced labor and sextrafficking and a countryorigin of women for subjected to forced labor and committee provided members military of forces with training credibility Cambodian of efforts to combat child sex tourism. childsex tourism, though these efforts were targeted foreign at events to commemorate an anti-trafficking awareness day in educate thepopulation about the risk trafficking of posed Five Cambodian officials testified in the United Statesin Foreign and local donors provided support to the government discussion the on topic. The government once again organized monitoring agencies of to avoid abuses, prevent corruption, or on humanon traffickingprior to their deployment abroadon or threeor children, often when rural parents hand over their on brothels.on Although there were no reports that identified In December the 2012, government reduced the charge against a convicted Australian pedophile and released him from prison advocacy by NGOs and the international community. He was approximately 1,600 government and civil society participants. aimed reducing at the demand commercial for sex acts and andheld a march along the Cambodia-Thailand border with and collaborated withan NGO to hosttelevised a roundtable assign criminal penalties. Issuessuch as passport confiscation and debt bondage were not adequately addressed. and protection migrant of laborers abroad remained weak. December;conducted it awareness campaigns in four provinces Cameroon is a source, transit, and destination country for Cambodia. In an effort to decrease the demand commercial for CAMEROON (Tier 2) Authorities convicted three foreign nationals child for sex Affairs held events to raise awareness about safe migration and commensurate with those prescribed for other serious government did not punish any trafficking victims for unlawful offenses, such as rape. Section 5 prescribes penalties ranging acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked. from 15 to 20 years’ imprisonment if the trafficking victim is 15 years of age or younger, if violent pretexts are used to coerce the victim, or if the victim sustains serious injuries as Prevention a result of trafficking. Section 3 prescribes penalties for debt The Cameroonian government demonstrated continued progress in preventing human trafficking over the last year. CANADA bondage ranging from five to 10 years’ imprisonment. These penalties are also sufficiently stringent. In collaboration with An inter-ministerial committee, chaired by the secretary an NGO, the government organized a working session in general of the prime minister’s office and comprised of over July 2012, which brought together 30 government and civil a dozen different ministries, coordinates anti-trafficking society actors, as well as national and international experts on efforts across the government. The government continued trafficking. As a result of the session, the government began a nationwide awareness campaign about trafficking and the drafting amendments to the 2011 law to address shortcomings exploitation of children through a joint effort with UNICEF in protection of victims and witnesses; these amendments were in the Littoral, Northwest, Southwest, and West regions. still under consideration at the end of the reporting period. The National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms and the MSA also organized seminars and meetings to raise During the reporting period, the government initiated three public awareness on trafficking in persons. The government trafficking prosecutions but had not yet secured convictions by continued to address the phenomenon of street children, a the end of the reporting period; all three prosecutions remained vulnerable population considered at high risk of becoming pending in the Southwest region. This represents a decrease trafficking victims, and identified 285 new cases during the from the previous reporting period, in which the government reporting period. The government returned the majority of conducted five trafficking investigations and obtained two these children to their families and periodically followed up convictions. Additionally, two investigations involving child with families to ensure that children were not returned to trafficking in the Littoral and South regions were ongoing at the streets. The government continued to provide members the close of 2012. However, the government failed to collect of the Cameroonian armed forces with training on human comprehensive anti-trafficking law enforcement data from all trafficking prior to their deployment abroad on international of Cameroon’s 10 regions during the reporting period. It also peacekeeping missions as part of an overall briefing on did not report any investigations or prosecutions of government international humanitarian law. employees for alleged complicity in trafficking-related offenses.

Protection CANADA (Tier 1) The Cameroonian government demonstrated modest efforts Canada is a source, transit, and destination country for to ensure victims of trafficking received access to protective men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking services. The government and NGOs identified 87 trafficking and a destination country for men and women subjected victims during the reporting period, a decrease from the to forced labor. Canadian women and girls are exploited 135 victims identified in the previous reporting period. The in sex trafficking across the country, and women and girls government continued to provide limited direct assistance from Aboriginal communities as well as minors in the child to child victims, including shelter, medical assistance, and welfare system are especially vulnerable. Foreign women, psychological support. These government-run shelters are primarily from Asia and Eastern Europe, are subjected to sex closed—adult victims are not allowed to leave at will or trafficking as well, often in brothels and massage parlors. Law unchaperoned. It is unclear how much funding the government enforcement officials continue to report that local street gangs devoted to victim care during 2012 or how many victims and transnational criminal organizations are involved in sex received services; however, the Ministry of Social Action (MSA) trafficking in certain urban centers. Labor trafficking victims identified and placed 25 vulnerable children in government include foreign workers from Eastern Europe, Asia, Latin care facilities for assistance. Local and international NGOs America, and Africa who enter Canada legally—sometimes provided the majority of victim services in the country, and the through the temporary foreign worker program—but then government has yet to institute a standardized, reliable referral are subsequently subjected to forced labor in agriculture, mechanism to refer victims to these services. At ports of entry, construction, processing plants, restaurants, the hospitality trained customs and border security officers interrogated adults sector, or as domestic servants. Reports of forced labor continue accompanying children and checked their travel documents to be more prevalent in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. to verify their parentage; however, these procedures did not There was one report of a Canadian citizen exploited in forced result in the identification of any trafficking cases during the labor during the year. Canada is also a significant source reporting period. country of tourists who travel abroad to engage in sex acts The government encouraged victims to assist in the investigation with children. and prosecution of trafficking crimes. Victims may file suits or The Government of Canada fully complies with the minimum seek legal action against traffickers, and, because children are standards for the elimination of trafficking. During the year, the main victims of trafficking in Cameroon, family members authorities continued to strengthen law enforcement efforts, may also bring civil suits against traffickers on behalf of including the conviction of a record number of trafficking children. At least six victims received financial settlements offenders. The government launched a national anti-trafficking from their traffickers after filing such suits. Although the plan that strengthened coordination and increased efforts to government stated it would provide temporary resident status train frontline responders across the country. Some provincial or legal alternatives to the removal of foreign trafficking victims governments increased anti-trafficking efforts, though the to countries where they may face hardship or retribution, no effectiveness of these local efforts varied. Across the country, such relief was provided during the reporting period. The 120 CANADA 121 Protection to shelter services, short-term counseling, court assistance, trafficking investigations and not did report investigating there were least at 77 ongoing federal human trafficking traffickingprosecutions during previousthe reporting period, training sessions government for officials during the year. statistics the on total number trafficking of victimsidentified services offered by the government were general services serve trafficking victims. Immigrationofficials continued prosecutions, which of 72 were domestic sex trafficking cases. proceeds prostitution, of and forcible confinement; this is a were no government programs specifically designed to governmentshad primary responsibilities general for crime were suspended, and credit was given pre-trial for custody.One The Royal CanadianMounted Police (RCMP) continued investigator’s course. The RCMP and the border service agency The government maintained protections trafficking for implementing guidelines intended to assess whether foreign involving94 defendants and victims. 158 The government federal and provincial governments anti-trafficking on law for itsfor inrole a forced labor case. human trafficking-relatedoffenses. Coordination between the year. The convictions 27 included two convictions forced for victim services, which were available to trafficking victims, victimsduring the reporting period, though most victim reported total 27 trafficking convictions during the last year, reported collaborating with foreign governments several on labor undertrafficking-specific laws,in contrast to three nationals were potential victims trafficking. of Therewere nationwideno procedures, however, other for government notable increase compared withsix such convictions obtained jurisdictions, however, provided trafficking victims with access extensive anti-trafficking training efforts for law 2012 in enforcement officers, border serviceofficers, and prosecutors each launched online anti-trafficking training courses. 2012, In enforcement efforts continued to be a challenge in some cases. compared with least at convictions 12 during the previous convictions forced for labor under trafficking-specific laws convicted least at 25 traffickingoffenders underother sections conspiracy to commit human trafficking, living on the company was fined the equivalentof approximately$215,000 Female trafficking victims could receive servicesat shelters Federal and provincial level officials conducted various during the reporting period. These cases involved least at during the preceding reporting period. Sentences ranged from or migrantor workers. Officials not did collect comprehensive operatingor any dedicated facilities trafficking for victims. on humanon trafficking indicators. The Canadian government prosecutingor any government employees complicity for in offered to victims a wide of variety crimes of and there officials proactively to identify and assist trafficking victims obtained during the preceding reporting period. Prosecutors theof criminal code including in 2012, provisions against one day to nine years’ imprisonment; some these of sentences Inaddition to ongoing investigations, asof February 2013, isIt unclear many how these of prosecutions were initiated and assisted during the year. Provincial and territorial and the range andquality these of services varied. Most and other services. The government did not report funding andtrained 50 police officers in an in-depthhuman trafficking authoritiestrained provincial labor inspectors in Ontario among vulnerable populations, such as women in prostitution 130 defendants130 victims, and 119 compared with ongoing 57 2013 2012 Continue to intensify efforts 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 CANADA TIER RANKING BY YEAR CANADA TIER RANKING the Canadian provinces. Prosecution to prosecute Canadian citizens Canadian or permanent though convictions forced for labor crimes and international toinvestigate trafficking cases, including allegationsforcedof to investigate and prosecute traffickingoffenses, and convict serious crimes, such as rape. During the year, the criminal sentence trafficking for of children. These penalties are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those other for sex trafficking remainedlow in comparison with those for social work about human trafficking; continue to strengthen prohibiting livingthe on profitsprostitutionof or operating prohibits transnational human trafficking,prescribing a penalty years’ up to of 14 imprisonment life or imprisonment protection services; increaseinvestigations and prosecutions in the case certain of aggravating factors such as kidnapping The Government Canadaof strengthenedits anti-trafficking improve trafficking data collection, particularly regarding interagencycoordination; establish formal mechanisms for from human trafficking cases to go to victim settlements. funding; increase use proactive of law enforcement techniques few specialized services were available to trafficking victims, humantrafficking prosecutions. provincialThe government victim identification and assistance; and strengthen victims in partnership with civil society and through dedicated victims identified and assisted during the year. residents trafficking for offenses they commit abroad. Section restrictive. This amendment also authorizes the government law enforcement efforts by significantly increasing the labor; amplify efforts to educate officialsworking in law numbertrafficking of offenders convicted during the year, convicted the greatest number trafficking of offenders of all code was amended to further define exploitation in the context codeprohibits all forms human of trafficking, prescribing a coordination among national and provincial governments enforcement,immigration, the justice sector, health care, and enhance specialized care services available to trafficking maximum penalty life of imprisonment and the equivalent of domestic sex trafficking. Sectionof Canada’s 279.01 criminal of Manitobaof enacted allowing a law in 2012 the proceeds of traffickingof offenses; NGOssome and law enforcement officers had believed that previousthe definition was overly on lawon enforcement and victim services. of Canadian of child sex tourists abroad; continue efforts to officials identifyto traffickingvictims and refer themto or sexualor assault. There is a five-year mandatory minimum Recommendations for Canada: approximately million a $1 fine. In March 2012, the Ontario and sentence traffickingoffenders using anti-trafficking laws; and there was comprehensive no data collection trafficking on Court Appeals of ruled unconstitutional federal statutes Authorities in the province Ontario of have prosecuted and 118 of Canada’s of Immigration118 and Refugee Protection Act “bawdy houses;” these statutes had frequently been used in designed for victims of violence, and in some cases shelters for widespread awareness-raising activities and maintained six homeless persons provided basic services to male trafficking regional human trafficking awareness coordinators across victims. The demand for some services, such as longer-term the country to facilitate anti-trafficking initiatives and assist assisted housing, generally exceeded resources. Some law in developing local strategies. These coordinators distributed enforcement officials and NGOs indicated that the lack of anti-trafficking toolkits to Aboriginal communities. The federal specialized services was problematic and noted that increased government funded several anti-trafficking initiatives abroad protection of victims could enhance victim cooperation with through the Canadian International Development Agency law enforcement. and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT). NGOs noted that provincial referral mechanisms, often

CAPE VERDECAPE involving a local anti-trafficking network or coalition, Provincial and local governments also undertook a variety worked well in practice; however, some NGOs reported of trafficking prevention events and initiatives during the that communication between different sectors, such as law year; these efforts varied in effectiveness. British Columbia enforcement officials and service providers, was uneven. had the only provincial anti-trafficking office in the country, Provinces and territories had primary responsibility for and the office conducted a variety of prevention, training, enforcing labor standards; however, civil society organizations and awareness activities. Quebec’s provincial government reported that provincial and territorial governments often reported funding NGOs that provided services to trafficking lacked adequate resources and personnel to effectively monitor victims. Ontario implemented provincial-level initiatives the labor conditions of increasing numbers of temporary including victim identification tools and awareness materials. foreign workers or to proactively identify human trafficking The Alberta provincial government continued to fund an victims among such groups. NGO coalition to coordinate the province’s actions to combat trafficking. Undocumented foreign trafficking victims in Canada could apply for a temporary resident permit (TRP) to remain in Authorities continued to implement the compliance the country. The government issued 26 TRPs to 24 foreign framework for the federal temporary foreign workers program. trafficking victims in 2012, 13 of which were first-term permits Immigration officials provided information to temporary and 13 of which were renewals. In comparison, authorities foreign workers, including live-in caregivers, to let them know reported granting 53 TRPs to 48 foreign victims in 2011. Some where to seek assistance in case of exploitation or abuse and foreign trafficking victims might have received different forms to inform them of their rights. Some NGOs asserted that these of immigration relief, such as refugee protection. During a efforts did not address the root issues that make temporary 180-day reflection period, immigration officials determined foreign workers vulnerable to forced labor and called for whether to grant TRP holders a longer residency period of up to a national policy framework to regulate labor brokers and three years, and victims had access to essential and emergency recruiters. In 2012, the federal government enacted a policy medical care, dental care, and trauma counseling. TRP holders making it more difficult for businesses involved in the sex trade could apply for fee-exempt work permits, and some foreign to hire temporary foreign workers and stopped processing victims received these permits during the reporting period. new work permits for temporary foreign workers to work in Some officials and NGOs reported difficulties in getting TRPs related businesses, such as strip clubs and massage parlors. In for foreign victims due to lack of coordination or understanding 2012, the government banned two diplomatic missions from among service providers, law enforcement officers, and bringing domestic servants into Canada because of abuses, immigration officials about whether an individual qualified including unpaid wages, contract switching, and long hours; as a trafficking victim. Identified victims were not penalized it is unclear if any civil suits were filed by the abused workers. for crimes committed as a direct result of being subjected to human trafficking. Canadian authorities encouraged but did Canada is a source of child sex tourists, and the country not require trafficking victims to participate in investigations prohibits its nationals from engaging in child sex tourism and prosecutions of trafficking offenders. The government through Section 7(4.1) of its criminal code, which has continued to provide protections to victims who chose to extraterritorial application and carries penalties of up to testify, such as witness protection programs and the use of 14 years’ imprisonment. DFAIT continued to distribute a closed circuit television testimony; however, it did not report publication warning Canadians traveling abroad about how many victims, if any, participated in investigations and penalties under Canada’s child sex tourism law with every prosecutions. During the year, the wife and step-daughter new Canadian passport issued. However, there were no public of a Hungarian forced labor victim who testified against his reports of investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of child traffickers were deported after their refugee request was denied. sex tourists during the year. Canadian authorities provided anti-trafficking information to Canadian military forces prior to their deployment on international peacekeeping missions. Prevention Canadian authorities continued to prosecute individuals who The Government of Canada maintained strong anti-trafficking solicited commercial sex, and there were no known efforts to prevention efforts during the reporting period. Canada’s address demand for forced labor. national action plan released in 2012 created a new federal- level interagency taskforce to replace the previous working group. In addition to outlining specific anti-trafficking commitments, the national plan increased transparency CAPE VERDE (Tier 2) by requiring the federal government to report publicly and Cape Verde is a source country for children subjected to forced annually on its efforts. Although the plan did not come with a labor and sex trafficking within the country and, at times, a separate budget, it committed the equivalent of approximately source for persons trafficked to Brazil, Portugal, and other $25.8 million from federal entities for anti-trafficking efforts countries in Europe for forced transport of drugs. Migrants over the next four years. The RCMP continued to conduct from China, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, and 122 CAPE VERDE 123 , the project that based violence may have assisted trafficking victims during Protection to attend to child sex abuse victims; the unit is equipped with that provide care to vulnerable children and victims gender- of the ICCA-run year. Two centers child for emergencies in the islands Sal, of Sao Nicolau, Bao Vista, Fogo, and Santiago, the day and provide counseling. There are also government- tourism, and the Officeof Health for Praia—coordinated the the child’s legal guardian; government officials indicate that support throughout court processes. Denuncia Disque served as a referral system, coordinating efforts between the supported foster family and adoption programs the for care of stringent penalties two of to eight years’ imprisonment for Santiago prearranged for clients. The secondcase involved the police, hospitals, and Officesof Health and School. ICCA protection trafficking of victims, several government facilities protection and prevention sexual of abuse children of and police, the national prosecutor,the directorate general of prostitutionchildren of the on island Sal. of The government government’s hotline reporting for cases child of abuse, which offered reintegration services to children experiencing granting impunity to those who profit from their exploitation. The government made modest efforts to protect trafficking involving children and aged require 15 14 complaints from in the prostitution teenage of boys between the ages 12 of identificationprosecutionor of trafficking offenses. There were for otherfor grave crimes, such as rape. The penal code does victims. Although did it not report its identification or victimsunder years 14 and toone five years for victims aged referral child of victims sexual of abuse to care and offered remain in these centers up to for three months. The government long-term trauma. The ICCA continued its Nos kasa lacked formal procedures the for identification and referral not prohibit punish or those who facilitate theprostitution no such case has ever been reported to police. Prostituted no reports trafficking-related of corruption during the year; corruption is generally not a significant issue in Verde.Cape children who cannot return to their families. The government children are rendered to 17 aged 14 virtually invisible to law enforcement and social welfare officials under existing law, cases child of prostitution reported by the ICCA. In February Fogo, Boa Vista, andSantiago, which host children during maintained its fiveprotection and social reinsertion centerson did not provide information regarding the status these of cases. of sexualof abuse, violence, and abandonment; children can theon islands Santo of Antao, Sao Vincente, Sao Nicolau, traffickingof victims.However, networkthe ICCA’s for the of childrenof under the and prescribes age 16 of sufficiently childrenof Investigations and aged 17. 16 intosex crimes It didIt not provide any specialized training officials for on the attorneygeneral’s office, the judiciary police, the national and UNICEF established a special unit in the judicial police a video room thatallows children to testify outside court. of aims to reduce the vulnerability street of children to sexual abuse and child labor through the operation six of day centers adolescents—comprised the of judicial police, the national and 14 transportedand 14 from Praia to other parts the of island of Praia and Mindelo afforded temporary care to child victims During the year, the judicial police investigated least at two CapeVerdean law does providenot legal for alternatives to 2013, the government2013, began prosecution three of men involved 14 or 15. These 15. or penalties14 are not commensuratewith penalties Draft comprehensive 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 to situations exploitation of in Europe. Cape Verdean CAPE VERDE TIER RANKING BY YEAR Prosecution trafficking, though several existing statutes cover certainforms. to combat human trafficking during the year;however, it trafficking law enforcement data; and launch a targeted anti- trafficking public awareness campaign. that doesrelynot evidence on movement of but rather on trafficking victimswere identified in Guinea. the minimum standards the for elimination trafficking; of sufficiently stringent penaltiesof six 12 years’to imprisonment. Senegal may receive wages, low work without contracts, and prohibitsfacilitating the prostitution children of and ages 16 prosecute convict or any traffickingoffenders during the year. prostitution in Santa Maria, Praia, and Mindelo. Sex tourism, previous reporting period. In addition, it began prosecution governmentinvestigated least at two cases involving alleged The Government Cape of does Verde not fully comply with girls, some whom of may be foreign nationals, are exploited in The Government Cape of demonstrated Verde minimal efforts implementprocedures the for identification of trafficking investigate and prosecute traffickingoffenses; develop and including children in prostitution, and to assist vulnerable investigate any cases suspected of human trafficking in the indicators forced of labor. Reports indicate that boys and for Childrenfor and Adolescents (ICCA), under the Ministry of forced labor. West African migrants may transitthe archipelago however, is it making significant efforts to so.do The victims amongst vulnerable populations; compile anti- victims reduce or the demand commercial for sex acts. not have regularized their visastatus, creating vulnerabilities to exploitation; prosecute, convict, and punish trafficking children. Despite these efforts, the government did not child prostitution, an increase compared to its failure to children work in domestic service, often working hours long Furthermore, did it not make efforts to identify any trafficking did not prosecute convict or any traffickingoffenders. Cape made concerted efforts to protect child victims sexual of abuse, deceived forced or into transporting drugs to within or Brazil of threeof offenders in one case. The Cape Verdean Institute offenders under existing law; ensure Cape Verdean law Recommendations for Cape Verde: anti-traffickinglegislation consistent with 2000the UN TIP and Portugal. Between three and 2012, 2010 Cape Verdean at timesat involving prostituted children, is a problem in Cape and times at experiencing physical and sexual abuse— Protocol, including a broad definitionof trafficking in persons en route Verde. Cape Verdean adults and children are risk at being of Verdean law does not specificallyprohibit all forms of Youth, Employment, and Human Resources Development, 271 of the of 271 penal code outlaws slavery, both which of prescribe Article the of 148 penal code outlaws facilitating prostitution Article the of labor 14 code prohibits forced labor and Article 17; train 17; law enforcement officials to use existing laws to the removal of foreign trafficking victims to countries where gold and diamond mines, shops, and street vending. Within they may face hardship or retribution. the country, children are at risk of becoming victims of forced labor, Ba’aka (Pygmy) minorities are at risk of becoming victims of forced agricultural work—especially in the region Prevention around the Lobaye rainforest—and girls are at risk of being The government made modest efforts to prevent trafficking exploited in the sex trade in urban centers. Girls forced into during the reporting period through efforts directed towards marriages are often subjected to domestic servitude, sexual the elimination of child labor and protection of migrants. slavery, and possibly commercial sexual exploitation. Women Nonetheless, it did not undertake any trafficking awareness in prostitution, some of whom report being subjected to campaigns. During the year, the government continued its gang rapes and beatings perpetrated by peacekeeping troops drafting of a list of hazardous forms of work. In 2012, ICCA from other Central African countries, may be vulnerable to inaugurated its unit for prevention and elimination of child sex trafficking. labor and worked with government and civil society partners to establish the National Committee for Eradication of Child Armed groups operating in the CAR continued to recruit and Labor in Cape Verde. The government did not identify any use children, at times through force, for military activities. child labor violations during the reporting period and did Human rights observers reported that opposition militia not remove any children from situations of child labor. In the groups in the north of the country continued to recruit and previous reporting period, it developed a national immigration unlawfully use children in armed conflict. Despite having strategy to manage migration flows, regulate migrant access previously signed action plans with the UN to end the to the labor market, develop a model employment contract recruitment and use of children, both the Union of Democratic for immigrant workers, and lay groundwork to identify and Forces for Unity (UFDR) and the Convention of Patriots address labor exploitation by strengthening the coordination for Justice and Peace (CPJP) continued to recruit and use between inspection divisions, labor unions, NGOs, and children during the year. Some children formerly associated

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC migrant associations. In 2012, the government, in partnership with the CPJP were threatened for having “deserted,” and with international organizations and donors, held awareness children released from both groups were at risk of being events about this strategy and workshops for the National re-recruited. The rebel group Popular Front for Recovery Immigration Council and Permanent Monitoring Group. The (FPR) reportedly used children during the year; in September National Immigration Council is a committee comprised of 26 2012, this group surrendered, and its members, including 18 members from different stakeholder organizations responsible children, were subsequently repatriated to Chad. Observers for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the indicate the Democratic Front of the Central African Republic national immigration strategy. The Permanent Monitoring (FDPC) and the Movement of Central African Liberators for Group is an advisory group that supports the immigration Justice (MLCJ) continued to harbor children. The People’s coordination unit, established in February 2012, to ensure Army for the Restoration of Democracy (APRD), known to coordination on and compliance with national immigration recruit and use children, disbanded in May 2012. In February policies as part of its larger efforts to improve conditions for 2012, the Central African army (FACA) reportedly captured migrants and facilitate their integration into Cape Verdean a 14-year-old boy fighting with the FPR and allegedly used society. In December 2012, the Minister of Internal Affairs him to identify FPR hideouts, and local observers reported opened the first Immigration Support Office, based in the the presence of children manning FACA checkpoints during Santa Maria police precinct, which aims to serve and inform the current reporting year. Village self-defense units, which migrants living in the area. During the year, the Ministry of were established by towns to combat armed groups and Internal Administration reported one pending prosecution bandits in areas where the national army or gendarmes are of a child sex tourist. In 2012, the government did not make not present, used children as combatants, lookouts, and significant efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex porters. UNICEF estimated that children comprise one-third of acts or to address sex tourism. these self-defense units. The government reportedly provides occasional in-kind support to some of these groups; in one December 2012 incident, government officials and members of the ruling political party distributed machetes to children in CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC self-defense neighborhood groups in Bangui. The recruitment (Tier 3) of children for use in armed groups increased in December 2012 when the Seleka coalition—an alliance comprised of The Central African Republic (CAR) is a source and destination members of the CPJP, UFDR, FDPC, and others—launched country for children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking a rebellion against the government. Both Seleka rebels and and possibly for women subjected to forced prostitution. While pro-government militias are reported to have recruited and the scope of the CAR’s trafficking problem is unknown, NGO used children during the conflict. programs launched during the reporting period to survey the problem have contributed to an increased understanding of The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a Ugandan rebel group that the nature of trafficking in the country. Observers report that operates in eastern regions of the CAR, continued to abduct most victims appear to be Central African citizens exploited and enslave South Sudanese, Congolese, Central African, and within the country, and that a smaller number are transported Ugandan boys and girls for use as cooks, porters, concubines, back and forth between the CAR and Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria, and combatants. The LRA also forced girls into marriages Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo and forced children to commit atrocities such as looting and (DRC), Sudan, and South Sudan. Trafficking offenders—likely burning villages, killing village residents, and abducting including members of expatriate communities from Nigeria, or killing other children. Some of these children may have South Sudan, and Chad as well as transient merchants and been taken back and forth across borders into South Sudan herders—subject children to domestic servitude, commercial or the DRC. In May 2012, during the capture in the CAR of sexual exploitation, and forced labor in agriculture, artisanal senior LRA commander Ceaser Achellam, who is accused of 124 CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC 125 been re-recruited by the Seleka coalition, and as the of close Prevention Protection to the drafting a national of plan to combat trafficking. In trafficking. The government maintainedits partnership with the government’s in role this process was minimal and, at times, its actions inflicted further harmon children released theSeleka coalition; the children were eventually released to an NGO, but with threats that they would be shot if they tried to leave the shelter.These childrenwere believed tohave traffickers. Reports indicated that the government arrested and traffickers to operate with impunity.Traditional dispute to punish criminal acts. Furthermore, the Criminal Court the reporting period. The government did not investigate the use child of soldiers in self-defense militias that may in that forcibly removed and threatened 66 demobilized child the legal codes. to lack financial of resources. The CAR government not did soldiers in protective custody in Bangui.Law enforcement services during the reporting period. neither It developed prevention efforts during the reporting period. In November punitive measures againstthe government securityforces programs child for soldiers, which left victims susceptible to government representatives and other stakeholders committed government.In December one incident, 2012 the government government did not provide legal alternatives to the removal The government undertook moderate anti-trafficking inan attempt to increase efforts to collect and sharedata identifyany trafficking victims during the year, but an NGO in Bangui has not held a session apparently since 2010, due investigate prosecute or any public officials for their alleged The Government the of CAR did not make significant efforts to factbe supported by the government. In addition, took it no from armed groups, who were sometimes detained by the further exploitation re-trafficking or by armed groupsor other UNICEFand NGOsthe for protectionand reintegration of UNICEF, in partnership with local NGOs, worked to very limited resources, did not directly provide reintegration vulnerable groups enacted nor system a referring for identified victims to NGOs to receive care. The government did not reported identifying 40 suspected victims sex of and labor reintegratean unknown number identified of child soldiers; raided a shelter serving former child soldiers, and arrested and resolution methods are widely practiced throughout the resourcesto identify and investigate trafficking cases, and jailed 66 children rescued from fighting among the ranksof jailed individuals involved in the sex trade, some whom of country, often to the exclusion formal of legal proceedings complicity in trafficking-related criminal activities during ensure that victims trafficking of received access protectiveto demobilized child soldiers. During the reporting period, may have been trafficking victims, without verifying their measures the for proactive identificationof victims among of theof reporting period, the government has investigated not punishedor the officers involved. The government, which has foreignof victims to countries where they may face hardship retribution,or and no such victims were identified. officialswere provided not adequate technical training and officials outside the capital may not have access to copiesof ages attempting or to identify indicators trafficking. of The December, this group constructed a rudimentary database 2012, during2012, a working group meeting convened by an NGO, ; 2013 Increase Increase 2012 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC TIER RANKING BY YEAR CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Prosecution traffickingoffenses were investigatedprosecutedor during the reporting period. NGOs engaged in anti-traffickingwork to seek damages from their traffickers. Theseprovisions, the prescribed penalty is life imprisonment with hard labor. the reporting period. Article the of CAR’s 151 penal code to identify and report trafficking victims among vulnerable to use the penal code’s anti-traffickingprovisions to investigate tolerance policy the for use children of within the government’s trafficking and is not making significant efforts to doso. The populations, such as womenand girls in prostitution, street prosecuting human trafficking cases. Judges prosecutors and prescribed other for serious offenses, such as rape. If the prohibitsall forms trafficking of in persons prescribesand penalties10 years’ five of to imprisonment, penalties which protectionrefer to, or to serviceproviders any trafficking which may have contributed to an environment that allowed in armed groups and self-defense units, and institute zero a with an NGO, the government began convening a working groupto develop databasea collecting for and sharing government didnot investigate prosecute or any suspected The Government the of Central African Republic made no information cases on human of trafficking wellas as a national The Government the of Central African Republic does fully not failed to prosecute trafficking casesbrought to theirattention, however, are not enforced, and no cases suspected of human Ugandan military identified12-year-old a trafficking victim victims. Furthermore, took it actions during the year which reported that local officialswere generally disinterested in recruiting and using children as soldiers and sex slaves, the child victim sex of traffickingforcedor labor similar to slavery, community, provide care to demobilized child soldiers and children in commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. encourage the public and relevant governmental authorities children, children associated with armed groups, and Ba’aka community, train law enforcement officials and magistrates efforts to demobilize and reintegrate child soldiers serving caused further harm to victims trafficking. of In collaboration cases human of trafficking, andit identify, not did provide comply with the minimum standards the for elimination of discernible anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts during of five to 10 years’ fiveof to imprisonment. Victims can file civil suits offense involves a child victim, Article prescribes 151 the Recommendations for Central African Republic: andbonded labor and prescribe sufficiently stringent penalties additional penalty hard of labor. If the offense involves a and, in collaboration with NGOs and the international andprosecute these offenses; increase efforts to educate and armed forces; in collaboration with NGOs and the international action plan combating for human trafficking in the CAR. andreferred her to an international organization protection. for are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with penalties Articles 7 and the 8 of January 2009 Labor Code prohibit forced across agencies. The working group has continued to meet and its resources remain constrained following decades of twice weekly to develop the national plan, which was not conflict and instability. finalized by the close of the reporting period. The government took no action to establish a policy against child soldiering CHAD TIER RANKING BY YEAR CHAD or raise awareness about the country’s laws prohibiting the use of children in armed forces. The government did not take any measures to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts during the year.

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 CHAD (Tier 2 Watch List)

Chad is a source, transit, and destination country for children Recommendations for Chad: Pass and enact draft penal subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. The country’s code revisions that include a prohibition on child trafficking; trafficking problem is primarily internal and frequently consider drafting and enacting penal code provisions that involves children being entrusted to relatives or intermediaries criminalize the trafficking of adults; increase efforts to enhance in return for promises of education, apprenticeship, goods, or magistrates’ understanding of and capability to prosecute and money, only to result in forced labor in domestic servitude or punish trafficking offenses under existing laws; continue forced herding. Some children are sold in markets, a practice anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts, including the that has been documented since 2011. Child trafficking victims investigation and prosecution, when appropriate, of suspected are also subjected to forced labor as beggars and agricultural trafficking offenders; adopt and implement the Child laborers. Some children who leave their villages to attend Protection Act, which would protect children from forced traditional Koranic schools are forced into begging, street labor and prohibit their recruitment into the military; continue vending, or other labor by illegitimate teachers. Child cattle collaborating with NGOs and international organizations to herders, some of whom are victims of forced labor, follow increase the provision of protective services to all types of traditional routes for grazing cattle and at times cross ill- trafficking victims, including children forced into cattle defined international borders into Cameroon, the Central herding, domestic service, or prostitution; create a senior-level African Republic, and Nigeria. There continue to be allegations inter-ministerial committee to combat trafficking and provide of child herders being forced to work by military or local support and resources to regional bodies to help facilitate government officials. Chadian girls travel to larger towns in overall national coordination of anti-trafficking efforts; search of work, where some are subsequently subjected to continue to take steps to raise public awareness of trafficking prostitution or are abused in domestic servitude. Chadian issues, particularly at the local level among tribal leaders and children were identified in some government military training other members of the traditional justice system; and continue centers and among rebel troops in 2012. Although some to work with international partners to implement a national of the children may have lied about their age in order to action plan to combat trafficking. enlist, reports indicate that some children were recruited by government forces during the reporting period. Prosecution The Government of Chad does not fully comply with the Chad made modest law enforcement efforts against trafficking minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, in persons during the reporting period, an increase from the it is making significant efforts to do so. Despite these modest previous reporting period. Existing laws do not specifically steps, the government did not demonstrate evidence of overall prohibit human trafficking, though forced prostitution and increased efforts to address human trafficking compared many types of labor exploitation are prohibited. Title 5 of the to the previous year; therefore, Chad is placed on Tier 2 labor code prohibits forced and bonded labor, prescribing Watch List for a fourth consecutive year. The country was fines equivalent to approximately $100 to $1,000, but not granted a second consecutive waiver of an otherwise required imprisonment, which is not sufficiently stringent to deter downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan this form of trafficking and does not reflect the serious nature that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to of the crimes. Penal code Articles 279 and 280 prohibit the meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human prostitution of children, prescribing punishments of five to trafficking and is devoting sufficient resources to implement 10 years’ imprisonment and fines up to the equivalent to that plan. During the reporting period, the Government of approximately $2,000, penalties that are sufficiently stringent Chad demonstrated a limited commitment to increased anti- and commensurate with penalties prescribed for other serious trafficking law enforcement by investigating nine suspected crimes. Pimping and owning brothels is also prohibited under trafficking cases and convicting five traffickers of forced child penal code Articles 281 and 282. The 1991 Chadian National labor, including one senior military official. The government Army Law prohibits recruitment of children younger than 18; also continued nation-wide campaigns on human rights punishment for those who violate this provision is conducted issues, including trafficking in persons, and high-ranking at the discretion of military justice officials. Draft revisions officials, such as the president and prime minister, spoke to the penal code that would prohibit child trafficking and out publicly against trafficking. Despite these efforts, the provide protection for victims have not been enacted for the government has yet to enact legislation specifically prohibiting third consecutive year. human trafficking and strengthening labor protections for The Government of Chad prosecuted nine cases and convicted children within Chad. It also lacks formal victim identification five traffickers during the reporting period. Local law procedures and has failed to provide trafficking victims with enforcement officials in the Tandjile and Mandoul regions basic support. The country continued to face severe challenges, detected and investigated seven cases involving the sale of boys for forced labor in cattle herding and the sale of girls for forced 126 CHILE 127 2013 2012 Increase efforts to investigate 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 CHILE TIER RANKING BY YEAR Prosecution the capital, especially involving potential forced labor and trafficking and law, by enhancing the capacityof the dedicated through opening a dedicated shelter adult for female trafficking trafficking within the country, as arewomen and girls from sent to it the NationalAssembly approval. for services; improve data collection; and continue to enhance punish traffickingoffenders; strengthen victimprotection particularly by achieving its first convictions under 2011 the guidelines werelacking, andauthorities had yet toconvict a women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced women, and children, primarily from Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, TheGovernment Chile of enhanced its anti-trafficking law investigative police. Authorities increased specialized services increased funding these for services; create and implement identifying victims trafficking of and child soldiering, and immigrants mayalso be vulnerable to both sex trafficking including the transportation illegal of drugs; some these of The Government Chile of does fully not comply with the interagencycoordination mechanisms and communication with NGOs, particularly the at working level. forced labor offender. foreign trafficking victims to ensure they receive necessary formalvictim identification and referralprotocols for front- however, is it making significant efforts to do so. During the year, the government strengthened law enforcement efforts, victims and continued to provide services to children in victims remained limited, victim identification and assistance victims in Chile’s mining, agricultural, and hospitality sectors, line responders; continue to strengthen law enforcement’s labor. Chilean women and children are exploited in sex enforcement efforts during the year by strengthening the commercial sexual exploitation. Specialized services male for efforts male for as well as female victims, and ensure victims’ capability to proactively investigate trafficking cases outside children may have been coerced forced. or domestic servitude; expediently issue temporary visas to minimum standards the for elimination trafficking; of other Latin American countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Recommendations for Chile: and prosecute all forms human of trafficking and convict and access to shelters and comprehensive services through and in domestic service. Authorities report that Chinese andforced labor. Chilean authorities continued to identify an increasing number children of involved in illicit activities, Peru, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia. Men, Chile is a source, transit, and destination country men, for Colombia, and Ecuador, have been identified as forced labor CHILE (Tier 2) being trafficked.being Prevention Protection their families with the assistance the of Ministry Social of though took it additional no discernible action to reduce thedistribution posters of and other informational materials trafficking during the reporting period. The Ministry of trafficking victims for unlawful acts committed as a resultof though these services not tailored to the specific needs of trafficking victims. The government encouraged trafficking to victims crime of through a joint agreement with UNICEF, unknown number victims of to appropriate services where the reporting period. did It officially not reportidentifying or two traffickerswere sentenced to years’two imprisonment, units, and joint inspections with UNICEF were conducted to seven cases, resulting in three convictions and four acquittals; problem. The government collaborated with a donor-funded publishedan orderthat all senior military officials responsible period, the government closed down motels that encouraged prime minister and president also made public announcements provided limited in-kind contributions and social services were not empoweredto take significant action; a lack of government’sability toprovide adequate services tovictims of were unable to coordinate with the national government. Lack information sharing between ministries continued to prevent in Chad, but only it included working-level representatives The government made modest efforts to prevent human The Chadian government did not take adequate steps to identify and provide protection to victims trafficking of during for recruitmentfor training or identify any children still in their from relevant ministries who met an on informal basis and herding as or domestic servants. These campaigns included verify compliance. Children found during the verification victims to participate in investigations and prosecutions regarding combating trafficking in persons. national A rights,which included sensitization the of population to the referring victims toprotection services. Regional committees, located in sixregions within Chad, identified and referred an labor in domestic service. The government prosecuted all establish a birth registration system, with the goal better of effective coordination a national at level. During the reporting committee focused human on trafficking continued to function child trafficking and forced labor. eastern Chad and received a one-year sentence, and senior a missions were removed from the army and reintegrated with demand commercial for sex acts. The Minister Defense of dangers giving, of renting, selling or child one’s animal for database was not completed during the reporting period. or practiced prostitution and the facilitation of prostitution, of traffickingof offenders and not detain,did fine, or jail any of formalof victim identificationprocedures continued to be a Inadequatehuman and financial resources severely limited the and involved various high-ranking government officials. The all crimes, including victims trafficking. of The government available,but these bodies lacked support and resources and NGO project to create a human trafficking database, but the army official was sentenced to years’two imprisonment for and a fine.A trafficker wasconvicted forced of child labor in and trafficker one received a two-year suspended sentence Human Rights launched nationwide campaigns human on Action. the In 2012, government draftedlaw a intended to dedicated police unit, achieving the first convictions under services in 2012. It was unclear what services the 95 identified the 2011 anti-trafficking law, and continuing to prosecute and victims received, though prosecutors reported spending the convict child sex trafficking offenders. Chilean law prohibits all equivalent of approximately $8,000 to assist trafficking victims. forms of human trafficking, prescribing penalties ranging from Authorities drafted a victim assistance protocol during the five years and a day in prison to 15 years’ imprisonment, plus year. In August 2012, authorities opened a dedicated shelter CHINA fines, for trafficking offenses. Such penalties are sufficiently for female adult victims of trafficking; the government stringent and are commensurate with those prescribed for funded a NGO-administered shelter housing 15 foreign other serious crimes, such as rape. Officials continued to victims during the reporting period, including two forced investigate and prosecute many internal child sex trafficking labor victims. This open shelter facilitated health, migration, cases as commercial sexual exploitation of minors or pimping, and employment services, and the government spent the pre-existing crimes which can carry lower sentences. During equivalent of approximately $68,000 for the shelter in 2012 the year, authorities increased staffing and resources for the and received additional funding from a private company. The trafficking and smuggling investigative police unit, which National Service for Minors (SENAME) provided services to had been limited to investigating crimes in the capital area. child victims of sex trafficking through its national network Authorities recognized the need for increased data collection of 16 walk-in centers for children subjected to commercial and sharing. sexual exploitation—including boys—and reported spending the equivalent to approximately $2.8 million in 2012 for During the reporting period, police investigated at least 16 sex these NGO-administered programs. SENAME also funded trafficking and two labor trafficking cases. The government one residential shelter exclusively for child sex trafficking initiated at least 158 trafficking prosecutions, including 16 for victims. Some NGOs reported that funding from SENAME labor trafficking and 15 for sex trafficking of adults, though the was inadequate to provide all of these services and to conduct majority involved child sex trafficking. In 2012, Chilean courts outreach to vulnerable youth. Specialized assistance for male achieved the first convictions under its 2011 anti-trafficking victims was limited, and NGOs reported a lack of adequate law, convicting four trafficking offenders for internal and services for some trafficking victims. transnational sex trafficking; sentences ranged from five to 15 years’ imprisonment, with the lowest sentence suspended and Chilean authorities encouraged victims to assist in the served as immediate parole. Prosecutors also convicted one investigation and prosecution of trafficking offenders. Foreign trafficker under Chile’s previous transnational sex trafficking victims who reported the crime to authorities were eligible for statute with a sentence of 185 days deemed already served temporary residency with the right to work for a minimum in preventive detention. In addition, authorities reported six-month period, and five victims received this residency convicting 22 trafficking offenders under statutes prohibiting in 2012. NGOs reported that extensive wait time for these the facilitation or promotion of prostitution of children but did temporary visas impeded some foreign victims’ access to not report the range of sentences for these convictions. This service. The law also establishes foreign victims’ rights to take compares with 34 sex trafficking convictions achieved in 2011. steps toward regularizing their legal status in Chile. There were no reports that the government punished trafficking victims There were no reported investigations or prosecutions of public for unlawful acts they committed as a direct result of their officials for alleged complicity in human trafficking-related being subjected to human trafficking. offenses. During the year, authorities provided specialized training on trafficking for law enforcement officials, social workers, and other government officials, often in partnership Prevention with NGOs and international organizations. NGOs reported The government sustained awareness efforts during the that some government agencies responsible for providing reporting period and conducted an internal evaluation of its victim assistance lacked adequate training. Law enforcement capacity to address trafficking. The anti-trafficking interagency officials collaborated on transnational trafficking investigations working group met three times in 2012 and released a national with other governments. assessment of anti-trafficking efforts, highlighting priority areas for action and forming the basis of a draft national action plan. SENAME continued to raise awareness about Protection child prostitution through awareness campaigns. Authorities The Chilean government strengthened protection efforts provided anti-trafficking training to Chilean troops prior during the year through opening a dedicated shelter for adult to their deployment abroad for international peacekeeping female victims, but NGOs reported a need for more specialized missions. The government prosecuted individuals for soliciting services, and authorities lacked guidelines for proactive victim sexual services from children but did not report efforts identification and assistance. The government did not employ targeting the demand for forced labor. systematic procedures to proactively identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations or to refer them to services, though some agencies reported use of guidelines for victim identification. Prosecutors reported identifying CHINA (Tier 3*) 95 trafficking victims during the year. It is likely that many China is a source, transit, and destination country for men, child sex trafficking victims were identified as victims of women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex different crimes, as officials reported assisting 1,209 children trafficking. Women and children from neighboring Asian in commercial sexual exploitation in 2012. countries, including Burma, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, Chilean law mandates the provision of medical care, Mongolia, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea psychological counseling, and witness protection services (DPRK), as well as from Russia, Europe, Africa, and the to adult victims of trafficking who assist in trafficking Americas, are reportedly trafficked to China for commercial investigations, and authorities reported providing these sexual exploitation and forced labor. While the majority of 128 CHINA 129 2013 2012 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 CHINA (PRC) TIER RANKING BY YEAR tocomply with the minimum standards and is placed Tier on 3. trafficking least at in 320 state-run institutions, while helping trafficking. In addition, as the governmentprovides little the year, Chinese sex trafficking victimswere reportedon allof the inhabited continents. Traffickers recruited girls and young threats physical of financial or harm, to obtain and maintain theirservice in prostitution. Locations sexof trafficking of the last nine consecutive years. TIP and In 2012 the 2011 traffickers. The government continued to perpetuatehuman that Chinese men were found marijuana at cultivation sites, standards the for elimination trafficking. of TraffickingThe services to domestic foreign, or male female or victims of subjected to forced prostitution forced or labor. Chinese men sexual services. In addition, there have been reports Chinese of subjected to forced prostitution throughout the world. During prohibit and punish all forms trafficking of and prosecuteto government officials complicit in trafficking. written plan to bring itself into compliance with the minimum which is therefore deemed not to be making significant efforts government will increase its efforts in victim protection and governments in extraditing alleged traffickers and repatriating women, often from rural areas China, of using a combination interest in anti-trafficking reforms, the Chinese government information about arrests or prosecutions, it is difficult to in service sectors, such as restaurants and shops, in overseas while women were forced to work in beauty salons and offer in factories, and mining and logging camps. TheGovernment the of Republic People’s China of does not fraudulent employment offers, wherethey are subsequently fully comply with the minimum standards the for elimination victims. Through the government’s use social of media, victims human of trafficking onlyin seven. The government national public awareness human of trafficking has increased consecutive waivers; a waiver is no longer available to China, cooperation with international organizations. The government determineif the government takes adequate steps to punish did not demonstrate significant efforts to comprehensively men abused in coaland copper mines in Africa. otherwise required downgrade to Tier the on 3 basis a of over previous years. However, despite these modest signs of of fraudulentof job offers, imposition large of travel fees, and trafficking,of and has beenplaced on TierWatch 2 List for a newa national plan action of that sets forth ways in which the also demonstrated increased cooperation with foreign also did not report providing comprehensive victim protection and women are subjected to forced labor in many countries around the world. There have been reports forced of labor arecollocated with concentrations Chineseof migrant workers Reports, China was granted consecutive waivers from an During the reporting period, the Chinese government released China remains a significant sourceof girls womenand Chinese womenand girls abroad vary widely, and sometimes Chinese communities. A study in the Netherlands revealed Victims Protection Act (TVPA) authorizes a maximum two of boys to girls 100 in China, which served as a key source by adults and children, took place throughout China in 2012. toChina afterbeing recruitedthrough marriagesbrokers or transported to urban centers. China is alsoa destination for upon arrival. Well-organized international criminal syndicates upon their return to the DPRK crimes for that were sometimes the equivalent approximately of $70,000, compound Chinese trafficking occurs within China’s borders, there are reports that Chinese men, women, and children may be subjected to conditions forced of prostitution and forced labor in schools forcing students to work in factories were reported. some subsequently face conditions indicative forced of labor, such as withholding passports of and other restrictions on sometimessubjected to forced marriage and forced prostitution servitude and forced marriage. State-sponsored forced labor is part a systematic of form Some evidencechild of labor has beenreported by media people arrested the for girls’ commercial sexual exploitation. prisoners were sometimes beaten failing for to complete work population,estimated toexceed 236 million. Forced labor government officials and businessmenwere among the five women and girls, largely from neighboring countries, who are within China; they are often recruited from rural areas and in government drug detention centers. Chinese authorities government reportedly profits from this forced labor, and wererequired to work, often with remuneration.no The workersmigrate voluntarily to other countries jobs for in The Chinese government’s birth limitation policy and a in cities throughout China. In July eight 2012, girls under the Trafficking pronouncedis among China’s internal migrant forced to work in farms and factories. instances In 2012, of from a carwash in Tianjin, where the men hadbeen beaten for Chinesefor men and forced for prostitution. from Women foreign women and girls into China. Media sources have factories, some which of operate illegally and take advantage of victims, who may face severe punishment, including death, reportedthe on prevalence underage of girls in the sex trade reportedly trafficked to other partsof China domestic for remains a problem, including in brick kilns, coalmines, and laxlabor supervision. Forced labor, including forced begging numerous other countries. Low- and medium-skilled Chinese cultural preference sons, for create a skewed sex ratio 118 of continue to detain and forcibly deport North Korean trafficking coalmines, beauty parlors, construction, and residences, but quotas. NGO reports state that forced labor is also a problem many prisoners and detainees in least at these of 320 facilities migrants’ vulnerability to debt bondage. movement, non-payment wages, of physical sexual or abuse, of demandof the for traffickingforeign of women brides as of Chinese of women and girls and the inbound traffickingof of repressionof known as “re-education through The labor.” on theon subject. During the reporting period, some children in outlets, but the government has publicized only limited data In November police 2012, rescued mentally 11 disabled men andnot paid. Girls from theTibet Autonomous Region are age of 14 were kidnappedage 14 of and forced into prostitution. Local and local gangs play key roles in both the outbound trafficking a direct result being of trafficked. and threats. High recruitment fees, sometimes as much as Burma, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Mongolia are transported Chinese women and girls are subjected to sex trafficking “work-study programs” supported by local governments were Recommendations for China: Continue to update the legal with trafficking offenses and its lack of judicial due process and framework to further refine the definitions of trafficking-related transparency, it is difficult to ascertain how many trafficking crimes per the 2000 UN TIP Protocol, separating out crimes cases the government actually investigated and prosecuted such as abduction, illegal adoption, and smuggling; provide during the reporting period. It therefore was difficult to more disaggregated data on efforts to criminally investigate accurately assess Chinese anti-trafficking law enforcement CHINA and prosecute sex trafficking of adults and children; provide efforts, including the government’s statistics on trafficking- data on the number of criminal investigations and prosecutions related investigations, prosecutions, and convictions. The of cases identified as involving forced labor, including of government, however, reported cooperation with the recruiters and employers who facilitate forced labor and debt governments of the United States, Vietnam, Colombia, Angola, bondage, both within China and abroad; investigate, prosecute, the Philippines, Uganda, Russia, and Malaysia on trafficking and impose prison sentences on government officials who investigations during the reporting period, which led to the facilitate or are complicit in trafficking; expand efforts to arrest and extradition of suspected traffickers. For example, institute proactive, formal procedures to systematically the Philippines extradited a human trafficker to China. The identify victims of trafficking, including labor trafficking Ministry of Public Security also collaborated with Angolan victims and Chinese victims trafficked abroad, and among police on a case resulting in the deportation from Angola of vulnerable groups such as migrant workers and foreign and 37 Chinese nationals suspected of human trafficking. The local women and children arrested for prostitution, to ensure cases with Vietnam, Colombia, and Uganda have led to that they are not punished for acts committed as a direct the repatriation of both suspected trafficking offenders. A result of being trafficked; cease detention, punishment, and case involving the suspected trafficking of Chinese women forcible repatriation of North Korean trafficking victims; to the United States for forced prostitution remains under continue to expand victim protection services, including investigation. comprehensive counseling, medical, reintegration, and other rehabilitative assistance for male and female victims of sex There were multiple media reports of anti-trafficking law and labor trafficking; end the “re-education through labor” enforcement activities. For example, Chinese authorities system; continue to increase the transparency of government arrested five offenders for trafficking 200 Burmese victims to efforts to combat trafficking; and, provide legal alternatives metal and paper factories in Guangdong province in December to foreign victims’ removal to countries where they would 2012. The fate of these traffickers or victims, however, face hardship or retribution. remains unclear because the government did not release this information. A man who confined six female victims in his basement and subjected them to forced prostitution received Prosecution the death penalty, while three female victims were prosecuted The government of China demonstrated moderate law for the murder of two other victims. The Supreme People’s enforcement efforts during this reporting year. Although Court holds both semi-annual and annual training courses the government claims otherwise, Chinese law remains on human trafficking and anti-trafficking in provinces in inadequate to combat all forms of trafficking. Article 240 of China where there is a higher prevalence of human trafficking. China’s criminal code prohibits “abducting and trafficking In July 2012, an anti-trafficking training course was held in of women or children,” but does not define these concepts. Yunnan province attended by over 300 judges. Article 358 prohibits forced prostitution, which is punishable by five to 10 years’ imprisonment. Prescribed penalties under these statutes range from five years’ imprisonment to death Protection sentences, which are sufficiently stringent and commensurate The Government of China’s efforts to protect trafficked victims with those prescribed for other serious crimes, including remained inadequate during the reporting period. During the rape. Article 244 of the Chinese Criminal Code prohibits reporting period, the Chinese government claimed that out of “forcing workers to labor,” punishable by three to 10 years’ the 1,400 shelters serving a wide variety of people, including imprisonment and a fine, and expands culpability to those victims of crime and the homeless, five were dedicated to care who also recruit, transport, or assist in “forcing others to for victims of human trafficking; victims also had access to labor.” However, it remains unclear whether, under Chinese basic services at China’s general-purpose shelter network. The law, children under the age of 18 in prostitution are considered government also reported that two additional shelters were victims of trafficking regardless of whether force is involved. established in Yunnan and Guangxi provinces to protect and assist foreign trafficking victims. However, the government In addition, it remains unclear whether these laws have did not report the number of victims assisted or the services prohibited the use of common non-physical forms of coercion, provided to the victims. The government’s lack of transparency such as threats of financial or reputational harm, or whether prevents an accurate assessment of its efforts; it has never acts such as recruiting, providing, or obtaining persons provided any data on the number of victims it has identified for compelled prostitution are covered. While trafficking or assisted. Law enforcement and judicial officials reported crimes could perhaps be prosecuted under general statutes they continued to punish forced prostitution victims and related to fraud and deprivation of liberty, authorities did expel foreign victims in violation of immigration law. The not report using these specific provisions to prosecute and Chinese government reported it had four nationwide hotlines punish trafficking offenders. The government reported law to report suspected cases of trafficking or access referral enforcement statistics that included incarceration of sex and services for victims. labor trafficking offenders involving women and children victims. The government reported that police cracked down Chinese law also provides human trafficking victims the on 10,000 alleged human trafficking organized crime groups right to claim financial compensation by filing civil lawsuits and placed over 80,000 alleged suspects in criminal detention. and request criminal prosecution of traffickers. Chinese However, due to the government’s continued conflation of authorities continued to forcibly repatriate North Korean human smuggling, child abduction, and fraudulent adoptions refugees. The government continued to treat North Koreans 130 COLOMBIA 131 2013 Within the 2012 Enact the victim 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 COLOMBIA TIER RANKING BY YEAR by the 2005 anti-trafficking was law, not enacted during the though the government continued to provide limited funding to civil society organizations that provided some victim trafficking victims within the country, it as appeared that the transportation illegal of narcotics. Colombia is a destination sex traffickingof Colombianwomen and children remains a sex trafficking cases and opening a significant numberof services.Authorities reported identifying five victimsforced of subjected to sex trafficking around world,the particularly significantproblem. Groupsat high risk for internal trafficking sex trafficking and forced labor, particularly in the sale and protection and specialized services by continuing to increase with assistance from the government, including repatriation government did not report convictingany forced labor groups forcibly recruit children to serve as combatants, to The Government Colombia of fully complieswith the investigations. Identified victimsof trafficking were provided in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, and Western Europe, women, and children subjected to forced labor. include internally displaced persons, Afro-Colombians, indigenous communities, and relatives members of criminal of funding shelter for and reintegration assistance; increase the for foreignfor child sex touristsfrom the United States, Europe, vulnerable Colombians, including displaced persons, into reporting period, impeding robust more victim protection, labor and one victim internal of trafficking during the year, labor in mining, agriculture, and domestic service, and the labor and sex trafficking in Colombia, and Colombian children ensure that all trafficking victims areprovided access to citizens from engaging in child sex tourism while abroad country, Colombian victimsare found in conditions forced of cultivate illegal narcotics, to or be exploited in prostitution. minimum standards the for elimination trafficking. of majority internal of sex trafficking victimswere identified not during the reporting period. Members gangsof and organized criminal networks force offenders. The pending victim protection decree,required organizations. Ecuadorian children are subjected to forced Recommendations for Colombia: assistance decree and designate funding its for implementation; andlaw enforcement efforts, prosecuting transnational assistance, in cooperation with international organizations andNGOs. For the second consecutive year, however, the and was it difficult to assess government efforts to assist sex as such. are exploited in forced begging in urban areas. Illegal armed as well as a source, transit, and destinationcountry men, for andother South American countries. Colombiais a source countrywomen for and children COLOMBIA (Tier 1) Authorities continued to undertake awareness campaigns (household registration) system, be the government hukou by Chinese authorities leave North Koreans vulnerable to border crossings. The government continued to bar UNHCR Prevention Prevention tourism, the government made efforts no to prevent Chinese to trafficking. Individuals a from rural area who migrate for to abusive employers who can use threats arrest of as a form trafficking, particularly throughbride traffickingforced and to review progress from eachministry with regard to the trafficking in persons during the reporting period. The to UNHCRassistance andthe issue forced of repatriation trafficking victims, wellas as those who facilitated illegal they may face severe punishment, even death, including in substantial deposits from Chinese workers, rendering them serious problem posed by human trafficking and calling for suspected trafficking cases. The MPS also coordinated the such as Weibo microblogs, permitted the government to raise stakeholders and improve victim protection. The new plan prosecuted citizens who assistedNorth Korean refugees and policy had in creating a gender imbalance and fueling plan action, of which includes measures to improve interagency governmentindependent the of training provided by the work to an urban area usually cannot register and live there which contributes to the vulnerability internal of migrants government in early released 2013 a new eight-year national The government did address not the effects its birth limitation The Government Chinaof increased its efforts to prevent independent reporting that many North Korean female factorto the problem human of trafficking continues to from the Ministry Public of Security highlighting (MPS) the found in China asillegal economic migrants, despite credible handlingtrafficking cases but alsofocuses on the importance human traffickers.human UN prior to deployment. The government did not take any vulnerable to forced labor. Another important contributing reaffirms the importanceof international cooperation in refugees in China are trafficking victims. The government legally.Unregistered urban residents aretherefore vulnerable national action plan and budgetary concerns. measuresto reduce the demand commercial for sex acts. marriage. “Punishment clauses” within the Labor Contract Law did not provide North Korean trafficking victims withlegal detained anddeported such refugees to North Korea, where of coercion. of strengtheningof domestic anti-trafficking efforts. planThe abroad receive no anti-trafficking training from the Chinese allowed Chinese companies to impose steep finesor require awareness and receiveinformation from the public toreport anti-trafficking interagencyprocess, which met semi-annually andother internal coordination among anti-trafficking also shifts its previous focus away from women and children as the only victims trafficking. of access to North Koreans in northeast China. The lack access of North Korean forced labor camps. The Chinese government alternatives to repatriation. Chinese authorities sometimes Despite reports that Chinese nationals engaged in child sex Duringthe reportingperiod, popular social media platforms, Chinese forces participating in peacekeeping initiatives Chinese domestic media carried public service announcements “every citizen to be mobilized” to report trafficking crimes. proactive identification, investigation, and prosecution of government did not report investigating, prosecuting, or forced labor and internal sex trafficking cases, in part through convicting any public officials for trafficking-related offenses. enhancing coordination between labor officials, police, and social workers; continue to prosecute transnational sex trafficking offenses; create formal mechanisms to identify Protection trafficking victims among vulnerable populations within the The Government of Colombia provided some services to country, including displaced Colombians, and implement trafficking victims, but its continued failure to enact a victim these measures; and strengthen the interagency trafficking protection decree required in the 2005 anti-trafficking law

COLOMBIA center’s ability to collect accurate data on all forms of trafficking hampered increased protection efforts. However, authorities and to coordinate national anti-trafficking efforts in provided funds for an NGO to open an emergency shelter for partnership with civil society. adult trafficking victims during the year. The government did not employ formal procedures to identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations within the country, Prosecution such as displaced persons or people in prostitution. The The Government of Colombia conducted law enforcement interagency anti-trafficking center reported identifying 38 efforts against sex trafficking during the year, but efforts trafficking victims in 2012, only five of which were subjected against forced labor remained inadequate. Colombian law to forced labor, and only one of which was subjected to prohibits all forms of trafficking and prescribes punishments of internal trafficking; most of these victims were Colombian 13 to 23 years’ imprisonment plus fines, which are sufficiently women subjected to forced prostitution in other countries. stringent and commensurate with punishments prescribed Police also identified six women and six children in internal for other serious crimes, such as rape. While Colombia law sex trafficking during the year. Civil society organizations penalizes all forms of trafficking, governmental structures were critical of the government’s ability to identify and assist failed to reflect this comprehensive approach. As in previous trafficking victims within the country, particularly children. years, one specialized prosecutor handled all transnational The Colombian Child Welfare Institute (ICBF), a government trafficking cases and faced a significant caseload. There were institution, reported identifying 415 children in prostitution no prosecutors assigned to oversee cases of internal trafficking. through September 2012. Instead, internal cases of trafficking were investigated by local prosecutors, including sex crimes units, some having Officials noted that the lack of legal guidelines for the care only limited expertise. As a result, cases of internal child and protection of victims remained a significant challenge. A sex trafficking were often investigated as commercial sexual victim protection decree to assign responsibility formally for exploitation of minors. Officials reported that efforts to victim services and to allocate specific funding is required by investigate trafficking crimes were limited by lack of dedicated the 2005 trafficking law and was first drafted in 2008; however, resources. The Constitutional Court issued a ruling directing it has yet to be enacted. Without this decree, the government government entities to increase efforts against forced labor lacked both a budget for victim services at the local level and and domestic servitude. Authorities operated an interagency clear guidance for victim identification and assistance. Some center which was intended to coordinate and track criminal local officials noted that in the absence of this decree, they did investigations and prosecutions, collect nationwide statistics not have the legal mandate for dedicated trafficking victim about trafficking crimes, and refer victims to providers of services and could not include it in their budgets. protective services. Data collection remained uneven and focused almost exclusively on law enforcement efforts against The majority of specialized victim services in Colombia transnational trafficking. were funded by international organizations and NGOs. In November 2012, an NGO opened a dedicated emergency shelter In 2012, Colombian authorities reported 128 new trafficking for adult male and female trafficking victims in the capital, investigations; the majority of the cases involved Colombian and the Colombian government provided the equivalent of women in forced prostitution abroad, with two reported approximately $22,000 in funding to support the shelter, which investigations of alleged forced labor crimes. Authorities assisted 11 victims referred by officials during the year. The reported initiating 18 trafficking prosecutions and convicting government reported providing an international organization 10 transnational sex trafficking offenders in 2012. Sentences with the approximate equivalent of an additional $20,000 in ranged from six to 10 years’ imprisonment, with at least funding for emergency victim services, to be dispersed through one convicted trafficker serving her sentence under house Colombian NGOs. Authorities reported following a national arrest, as well as fines. In comparison, authorities convicted trafficking victim assistance plan to refer 38 identified victims 16 transnational sex trafficking offenders and achieved no to services and stated that they met all of these victims’ needs. convictions for internal trafficking in 2011. There were no However, NGOs, as well as some local officials and trafficking reported convictions of forced labor offenses for a second victims, asserted that government-funded victim assistance consecutive year. In March 2013, the Constitutional Court was cursory and argued that at times authorities put victims’ ordered members of a family that kept a child in domestic security at risk due to bureaucratic delays in the provision servitude from 1963 to 1975 to pay the victim compensation of assistance. Local governments responsible for providing for physical and psychological damages. Authorities conducted services beyond emergency care reported that they had no three joint transnational trafficking investigations with other dedicated resources to do so. Reintegration services, including governments in 2012. employment assistance, were virtually nonexistent. Services for male victims were very limited. The ICBF operated centers that Through partnerships with two international organizations, provided psycho-social, medical, and legal services to child hundreds of prosecutors, judicial officials, police, and other victims of sexual violence and reported that through August government officials received training during the year on 2012 it assisted 415 children in prostitution , although it did not how to investigate trafficking cases and identify victims. The report how many of these victims received government-funded shelter during the year. In partnership with an international 132 COMOROS 133 2012 2013 Enact anti-trafficking anti-trafficking Enact 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 COMOROS TIER RANKING BY YEAR border controls, corruption within the administration, and through investigation and prosecution these of crimes; develop trafficking and is devoting sufficient resources toimplement that plan. The government did not collect and thus failed to tourists from Mayotte were among the clients children of in the existence international of criminal networks involved in the minimum standards the for elimination trafficking; of these measures, the government did not demonstrate evidence the previous reporting period; therefore, the Comoros is that, if implemented, would constitute making significant subjected tophysical and sexual abuse. Additionally, children suchas drug trafficking. According one to unconfirmed psychologicalcare, possibly within facilities already in provide data any on traffickingprosecutions or convictions; prosecuted and may have involved trafficking. Although the procedures the for identification and referralof trafficking parliamentary adoption. payment instruction. for TheseKoranic students are sometimes prostitution in Anjouan. Comoran tourists visiting Madagascar placed Tier on 2 Watch List a third for consecutive year. The government provided some funding to UNICEF-supported its anti-trafficking efforts during the year. Corruption in the The Government the of Comoros does not fully comply with week in forced labor as field handsor domestic servants in improve its laborlaws and increase its capacity to combat from Anjouan are reportedly coerced into criminal activities human smuggling. however, the Morals and Minors Brigade investigated cases 92 human trafficking. The National Assembly passed a new however,is it making significant efforts do to so. Despite victims to care; establish services and provide support the for vulnerable to transnational trafficking due a to lackof adequate report, girls are exploited inprostitution in the Comoros, and legislation; increase the capacity the of Morals and Minors labor code, which prohibits child trafficking, and the Ministry networks in the Comoros. The Comoros may be particularly justice system and inadequate support victim for protection caretrafficking of victims, including counseling and existence victims for other of crimes; work with international extremely modest. The government relied funding donor on efforts continued to hinder anti-traffickingprogress in the efforts to meet the minimum standards the for elimination of downgrade to Tier 3 because its governmenthas a written plan of childof abuse and exploitation, the majority which of were Justice of revised the penal code to include prohibitions of overallof increasing anti-trafficking efforts compared to Recommendations for the Comoros: NGO-runcenters, victim protection provisions remained andinternational organization partners the for majority of against and penalties human for trafficking, which awaits also reportedly engaged in child sex tourism there. There arereportsno any of organized recruiting trafficking or Brigade to identify and respond to trafficking, including Comoros. During the year, the government made efforts to Comoros was granted a waiver from an otherwise required bythe Ministry Interior. of Authorities reported conducting Prevention urban areas access for to schooling and other benefits;however, their children with wealthier relatives acquaintances or in the assistance and guidance the of Ministry Interior. of The trafficking committees, although they maintained varying to coordinate government efforts and held several workshops the country during the investigative process a case-by- on trafficking victims 2012. in theirtraffickers due to fear of reprisals or lack of trust in the government. There was a limited program to provide trafficking victims with temporary permission to remain in some these of children become victimsdomestic of servitude. specialized legal mechanism whereby the government offered private instructors, and some are exploited a few for hours a prosecutions,convictions or childof sex tourism offenders providing the equivalent hundreds of thousands of dollars of protection tovictims crimes of who testify andtrafficking 21 past some victims were critical assistanceof they had received protection, health, psychological, and education services. government continued to fund a traffickinghotline operated The government encouraged victims to assist in trafficking island Anjouan, of in domestic service, roadside and market The Comoros is a source country children for subjected to infunding international for organizations. The government The government maintained prevention efforts during the investigations and prosecutions and victims 21 did so in forced labor and reportedly sex trafficking. Comoran children for governmentfor officials to draft policies. In partnership with from consular staff. year. The interagency anti-trafficking committee continued victims overseas during the reporting period, though in the vending, baking, and agriculture. On the islands Anjouan of victims. Authorities reported that they could provide foreign victims participated during the year. There were no reports of victims being jailed otherwise or penalized unlawful for acts recruited by illegal armed groups and provided them with establishmentscommitted to combating sexual exploitation exploitation children of in the context travel of and tourism existed in name Throughout only. the year departments 27 case basis; however, authorities did not identify any foreign committed as direct a result being of trafficked. There was no developed a national strategy the for prevention sexual of degrees activityof and civil societyactors noted thatsome developedlocal action plans against trafficking in persons with during the year. Most Comoran boys and girls aged three to seven (but on occasion up to age 14) studyoccasion Koranic at up to age 14) schools headed by of children.of did It not, however, report any investigations, organization, the governmentassisted least at 483 children and Moheli, is it commonplace poor for rural families to place are subjectedto forced laborwithin the country, mostlythe on and worked with civilsociety to certify hotels and tourism anti-trafficking awareness and training activities with and an international organization, all departments 32 had anti- a visa temporary or residence status to foreign trafficking Colombian consular officials assisted Colombian trafficking COMOROS (Tier 2 Watch List) (Tier 2 Watch COMOROS 2012. Some victims,2012. however, were reluctant to testify against partners to conduct a study on the forms and extent of the Protection trafficking problem in the Comoros; continue anti-trafficking The government made limited efforts to protect victims public awareness campaigns on each of the islands; and accede of human trafficking, and its provision of care remained to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. extremely modest during the year. In 2012 the government provided the equivalent of approximately $12,000 to three UNICEF-supported NGO-run centers for abused children; Prosecution one government employee coordinated efforts among each of The government worked to improve its capacity to investigate these three centers, which provided immediate medical care and prosecute trafficking crimes by incorporating anti- to an unknown number of child trafficking victims during trafficking provisions into the labor code and the draft penal the year. The centers received a total of 760 cases of child code during the reporting period. Comoran law does not abuse and violence, which may have included child trafficking prohibit all forms of human trafficking. Article 323 of the victims. The government failed to provide psycho-social penal code prohibits child prostitution, prescribing sufficiently services for victims and provided minimal support to NGOs stringent punishments of two to five years’ imprisonment doing so. In May 2012, in partnership with UNICEF, it built and fines of between the equivalent to approximately $460 its first child-friendly courtroom in Moroni. Nonetheless, and $6,150; however, these penalties are not commensurate law enforcement’s failure to fully protect children remained with those for other serious crimes, such as rape. Although a concern; the Morals and Minors Brigade lacked adequate prostitution is illegal in the Comoros, existing laws do not facilities to shelter child victims, even temporarily, and its criminalize the forced prostitution of adults. Article 2 of the staff remained without training for interviewing child victims labor code prohibits forced and bonded labor, prescribing of crime. To assist in the identification of victims of child insufficiently stringent penalties of from three months’ to abuse and exploitation, in March 2013 the government began three years’ imprisonment or fines from the equivalent of funding a new toll-free emergency line for reporting crimes approximately $310 to $1,540. Article 333 of the penal code to staff at the UNICEF-supported NGO-run centers. The prohibits illegal restraint and prescribes penalties of 10 to 20 government did not, however, develop or employ systematic years’ imprisonment; these penalties are sufficiently stringent procedures for identifying trafficking victims or for referring and commensurate with penalties for other serious crimes, them to the limited care available. As government officials such as rape. In September 2012, the National Assembly passed lacked the ability to identify trafficking victims, some victims a new comprehensive labor code which prohibits but does not may have been penalized for crimes committed as a result of prescribe penalties for child trafficking; this law is in effect being trafficked. but the enhanced penalties await the parliamentary passage of the draft penal code. The Ministry of Justice, in partnership with the ILO, reviewed amendments to the penal code and Prevention incorporated penalties for human trafficking into its draft. The Comoran government maintained minimal efforts to CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC DEMOCRATIC OF THE CONGO, prevent trafficking during the reporting period. It did not The Morals and Minors Brigade of the national police establish a national coordinating body to guide its efforts to investigated 92 cases of child abuse or exploitation, some of combat trafficking. The government continued its partnership which may have included trafficking crimes. The government with the ILO on the implementation of its 2010-2015 national reported its prosecution of the majority of these cases, though it action plan for the elimination of the worst forms of child failed to provide detailed information on the status of the court labor, which includes activities to address child trafficking. proceedings. Social stigma sometimes inhibited referral to law As part of this plan, in August 2012 the cabinet adopted a list enforcement of cases involving child abuse or exploitation, of the worst forms of child labor, including child trafficking, and alleged perpetrators were sometimes released without forced labor in Koranic schools, and domestic work. The ILO prosecution after out-of-court settlements with victims’ and UNICEF funded and ran all awareness-raising events in families. In such cases, staff from NGO-run centers visit the 2012, and government officials, including the minister of labor, affected family to convince them to pursue prosecution— played an active role in the events. The government did not most often successfully. The gendarmerie, prosecutors, and make efforts to reduce the unconfirmed reported demand for local authorities were influenced by important or wealthy commercial sex acts. Despite unconfirmed reports of child sex members of Comoran society, including one reported case tourism on the island of Anjouan and the report of Comoran leading to the release of an offender before completion of child sex tourists in Madagascar, the government did not make his sentence. Corruption remained endemic throughout the efforts to address this phenomenon. The Comoros is not a Comoros and hindered law enforcement efforts, including party to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. efforts to address trafficking. The government did not make proactive efforts to investigate official complicity in trafficking crimes. The government failed to train its law enforcement officials on trafficking during the year. In addition, the police CONGO, DEMOCRATIC generally lacked technical, logistical, and financial support, which stymied investigation of child abuse and exploitation REPUBLIC OF THE (Tier 3) cases. Although the Morals and Minors Brigade is supposed to The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a source, investigate cases of child abuse and exploitation nationwide, destination, and possibly a transit country for men, women, it has no presence on the islands of Moheli or Anjouan, where and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. the majority of trafficking crimes reportedly occurred. The The majority of this trafficking is internal, and while much regular police have the responsibility for investigating and of it is perpetrated by armed groups and rogue elements of prosecuting these cases on the two islands. government forces outside government control in the country’s unstable eastern provinces, incidents of trafficking likely occurred throughout all 11 provinces. A significant number 134 CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE 135 backed action plan to end abuses against children by its armed both recruited and separated from armed groups in 2012; been coerced by their parents to join the military. to so. do During the year, the government signed UN- a the action plan. did It not, however, apply legal sanctions they had “earned” their freedom. use as combatants, escorts, and porters. During the year, the UNnoted the continuedpresence some of children in the Defense the of People who had been loosely integrated sexual violence, and illegal taxation by armed groups and security personnel and resources toward fighting M23 rebels in Sudanese,Ugandan, and CentralAfrican Republic citizens particularly vulnerable to abduction, forced conscription, posedchallenges standardized for screening mechanisms in prisoners, into forced labor to carry ammunition, supplies, government forces. The FARDC launched a recruitment groups. FARDC elements reportedly pressed men, women, The Government the of Democratic Republic the of Congo group backed byRwanda. Among the mutineers were some identifying children among applicants.Children may have ineastern DRCarrested people arbitrarily to extort money Therates low birth of registration throughout the country The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC including children,in and near Orientale province;some in eastern DRC deteriorated rapidly when several hundred into theFARDC mutinied and formed the M23, an armed including Bosco Ntaganda. The government’s re-allocation of increase in activity other of armed groups—such as the LRA forces, including the recruitment and use child of soldiers. It facilities and temporary huts. There were reports that police, from them; those who could not pay were forced to work until force,men and child soldiers as young as nine years for old former members the of militia group National Congress for from which the FARDC was forced to withdraw; the resulting reportany law enforcement efforts to combat any other forms elimination trafficking of and is not making significant efforts establishedworking a groupto overseeimplementation of conflict, an additional 500,000 peoplewere displaced in eastern DRC, and displaced persons in North Kivu were experienced conditionsforced of labor and sexual servitude campaign during the year targeting those to aged 25. 18 FARDC training centers. In April the 2012, security situation does not fully comply with the minimum standards the for M23, and the remainder—including 228 from various Mai- Mai groups—were from other Congolese and foreign armed of trafficking.of It continued to cooperate with international organizations in the demobilization children of from armed of theseof abductees were later taken to Sudan,South Sudan, theof worst offenders traffickingof crimes within FARDC,the operated. The M23 forcibly recruited adults and children in North and South Kivu created a security vacuum in the areas against those who recruit and use child soldiers and did not and children, including internally displaced persons and and looted goods, fetch water and firewood, serve as guides and domestic laborers, mine minerals, for construct or military and the Central African Republic. Likewise, abducted South theat handsthe of LRA after being forciblytaken to the North Kivu province and in Rwanda. Due to the heightened andthe FDLR—increased thevulnerability men, of women, andchildren to trafficking in the regions where these groups DRC. Some FARDC commanders recruited, times at through Congolesemilitary officers, and members of armed groups (MONUSCO) documented cases 587 children of who were 21 of these of 21 children were fromthe FARDC, 66were from to Angola or who actas beggars and thieves the on streets of chegués been exploited within the country in conditions domestic of bondage by businesspeople and supply dealers from whom throughwhich non-Batwaa family maintains control over a trafficking, domestic servitude,forced or labor in agriculture that arevirtually impossible Throughout to repay. theyear, in they acquire cash advances, tools, food, and other provisions subjected upon arrival to forced labor in diamond mines or subjected to sex trafficking in Chinese-owned massage subjected to conditions forced of labor in agriculture, mining, servitude, and some migrate to Angola, South Africa, Republic such as the Democratic Forces the for Liberation Rwanda of South Africa, where they are subjected to domestic servitude. Some girls in Bas-Congo province are reportedly coerced into Some Congolese girls are forcibly prostituted in brothels or placed into the sex trade. Congolese women and children have prostitution by family members transported or to Angola and production, pay illegal“taxes,” carryor looted goods from workers, combatants, and sex slaves. Some children were also The UN reported that indigenous and foreign armed groups, in timber agriculture or to or hunt the for family little for or in the informalsector—particularly in agriculture, street informal camps, including in markets and mining areas, by forced to commit crimes their for captors, such as looting. facilities. Some members Batwa, of pygmy or groups, are forced into prostitution. Children from the Republic the of years, Chinese women and girls in Kinshasa were reportedly youth in Bandundu and Bas-Congo provinces were lured to vending, water selling, mines, stone quarries, bars, and recruit Congolese men, women, and children to bolster their ranksand serve as bodyguards, laborers, porters, domestic restaurants—were vulnerable to trafficking, and girls living loosely organized networks, gangs, and brothel operators. notably the FDLR, Coalition Patriots of in the Congolese no compensation. exploited in Equateur province in a form hereditary of slavery continue working to pay off constantly accumulating debts Front Justice for in Congo, the Allied Democratic Forces/ mechanics, and domestic service in remote areas the of DRC. minersare reportedto be exploitedin situations debt of mining villages. mining Middle East, and Europe, where they are exploited in sex on theon streets were vulnerable to sex trafficking. previousIn of theof Congo, and South Sudan, as well as East Africa, the of menof and boys working asunlicensed Congolese artisanal Inone case, membersa rebel of group forcedchild a to kill National Army the for Liberation Uganda, of and the Lord’s Nyatura, the Patriotic Force Resistance of in Ituri/Popular NorthKivu, South Kivu, and Katanga provinces, armed groups anotherchild. The LRA continued to abduct Congolesecitizens, as anddiamond mines. There were reports that some Congolese at inflatedat prices and to whom theymust sell mined minerals prices at belowthe market value.The miners are forcedto and children to mine minerals, for turn over their mineral Localobservers suspect that some homeless children known Resistance Army (LRA), continued to abduct and forcibly Resistance, various local self-defense militias (Mai-Mai), Batwa family generations; for the victims are forced to work Kinshasa are controlled bythirda party. Childrenworking Congo may transit through the DRC enroute (FDLR) as well as elements the of Congolese national army (FARDC) routinely used threats and coercion to force men Angola by the promise employment; of however, they were A representative from a local NGO reported that Batwa are forces and improved access to military units for international sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those prescribed monitors and child protection officers, but at times it detained for other serious crimes, such as rape. The government has and interrogated children apprehended from armed groups. not reported applying this law to suspected trafficking cases. Despite evidence of a multifaceted human trafficking problem The Child Protection Code (Law 09/001) also prohibits and throughout the country’s 11 provinces, the government did prescribes penalties of 10 to 20 years’ imprisonment for sexual not identify victims of other forms of trafficking, and it did slavery, child trafficking, child commercial sexual exploitation, not provide protective services or referrals to NGO-operated and the enlistment of children into the armed forces; however, facilities to victims of other forms of forced labor or sex it cannot be fully implemented, because necessary decrees trafficking. from several ministries reportedly continue to be lacking.

The government did not report investigating or prosecuting any CONGO (DRC) TIER RANKING BY YEAR trafficking cases during the year or convicting any offenders of trafficking on related crimes. Bedi Mubuli Engangela (also known as Colonel 106), a former Mai-Mai commander suspected of insurrection and war crimes including the conscription of children, remained in detention for a fifth 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 year; a date for his trial was not set before the close of the reporting period. Impunity for the commission of trafficking crimes by the security forces remained acute; the government Recommendations for the Democratic Republic of the did not report taking disciplinary action against members Congo: Investigate and prosecute military and law enforcement of the security forces suspected of exploiting civilians in personnel—to the extent possible using existing legislation forced labor or unlawfully recruiting and using child soldiers. and irrespective of their rank—accused of unlawful recruitment Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Pierre Biyoyo, formerly of the or use of child soldiers, as called for in the UN-sponsored Mudundu-40 armed group and the first person convicted action plan on child soldiers, or of using local populations by Congolese courts of conscripting children, escaped from to perform forced labor, including in the mining of minerals, prison in 2006 and was not re-incarcerated by the close of and punish convicted offenders; in partnership with local or the reporting period. “Captain Gaston,” an armed group international NGOs, provide training to law enforcement and commander allegedly responsible for the 2006 murder of an judicial officials on the laws available to prosecute trafficking NGO child protection advocate attempting to identify and cases; increase efforts to prosecute and punish non-military remove child soldiers, remained at large during the reporting trafficking offenders who utilize forced labor or control women period; his 2007 arrest warrant has not been executed and, and children in prostitution; end the FARDC’s unlawful after being promoted by the FARDC to the rank of major, he recruitment and use of child soldiers, and demobilize all is leading a FARDC battalion. In April 2012, the government CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC DEMOCRATIC OF THE CONGO, children from its ranks; adopt the implementing regulations called for the arrest and domestic prosecution of Bosco to effectively apply the previously passed Child Protection Ntaganda, a military commander who is the subject of two Code; continue to ensure any armed groups integrated into arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court for crimes the FARDC are vetted for the presence of child soldiers and against humanity and war crimes, including the recruitment all associated children are removed and demobilized; ensure and use of children under the age of 15 and sexual slavery. perpetrators of trafficking crimes within armed groups are Prior to his defection from the FARDC earlier in the same not integrated into government forces and are held accountable; month, he had been a commander in the government’s armed continue allowing unfettered access to military installations forces, where he operated for years with impunity. In March for all UN observers and child protection officers; develop a 2013, Ntaganda surrendered to the U.S. embassy in Rwanda legislative proposal to comprehensively address all forms of without involvement of the Congolese government and was human trafficking, including labor trafficking; ensure the transferred to the International Criminal Court. During the provision of short-term protective services in partnership year, the government trained approximately 700 police and with civil society to victims of forced labor and sex trafficking; FARDC officers on civilian-military operations including and take steps to raise awareness about all forms of human preventing sexual violence and child soldiering, but it did trafficking among the general population. not provide specialized training to officials on combating other forms of trafficking.

Prosecution While legal structures were largely adequate, the government Protection made no discernible progress in undertaking law enforcement Elements of the governmental security forces continued to efforts to combat human trafficking during the reporting victimize, rather than protect, local populations during the period. The government’s ability to enforce its laws does not reporting period. Although the government assisted in the extend to many areas of the country in which human trafficking identification and demobilization of some child soldiers, it occurs, and its civilian and military justice institutions did not offer specific protections to other types of trafficking experienced a critical shortage of judges and prosecutors. victims; besides child soldiers, it did not report identifying Judges, prosecutors, and investigators often lacked adequate any other victims of forced labor or sex trafficking. NGOs training and resources for conducting investigations, and some continued to provide the vast majority of the limited shelter, did not have access to the country’s legal codes. Existing laws legal, medical, and psychological services available to do not prohibit all forms of labor trafficking. The July 2006 trafficking victims. The government lacked procedures for sexual violence statute (Law 6/018) specifically prohibits sexual proactively identifying victims of trafficking among vulnerable slavery, sex trafficking, child and forced prostitution, and groups and for referring victims to protective services, and pimping, prescribing penalties for these offenses ranging from there were reports that victims traveling within the country three months’ to 20 years’ imprisonment. These penalties are without proper documentation were sometimes detained. The 136 CONGO, REPUBLIC OF THE 137 bakeries, and the fishing and agricultural sectors, including trafficking progress and demonstrated increased political the minister defense of issued a letter in November 2012 technical working group the for implementation the of plan; trafficking. Although the National Ministryof Labor remained trafficking;however, it is making significant efforts to doso. the Congo originate from Benin, the Democratic Republic of the Congo Central (DRC), African Republic (CAR), Senegal, subsequently,the group wasformally established andbegan sex trafficking. The majorityof children traffickedwithin the study released most by in trafficking IOM 2013, victims in service and market vending by other nationals the of West significantprogress by signing and taking initial steps to systems in place to ensure children were not registered, though prevented from joining the FARDC. willthe at highest levels, including from the president, to workers relatives for family or friends. Some child trafficking The Government the of Republic the of Congo does not fully The Republic the of Congo is a source and destination country in cocoa fields in the Sangha Department. According a to including 23 Beninese adults. Both adults and children are implement the action plan. The vice prime ministerand soughtit assistance from the UN and other child protection The government did not increase efforts to establish the identity local of populations, and rates low birth of registration for children, for men, and women subjected to forced labor and victims sex of trafficking in the Congo, with the majorityof victims, percent and 14 child of victims reported as Congolese. victims are also subjected to forced labor in stone quarries, victims originating from the DRC and exploited in Brazzaville. victims, with 43 percent traffickers, of 28 percentof adult recruitment campaign, the government did have not adequate responsible inspecting for worksites child for labor, the labor commercial or sex acts. especially vulnerable to forced labor in the agricultural sector. country migrate from rural to urban areas to serve as domestic countries adult for victims include the DRC, CAR, Cameroon, existence child of soldiers within the FARDC, demonstrated continued to contribute to individuals’ vulnerability to exploitation in cities. The Congo’s indigenous population is comply with the minimum standards the for elimination of meeting regularly. Prior to launching its national military more than 240 underage applicants were identified and ministry did not identify any cases forced of child labor in during the reporting period to reduce the demand forced for often lacked means transportation of resources or to carry out their work. The government took no discernible measures Internal trafficking involves recruitment from rural areas for Nationals the of Congo are among both traffickers and asking relevant ministries to designate a focal point the for actors to screen children. for As result a thisof collaboration, Benin, and Mali. During the year, the government identified Beninese, Togolese, Nigerian, and Malian trafficking victims, Defense, which in previous years did not publicly recognize the Cameroon, and Gabon, and are subjected to forceddomestic Over the last year, the government made substantial anti- CONGO, REPUBLIC OFTHE 2012. Inspectors2012. had limited presence outside Kinshasa and African community, as well as by Congolese nationals. Source (Tier 2) : toestablish an inter alia in Kinshasa and expel them outside the city center. chegués body existed the for identification, verification, and release Prevention use child of soldiers, sexual violence, and other grave child to address human trafficking. A government coordinating trafficking during the reporting period. While the country the result the of mutiny the of most egregious violators of to forced labor. UN monitors and civil society partners reported the UN jointly screened Nyatura elements prior to assimilation, training. In October elements 2012, the of armed group to NGO-run centers temporaryfor housing and vocational to assist in investigations against their traffickers. While trafficking victims could file cases against their traffickers up the public widely viewed civil courts as corrupt and believed signed UN-backed a action plan to end recruitment and some FARDC commanders to comply with standing orders to suffering themost severepsychological trauma.While the Security forces reportedly performed regular sweepsto round period, lacked it sufficient command and control to compel pass through a common process during which they disarm and government tothe following tasks, governmentalpartners. In October the 2012, government within the and DRC in the 2012, government has consistently The government made modest efforts to prevent human in civil courts, there is no evidence that any have done so; The government did show not evidence encouraging of victims inter-ministerial committee to monitor implementation, to has inter-ministerial bodies focused human on rights and however, there were few foreign trafficking victimsidentified Under the National Disarmament, Demobilization, and report progress on in implementing the plan. The Ministry of rights violations in the armed forces. The plan commits the release their child soldiers to or prevent ground troops from recruiting additional children subjecting or local populations resulting in the identification and separationof 49 children. receive information about military and civilian reintegration laws prohibiting child soldiering. number children of identified FARDCamong ranks is likely no legal alternatives to the removal foreign of victims to end underage recruitment and sexual violence against children child protection, no similar coordinating mechanism existed child protection workers were granted improved, if imperfect, efforts to remove children from its forces during the reporting continued to separate and transport any identified children cooperation with MONUSCO. countriesin which they may face hardship retribution; or FARDC high command remained supportive MONUSCO’s of FARDCdetained and sometimes mistreated children formerly means the of parties to the lawsuit. The government offered of perpetratorsof child of rights violations, and to regularly of childof soldiers, but in practice these efforts were led by non- options. During this process, the National Demobilization outcomes were determined based the on relative financial Nyatura were integrated into the FARDC; the government and and ensure reintegration victims, of to provide unimpeded access to UN personnel verification, for to combat impunity accessto military installations. The significant decrease in the as adequate rehabilitation services do not existchildren for allowed the for safe repatriation foreign of child soldiers in associatedwith armed groups in order to gain intelligence. Reintegratedchild soldiers remain vulnerable to re-recruitment, Reintegration Plan, all ex-combatants,including child soldiers, Agency, in cooperation with MONUSCO and UNICEF, combat trafficking. Specifically, the government addressed forced or compulsory labor, imposing fines the equivalent systemic weaknesses by beginning to draft comprehensive of approximately $1,300 to $1,900. None of these penalties anti-trafficking legislation, developing institutional trainings are sufficiently stringent and the penalties prescribed for sex at its gendarme and police academies, and removing an official trafficking are not commensurate with penalties prescribed for alleged complicity in trafficking crimes. The government for other serious crimes, such as rape. The penal code, which continued strong victim protection efforts, identifying 50 prohibits forced prostitution, may be used to prosecute sex victims and providing support to NGOs and foster families trafficking offenses involving adults. Although Congolese that offered care to trafficked children. In addition, the law prohibits some forms of trafficking of adults, currently minister of social affairs instructed officials to seek the the country does not outlaw bonded labor or the recruitment, criminal prosecution of offenders and the minister of justice harboring, transport, or provision of a person for the purposes designated two prosecutors to oversee trafficking cases. Still, of forced labor. In January 2013, the government formed the government has not yet convicted a trafficking offender, a legislative drafting committee and, in partnership with which remains a critical concern. The lack of a national UNODC, reviewed its draft comprehensive anti-trafficking coordinating body hindered country-wide progress to address legislation prepared during the year—which when enacted internal trafficking and sex trafficking from the DRC, which should be a significant improvement over current law, which is significant in Brazzaville. inadequately defines, prohibits, and penalizes trafficking crimes. In addition, in September 2012, the Ministry of Justice appointed two special prosecutors—one each in Brazzaville CONGO (ROC) TIER RANKING BY YEAR and Pointe-Noire—to oversee the prosecution of suspected traffickers.

In January 2013, the government apprehended 10 alleged CONGO, REPUBLIC OF THECONGO, trafficking offenders, charged with “trafficking and exploitation” 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 under the Child Protection Code by the local office of the Ministry of Social Affairs (MSA). The offenders remain in jail awaiting prosecution for the alleged labor trafficking Recommendations for the Republic of the Congo: Finalize of 14 children. In December 2012, the Juvenile Court of and enact comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation, including Pointe-Noire suspended its hearing of a civil case against provisions prohibiting the trafficking of adults; greatly increase eight alleged labor trafficking offenders. In February 2013, the efforts to investigate and prosecute trafficking offenses and magistrate of the juvenile court sent the case to the prosecutor to convict and punish trafficking offenders under the 2010 overseeing trafficking cases, with the expectation that the Child Protection Code; file ratification documents for the government will file criminal charges in this case. These efforts 2000 UN TIP Protocol with the United Nations; increase follow the minister of social affairs’ instruction to officials in outreach, victim identification, and law enforcement efforts January 2013 to file criminal charges in all potential trafficking on sex trafficking and internal trafficking, including the cases, replacing the former modus operandi of addressing trafficking of adults; develop formal procedures to identify these offenses as civil cases, with mediation to negotiate trafficking victims among child laborers, illegal immigrants, restitution to the victim. Nonetheless, the government failed and women and girls in prostitution; continue care to to complete prosecutions of 13 trafficking offenders, which trafficking victims via government-funded programs, including remained pending from the previous reporting period. One medical, psychological, and legal services; conduct government- of these suspects—arrested during a July 2011 operation and led training for social workers and law enforcement officials conditionally released pending trial—reportedly is again on the use of identification and referral procedures; consider harboring children in domestic servitude. The ministry of establishment of a national body that includes all relevant labor did not report investigating or otherwise addressing ministries to increase coordination of country-wide anti- any cases of forced child labor in 2012. trafficking efforts; increase anti-trafficking law enforcement cooperation with other governments in the region, especially Limited understanding of the child anti-trafficking law among Benin and the DRC; and continue anti-trafficking awareness law enforcement officials, judges, and labor inspectors hindered campaigns. the prosecution of trafficking crimes. During the reporting period, the police and gendarme academies instituted new training modules on trafficking; 56 senior gendarmerie officers Prosecution received this training in 2012. This was an improvement from The Government of the Republic of the Congo increased its the government’s failure to independently train officials in law enforcement efforts during the reporting period. It drafted 2011. The chiefs of immigration at Brazzaville and Pointe- comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation, trained gendarme Noire airports developed an anti-trafficking training and officers, and removed an official for alleged complicity. trained more than 40 officials during the year. The government Nevertheless, despite its arrest of several suspected traffickers, also reassigned an official following allegations of his the government failed to convict any offenders during the complicity in trafficking crimes, although it failed to carry year. Article 60, Chapter 2, of the 2010 Child Protection Code out criminal investigations into, or prosecutions of, this and prohibits the trafficking, sale, trading, and exploitation of other alleged cases of complicity reported during the year, children, for which Article 115 prescribes penalties of hard including by a national intelligence service lieutenant and a labor for an undefined period and fines. Article 68 prohibits prosecutor suspected of attempting to interfere with trafficking the worst forms of child labor, including the forced labor investigations and intimidate anti-trafficking activists. During and prostitution of children, for which Article 122 prescribes the reporting period, the minister of social affairs and her penalties of three months’ to one year’s imprisonment or judicial advisor intervened to protect anti-trafficking activists fines of between the equivalent of approximately $110 from harassment by some government officials. and $1,080. Article 4 of the country’s labor code prohibits 138 COSTA RICA 139 but the number trafficking of offenders prosecuted and trafficking in the penal code, contributing to flaweddata to internal trafficking. Authorities noticed an increase in tourism is a serious problem, particularly in the provinces tourists arrive mostly from the United States and Europe. Men the minimum standards the for elimination trafficking; of the reporting period, the government convicted two labor traffickingoffenders and enacted a new trafficking law that to finance government anti-trafficking efforts. Authorities thesessions and leaflets thatwere distributed as parta of servicesremained inadequate through most the of country. sex trafficking within the country, and residentsof the north its oversight the of Action implementation the of 2011-2013 The Government Costa of Rica does not fully comply with which hindered its progress in addressing trafficking outside The new law did not correct a problematic definitionhumanof identified victims in both sex traffickingforced and labor, identified, as authorities could not confirm anyconvictions its anti-trafficking budget from the approximate equivalentof in partnership with IOM, conducted a study trafficking of in the Republic the of Congo covering nine its of regions. 12 The government did not take measures to reduce the domestic from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and other Latin forced labor. Costa Rican women and children are subjected to for sexfor traffickingoffenders. The government not did fund however, is it making significant efforts to do so. During United Nations has not yet submitted the ratification papers. victims sex of trafficking and domestic servitude. Child sex reporting period. The parliament ratified 2000the UN TIP collection. construction, fishing, and commercial sectors. Indigenous established increased victim protection measures and a fund convicted was in low light the of large number victims of covering The government to 2015. 2013 more than doubled coordinating body to guide its efforts to combat trafficking, door-to-doorcampaign in Pointe-Noire. The MSA continued men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and of Guanacaste,of Limon, Puntarenas, and San Jose. Child sex forcedof labor in Costa Rica, particularly in the agriculture, of this of funding was allocated to implement the 2011-2013 Pointe-Noire.of the In 2012, MSA and Ministry the of Interior, anyspecialized shelters services or trafficking for victims, and andcentral Pacific coast zones are particularly vulnerable adults using children drug for trafficking.Women and girls and children from other Central American countries andfrom action plan. The government failed to establish a national and transnational demand commercial for sex acts during the Panamanians are also reportedly vulnerable to forced labor. Plan to Fight Child Trafficking and began draftingplan a Protocolin although May 2012, the Congolese mission to the Costa Rica is a source, transit, and destination country for $180,000 in 2011-2012 to $428,000 in 2012-2013; a portion to$428,000 in 2012-2013; $180,000 in 2011-2012 COSTA RICA (Tier 2) American countries have been identified in Costa Rica as Asian countries, including China, are subjected to conditions lead de facto de Prevention Protection to end trafficking in the country. 2012, In the government to carry out joint investigations extraditions or charged of traffickingoffenders—a critical partof this agreement. though presented it no evidence having of done so during the year. Although the Congolese government repatriated at to address the traffickingof adults, sex trafficking, orinternal trafficking. Law enforcement, immigration, and social services to subsidize these costs. Although the government offered the victims’ basic needs were met. also It provided medical the year until they could be repatriated reinserted. or The MSA the government’s expense local or reinsertion. For foreign three months’ rent and provided assistance in finding an to identify victims among vulnerable groups, relying instead supportthese of campaigns, the MSA—the session the on identification protectionand of trafficked supported additional victim carethrough NGOs and foster personnel did not employ systematic procedures proactively permanent residency status to foreign victims during the year. placed 18 childplaced 18 trafficking victims withfoster families during governmentbegan totrain its staff victim on identification in The government made increased efforts to prevent trafficking The government continued to fail to identify and assist victims in foster homes offered to Congolese victims, and did it not in 2012, a slightin 2012, decrease from identified 57 Of these 2011. in TheCongolese government continued to ensure that trafficking for example,for the local coordination committee— overseeing foreign trafficking victims the same access to accommodation families and coordinated with other government agencies to victims, the government did not identify nationals from either victimschoosing local reinsertion, the government paid for victims in Pointe-Noire received accessto care during the repatriate victims. The government allocated foster families the reporting period, primarily throughpartnerships with NGOs launched trafficking awareness campaigns. In December 2012, leastBeninese 10 trafficking victims as partits of bilateral entity overseeing national anti-trafficking efforts—produced children, with a follow-up session in January, which reached combat child trafficking—held a three-day public information country as victims—evidence its of failure to increase efforts equivalent approximately of per child $10 per day to ensure care case-by-case a on basis by partnering with local hospitals during the year. In April the 2012, president urged his cabinet deport rescued foreign victims, did it not provide temporary or on NGOson and UNICEF to identify victims; however, the outside Pointe-Noire. of In addition, though the DRC and the of theof government were given the option repatriationof at or victimsor who had reached the while age 18 of in thecustody NGO, identified 50 foreign trafficking victimsPointe-Noire in awareness materials, including a video that was shown at anti-trafficking efforts Pointe-Noirein as partitsof project to agreement with the Government Benin, of failed it in 2012 assist in theinvestigation and prosecution their of traffickers, apprenticeship Atjob. or the eight end 2012, of victims received, and nine awaited, such assistance. Social workerstemporarily and foster families. The government, in partnershipwith an Republic the of Congo are the source many of child and adult 60participants and received national press coverage. In 50victims, were repatriated 11 to their countries origin of and 2012. The government2012. claimed that encouraged it victims to 22 remain in the Congo pending repatriation. Adult victims The organized crime prosecutor’s office was responsible for trafficking cases involving displacement, while local COSTA RICA TIER RANKING BY YEAR prosecutors were responsible for prosecuting cases of trafficking without movement, leading to jurisdiction issues and making it difficult to assess prosecution efforts. Police and prosecutors were limited by inadequate staffing and resources. Some officials conflated trafficking with smuggling. 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Government ministries provided training to prosecutors, police officers, and other public officials, often in partnership

COSTA RICA COSTA with civil society organizations. Prosecutors coordinated Recommendations for Costa Rica: Significantly intensify with the Government of Nicaragua on a child sex trafficking efforts to investigate and prosecute human trafficking offenses, investigation. Authorities continued to investigate a mayor for including forced labor, and convict and punish trafficking possible trafficking crimes but did not report any prosecutions offenders; fund specialized services for trafficking victims, or convictions of public officials allegedly complicit in human including child sex trafficking victims, through the trafficking offenses during the year. establishment of a shelter specifically for trafficking victims or through funding NGOs to provide services; strengthen dedicated prosecutorial and police units through increased Protection resources and training, including for victim treatment; ensure The Costa Rican government maintained efforts to identify that cases of trafficking not involving movement are and assist foreign trafficking victims during the year, though investigated and prosecuted and that Costa Rican victims of access to specialized services, including shelters, remained human trafficking receive appropriate services; improve the inadequate, particularly in light of significant internal child efficacy and the implementation of the victim assistance sex trafficking. The government continued to implement protocol, particularly outside of the capital, and in partnership its “immediate attention” protocol, which defines the steps with civil society organizations; increase efforts to investigate for the different government institutions that compose the and prosecute child sex tourism; and improve data collection emergency response team to identify, protect, and provide for law enforcement and victim protection efforts. integrated assistance to victims. NGOs and some officials asserted, however, that victim identification and referral mechanisms were not always implemented in an effective or Prosecution timely manner, and that some officials were unaware of the The Government of Costa Rica continued to investigate protocol. Police reported identifying 22 trafficking victims potential trafficking cases and achieved the first convictions in 2012, three of whom were Costa Rican. Of the 22 victims, for forced labor, but efforts to prosecute and convict trafficking five were exploited in forced prostitution, one in forced labor, offenders were inadequate, as was data collection. In December and 15 were exploited for both in bars. One victim identified 2012, the government enacted a new trafficking law which during the year had been forced to assist in the trafficking of codified the responsibilities of government entities and created illegal narcotics. Authorities also reported assisting 85 child a fund to fight human trafficking and smuggling which will victims of commercial sexual exploitation. be financed by increasing the country departure tax by the equivalent of approximately one dollar per traveler. This The government did not provide or fund specialized shelters law prohibits all forms of human trafficking and prescribes or services for trafficking victims, and officials and NGOs penalties of four to 20 years’ imprisonment; these penalties alike noted the lack of dedicated housing for victims was are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with other serious a significant challenge. Authorities maintained emergency crimes. Before December, different articles of the penal code government shelters for female victims of domestic violence, prescribed penalties of four to 16 years’ imprisonment for but staff were reportedly reluctant to house trafficking different forms of human trafficking. However, the new law victims in these shelters due to security concerns. Authorities did not address deficiencies in the penal code that made reportedly sheltered 12 adult victims in hotels or rented the definition both too narrow—continuing to require the houses on a temporary basis. The government also operated displacement of the victim—and too broad—penalizing non- two emergency shelters for at-risk children that assisted three trafficking crimes such as illegal adoption, moving persons trafficking victims during the year, but these centers did for the purpose of prostitution, and labor exploitation that not offer specialized services for trafficking victims, and does not rise to the level of forced labor. one trafficking offender removed a child victim from one shelter during the year. Authorities did not report how many Data collection on human trafficking remained problematic. of the 85 child victims of commercial sexual exploitation Authorities reported investigating over 50 potential trafficking identified in 2012 received shelter, but reported that all received cases during the reporting period but did not report how psychological and social services. The government relied on many trafficking cases were prosecuted. The government NGOs and religious organizations to provide specialized convicted two labor trafficking offenders whose sentences care for trafficking victims and provided limited funding to were pending. Authorities did not report convicting any sex two NGOs to provide some services to adults and children trafficking offenders under the anti-trafficking law during in prostitution. The Office for Care and Protection of Victims the reporting period, and while authorities reported using of Crime (OAPVD) provided emergency services as well as other statutes, such as those penalizing rape, to convict sex legal, psychological, and basic health assistance to victims trafficking offenders during the year, they could not report of all crimes participating in the criminal process, including how many offenders were convicted under these statutes. trafficking victims. OAPVD reported assisting 12 trafficking In comparison, there was one sex trafficking conviction in victims in 2012. Police and NGOs noted that victim services 2011. The dedicated anti-trafficking police unit investigated were virtually nonexistent outside of the capital. a significant number of forced labor and sex trafficking cases. 140 COTE D’IVOIRE 141 2013 2012 Develop and enact 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 COTE D’IVOIRE TIER RANKING BY YEAR COTE D’IVOIRE TIER RANKING Prosecution that deny freedom to a third person, prescribing a punishment to other government agencies and the general public; establish to bondage slavery or to years’ 20 is 10 imprisonment and a towards addressing human trafficking, including increasing the implementation National Action of the 2012-2014 Plan traffickingof children in the cocoa industry, provide not did use thisand existing legislation toprosecute traffickers, separate statutes in the penal code, and make this data available services, including the dedication specific of funding for such services and the development government-run of shelters; sufficiently stringent, but not commensurate with penalties plan to address adult trafficking. prescribing a sufficiently stringent penaltyone of to five years’ penalty submitting for child a to forced labor situations or akin period, the government took a number tangible of steps particularly those who exploit women in prostitution and prescribed other for serious offenses, such as rape. The law’s governmentfailed to apply lawenforcement measures to the imprisonment and a fineof the equivalentof approximately involving the traffickingof adults who areprosecuted under TheGovernment Cote of d’Ivoire demonstrated some progress in its anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts during the it isit making significant efforts to do so. During the reporting victims; increase efforts to provide victims with appropriate reportingperiod. Pertaining Law 2010-272 No. to the legislation to criminalize all forms adult of trafficking, and law enforcement data trafficking on offenses, including cases exploitation adults of and children in prostitution by means established procedures to identify potential trafficking victims compelling children into offering or them prostitution for of efforts to investigate and prosecute traffickers, resulting in eight prosecutions and two convictions; identifying 45 victims menin forced labor; train law enforcement officials followto fine, punishments which are sufficiently stringent. Penal code five 20 years’to imprisonment and a fine; these penalties are of five to 10 years’ fiveof to imprisonment and a fine. Pimping and force,of violence, abuse or are outlawed by Articles and 335 of trafficking;of andformally launching and commencing Childon Labor and Trafficking. Despite these efforts, the Recommendations for Cote d’Ivoire: andrefer them to protective services; improve efforts to collect a formal referral mechanism between the government, NGOs, and international organizations providing care to trafficking andfinalize and begin implementationof a national action a draft decree prohibiting and prescribing punishments for adequate assistance to trafficking victims, and failed to develop a national action plan focused the on traffickingof adults. Labor, enacted in September prescribes 2010, penalties for Prohibition Child of Trafficking and Worstthe Formsof Child $800 to $2,200. Article criminalizes 376 entering into contracts 336. In the336. December Labor Advisory 2011, Board received Article prohibits 378 the forced labor adults of and children, believed to be victims attempted of trafficking. Prevention trafficking.Trafficking within the countrymore is prevalent than transnational trafficking, and the majority of victims are tourism, however, there were no reported local prosecutions the year and continued to implement the country’s national to human trafficking. traffickingoffenders, and several victims did so during the subsequently subjected to forced prostitution. During the servants, and street vendors often are subjected to forced sectors. Boys from Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, and system. Some victims reportedly refused to cooperate in primarily to forced labor in domestic service and restaurants, permission to work, to eight foreign victims and in 2012, where they were promised jobs as domestic servants; they were with investigations due to their lack confidence of in the judicial The Government Cote of d’Ivoire does not fully comply with the Togo are Togo found in Cote d’Ivoire in forced agricultural labor, including cocoa, on coffee, pineapple, and rubber plantations; inthe mining sector; and in carpentry and construction. Girls The Government Costa of Rica increased prevention efforts The government reportedly did not penalize identified victims investigations after meeting with organized crime prosecutors The government granted temporary residency status, with forced labor within the country in the agriculture and service for women for and children subjected to forced labor and sex for unlawfulfor acts committed as a direct result being of subjected U.S. authorities, Costa Rican police deported four American victims during the year. Costa Rican authorities encouraged victims toassist with the investigation and prosecution of reporting period, an Ivorian girl in France was identified as recruited from Ghana, and Benin Togo, work as domestic responsibilities were further outlined in the new trafficking reportingperiod, although other victims did collaborate not reported providing some employment assistanceto foreign labor. Some women and girls who are recruited from Ghana law. The coalitionlaw. and its subcommittees met frequently during children. Within Cote d’Ivoire, women and girls are subjected citizens their for in 2012 involvement in child sex tourism. In continued to investigate and prosecute individuals that paid child trafficking victims for commercial sex, resulting in two convictions Despite in 2012. significant reportsof child sex coalition, continued to lead government efforts and its Funding witness for protection increased but remained limited. minimum standards the for elimination trafficking; of however, during the reporting year. The government’s anti-trafficking directorate, which coordinated the national anti-trafficking or convictionsor child of sex tourists during the reporting period. organizations, particularly targeting youth. In partnership with Ivoirian women were rescued while in transit to Saudi Arabia a victim forced of labor in domestic service. Additionally, and Nigeria towork as waitresses in restaurants and bars are aswell as to forced prostitution. Ivoirian boys are subjected to an effort to reduce the demand commercial for sex, authorities action plan on human trafficking. Authorities conducted awareness campaigns, often in partnership with civil society and sensing a lack sensitivity of the on prosecutors’ part. Cote d’Ivoire is a source, transit, and destination country COTE D’IVOIRE(Tier 2) involuntary domestic servitude; it did not finalize or issue mediation sessions with the victims and their families prior the decree during the reporting period. to the victims’ reunification. Additionally, the government identified a site in Abidjan on which to build a care facility During the reporting period, the Government of Cote d’Ivoire for trafficking victims, but construction has not yet begun. conducted 15 investigations, commenced eight prosecutions, and convicted two trafficking offenders, a significant increase Although the Government of Cote d’Ivoire does not have from 2011, when the government prosecuted and convicted one a formal policy in place to encourage victims’ voluntary trafficker. In August 2012, following a cooperative investigation participation in investigations and prosecutions of their by Ivorian police, INTERPOL, and NGOs in Nigeria and Cote traffickers, some victims did testify against their traffickers d’Ivoire, an Abidjan court sentenced a trafficking offender during the reporting period. While the government lacks a to 10 years’ imprisonment under Articles 335 and 336 for formal policy for repatriating foreign victims, it typically

COTE D’IVOIRE COTE subjecting Nigerian girls and women to forced prostitution; cooperated with the victim’s embassy, consulate, or local the trafficker was also ordered to pay the equivalent of community leaders of the same nationality regarding approximately $2,000 in restitution to each of the three repatriation. There were no reports that victims were detained, victims from Nigeria. An Abidjan court convicted another fined, or jailed for unlawful acts committed as a direct result trafficker of forced prostitution and sentenced him to 15 days’ of being trafficked. imprisonment and a fine of the equivalent of approximately $40. Four prosecutions remained pending at the end of the reporting period, involving Malian men accused of child labor Prevention and sex trafficking, and an investigation remained ongoing The Government of Cote d’Ivoire demonstrated sustained involving three men apprehended in Ghana while allegedly efforts to prevent trafficking during the reporting period. attempting to traffic nine Ivorian women from Cote d’Ivoire to The National Monitoring Committee (NMC) and the Inter- Saudi Arabia. Despite these increased efforts, there remains a Ministerial Committee (IMC), established in 2011, continue lack of knowledge of the child trafficking law, and efforts are to serve as the national coordinating bodies on trafficking in hampered by a shortage of resources and training for officers persons issues within Cote d’Ivoire. Both committees continued to identify, investigate, and prosecute cases of forced child to meet regularly and promote the issue of trafficking and child labor. In collaboration with the ILO, the ministry of justice labor in an effort to secure the political will and resources provided a three-day training to 25 magistrates in November necessary to implement the 2012-2014 National Action Plan 2012, which covered a multitude of trafficking-related subjects, on Child Labor and Trafficking, which was officially launched including Ivorian and international anti-trafficking laws, in March 2012. The government committed the equivalent protective services available to child trafficking victims, and of approximately $7,229,400 towards the implementation of the implementation of the national action plan. The Ministry of this action plan in 2012. Interior operated a five-person anti-trafficking unit within the national police, which was supplemented with an additional The NMC launched a nationwide awareness campaign five officers in January 2013; nevertheless, the unit’s lack of in September 2012, which included TV and local radio resources essentially limited its reach to the capital city of information spots, 100 billboards, and the distribution of Abidjan. The government did not report any investigations or illustrated pamphlets in French and five local languages to prosecutions of officials for alleged complicity in trafficking- explain the new child anti-trafficking law and to educate the related offenses during the year; however, reports indicate public on how to take action against the worst forms of child that corruption among police and gendarme forces facilitated labor. As part of the campaign, the government commemorated trafficking in 2012. the International Day Against Child Labor in September 2012 with a series of events to raise community awareness. The government chose to hold these events in strategic locations Protection known for a prevalence of child trafficking and forced labor. The Ivoirian government demonstrated increased efforts to Additionally, the first ladies of Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso protect victims of trafficking during the year. It reported the signed a joint declaration in October 2012 that commits each identification of 54 trafficking victims in 2012, a dramatic country to finalize a bilateral cooperative agreement against increase from the three victims identified by the government in cross-border child trafficking by early 2013. 2011. NGOs and international organizations in Cote d’Ivoire identified an additional 83 victims. Despite these significant The lack of comprehensive data remains an obstacle in Cote efforts in victim identification, the government did not d’Ivoire. The government created a monitoring and evaluation provide adequate care to victims of trafficking, providing system which is designed to collect and analyze statistical data only the equivalent of approximately $6,600 for victim care on trafficking and worst forms of child labor, coordinate the and relying almost exclusively on services provided by NGOs efforts of different actors involved in the fight against child and international partners. The government does not operate labor, and provide regular reports; however, the system has any formal care centers exclusively for victims of trafficking, yet to be launched and does not address adult trafficking nor does it have a formalized referral mechanism in place within Cote d’Ivoire. The government conducted three between itself and local NGOs. During the reporting period, trainings during the reporting period for journalists, regional the Ministry of Solidarity, Family, Women, and Children administrators, and NMC and IMC members on the national identified, rescued, and provided care and repatriation action plan, the definition of trafficking and child labor, and assistance to four child trafficking victims from Benin and the framework of relevant Ivoirian and international laws. Burkina Faso. The government also repatriated nine Ivorian The government did not demonstrate efforts to address local trafficking victims from Ghana and referred these victims to an demand for commercial sex acts during the reporting period. NGO shelter for medical and psychological services; however, the government did not provide any financial support to the NGO shelter. The government and the NGO jointly conducted 142 CROATIA 143 Prosecution trafficking cases. The Governmentof Croatia sponsored those prescribed rape. for During the year, the government that the female victims were forced coerced or into prostitution, the trafficking statute; they 2010, in convicted seven. The traffickerswere sentenced prisonto terms between nine terms imprisonmentof between month one and nine years’ trafficking crimes remainslower than the sentencing otherfor the gravity the of crime, and urged increased training for that policy through prosecutorial guidance, ordinances, or trafficking law enforcement efforts during the reporting period; the European Commission concluded that the government’s this training reached over 1,000 police officers. In October, traffickingoffenders were frequently chargedless for serious sex and labor trafficking within Croatia. Experts noted that seven defendants werecharged in the same international sex trafficking case under a transnationalprostitution statute six under the international prostitution statute and two under strengthen partnerships with NGOs to enlist their help in sentencing trafficking for convictions was inadequate. Croatia penalties are sufficiently stringent and are commensurate with prosecuted In the three in 2011. cases prosecuted in 2012, pimping. The government convicted eight traffickingoffenders, prosecuted prostitution for offenses; ensure that training of potential victims among women and children detained for prostitution offenses; vigorously investigate, prosecute, and prohibits all forms trafficking of in persons through two investigated 30 trafficking suspects, in contrast37 2011, to in increase when the from convicted 2011, traffickers received imprisonment. including by physical means. The other two cases involved The European Commission, in monitoring a report for identifying victims during authorities’ initial contact with TheGovernment Croatia of demonstrated mixed anti- for 81 police officers 81 for in subsequentMay2012; sessions from years’ imprisonment sex for labor or trafficking and up to victims arenot punished committing for unlawful acts as a rather thanunder a trafficking statute despite clear evidence lawenforcement officials, including non-specialist law newly-revisedlaws: Slavery, Article and Trafficking 105; in judges, prosecutors, and civil servants the on identification efforts. enforcement officials, includes principlethe of non-prosecution convict traffickingoffenders; ensure that trafficking offenders during the reporting period. For example, the Ministry of designedto strengthen the Croatian judicial system’s response months’ imprisonment years’ and 10 imprisonment, a slight direct result being of trafficked; adopt a policy and articulate manuals, to ensure that children in prostitution are not of traffickingof victims and investigation prosecutionand of of theof crime committed; increase anti-traffickingprevention offenses under non-trafficking articles, such as those for organized crimes, was not dissuasive enough compared with of traffickingof victims, including children prostitution;in of Nationalof Minorities conducted a train-the-trainer session Interior and the (MOI) OfficeHumanof Rights and Rights a variety anti-trafficking of trainings for law enforcement andprosecuted nine defendantsin in contrast 2012, to 14 are punishedwith sentences commensurate with the gravity Persons, Article which 106, prescribe penalties to one of 10 Croatian authorities organized an anti-trafficking seminar Croatia’s EU accession, noted that Croatia’s sentencing for 15 years’15 imprisonment the for traffickingof a child. These 2013 2012 Strengthen trafficking 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 CROATIA TIER RANKING BY YEAR CROATIA beings, reporting, andthe measuring results of governmental of trafficking victims and properthe referralof victims to care; the Suppression Trafficking; of establish a national rapporteur to carry out assessments trends of in trafficking human in trafficking victims; consider establishingmore a inclusive the government identified very few traffickingvictims, despite the National Committee the for Suppression Trafficking of than that identified by the government. tosex trafficking in Croatia.Women and men reportedly are to implement that structure stagnated over the last year. The screening procedures to identify trafficking victims among status in a trafficking case by better integrating civil society subjected to forced labor in agricultural sectors. Children are sex trafficking within the country and throughout Europe. prostitution with third-party involvement are identified as procedure the for official designationof trafficking victim preparations, concluded that the government’s sentencing with the Ministry Social of Policy and Youth in identifying government sustained funding victim for protection and The Government Croatia of does not fully comply with the women, and children subjected to conditions sex of trafficking ismaking significant efforts to do so. While the government for traffickingfor in persons inside the Ministryof SocialPolicy for traffickingfor offenses was toolow to deter criminals from human trafficking and noted that the government urgently has a formally adequate anti-trafficking structure,its efforts victim certificationprocess; designatelead a official responsible vulnerable populations, including the rapidly growing number victimidentification by establishing and implementing new regularly convene the government’s National Committee for needed to take concrete and proactive measures to fight the clear trends that human trafficking is increasing. The European continued to investigate and prosecute trafficking cases and exploited in prostitution theon Adriatic Coast, particularly extent trafficking of in Croatia could be considerably higher crime,including byensuring that the relevant officialswere met the for first time in approximately years.two Nevertheless, minimum standards the for elimination trafficking, of but during thepeak tourist season. The Council Europe’s of GRETA of asylumof seekers, unaccompanied children, Roma population, Recommendations for Croatia: anti-trafficking initiatives; ensure thatidentified trafficking and Youth; train social workers employed by coordinating or actors representatives or other of agencies into the formal and children in prostitution; ensure that all children in and forced labor.Croatian women and girlsfall victim to aware human of trafficking. Report and the European Commission concluded that the Commission, in its Monitoring Report on Croatia’s accession Croatia is a destination, source, and transitcountry men, for Herzegovina, and other parts Eastern of Europe are subjected Women andWomen girls from the United States, Serbia, Bosnia and CROATIA (Tier 2) to trafficking cases; several high-level officials attended the to enable them to care effectively for trafficking victims. The conference, including two Supreme Court justices, four Croatian government offered a “reflection period” to suspected Municipal court justices, and a number of municipal and victims of trafficking for 60 days for adults, and 90 days for county state attorneys. Croatian law enforcement officials children. The government provided legal alternatives to the

CUBA collaborated with Spanish and Romanian counterparts to removal of foreign victims of trafficking to countries where investigate and prosecute transnational trafficking cases. they faced hardship or retribution through its temporary The Government of Croatia did not report any investigations residency permits for victims—initially valid from six months or prosecutions of public officials for alleged complicity in to one year, and subject to extension by the government trafficking-related offenses during this reporting period. based on a subsequent needs assessment. The Government of Croatia encouraged victims to assist in the prosecution of trafficking offenders by providing victims with free legal aid; Protection during the reporting period, six trafficking victims testified in The Croatian government sustained its victim protection trafficking cases. There were no reports of trafficking victims efforts, but failed to screen vulnerable populations effectively being punished for unlawful acts committed as part of their for trafficking victims. The government funded two NGO- trafficking experience. run trafficking shelters, one for adults and one for women and children. The government also provided three reception centers to provide victims with care before they could be Prevention transported to the shelters. Adult victims were allowed to The Croatian government continued efforts to prevent leave shelters at will and without chaperones. The Croatian trafficking in persons during the year. The Croatian government government provided the equivalent of approximately $70,000 coordinated anti-trafficking activities through a number of to fund the shelters in 2012, level with the amount it provided mechanisms: a national coordinator housed in the Office for shelter care in 2011. Foreign victims were offered the for Human Rights; a cabinet-level National Committee; and same standard of care as domestic victims, including shelter, an Operational Team composed of government officials medical care, education, legal assistance, psychological and NGO representatives. The government’s National care, and assistance finding employment. The government’s Committee for the Suppression of Trafficking met for the Office for Human Rights and Rights of National Minorities first time in nearly two years in December 2012, although provided the equivalent of approximately $47, 900 for victim the Operational Team to Suppress Trafficking met monthly. assistance, professional training, and the anti-trafficking The government continued to broadcast three anti-trafficking hotline. The Ministry of Interior spent an estimated equivalent public service announcements on television. The government of approximately $870,000 on victim assistance, investigations, coordinated awareness-raising events around the annual EU and travel. Despite this funding, there were reports that Anti-Trafficking Day, including information booths, leaflets, actual assistance provided by the Croatian government to and live anti-trafficking performances. To address demand reintegrate trafficking victims back into society was inadequate for commercial sex acts, the Croatian government adopted a due to a lack of available financial assets for sustained adult new law punishing the clients of prostitution. The Croatian education. During the reporting period, the government government did not establish a national rapporteur to monitor identified 13 victims of trafficking, nine of whom were female its activities and make recommendations for progress. The sex trafficking victims and four were male labor trafficking European Commission concluded that the Government victims. In 2011, the government identified 11 victims. of Croatia urgently needed to take pro-active and concrete Although the Croatian government did not automatically measures to address trafficking in human beings and raise identify children in prostitution as trafficking victims, the awareness amongst the national authorities on this form of government improved by identifying three children in crime, including by launching an independent evaluation of prostitution as trafficking victims during the reporting period. the policy. The Croatian government provided anti-trafficking Government-funded NGOs offered care to seven of these training to members of the Croatian armed forces prior to their victims during the reporting period. Experts and government deployment abroad on international peacekeeping missions. officials reported victim identification was inadequate in light of the suspected magnitude of the trafficking problem in Croatia. Although the number of migrants in Croatia has soared to the highest level in recent years, and many in this CUBA (Tier 3) vulnerable migrant population are likely trafficking victims, Cuba is a source country for adults and children subjected to there was no reported screening of any of these migrants for sex trafficking and forced labor. Child prostitution and child indicators of trafficking. Furthermore, experts reported that sex tourism reportedly occur within Cuba. Cuban citizens women in prostitution who have been subjected to coercion, have been forced into prostitution outside of Cuba. There have including physical violence, were not always identified as been allegations of coerced labor, particularly with Cuban trafficking victims. The government continued employing work missions abroad. Some Cubans working abroad have a national referral mechanism to mobilize care for victims, stated that postings are voluntary and well paid; however, once they have been preliminarily identified by MOI officials; others have claimed that Cuban authorities have withheld mobile teams with NGO participation were dispatched to their passports and restricted their movements. The scope of assess and place trafficking victims for assistance. Observers trafficking involving Cuban citizens is particularly difficult reported that restricting the responsibility of provisional victim to gauge because of the closed nature of the government and identification to MOI personnel impaired the government’s sparse non-governmental or independent reporting. overall victim identification efforts. The Croatian government has designated a social worker in each of Croatia’s 21 counties The Government of Cuba does not fully comply with the to assist trafficking victims once identified. There were reports, minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and however, that the Ministry of Social Policy and Youth had is not making significant efforts to do so. The government insufficiently trained or given direction to its social workers 144 CURACAO 145 believe that migrant workers have also been subjected to forced Protection Prevention the prevention human of trafficking should prioritybe a for that sex tourism in Cuba is forbiddenand the Ministry of to combat child sex tourism,but did report not the on specifics to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. than foreign 120” women in prostitution. Local authorities trafficking victims during the reporting period. The government trafficking victims among vulnerable groups—such as persons to assist in the investigation and prosecution trafficking of subjected to human trafficking. predominantly from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, prostitution. is It unclear the how recruitment process works for proceduresin place to guide officials proactively in identifying public awareness campaigns to prevent forced labor or prevention effortsthat occurred during the reporting period. provided no evidence that encouragedit trafficking victims government’s trafficking-related policies and activities;it did Tourism’s security Tourism’s and protection division has taken measures investigation during the reporting period. Cuba isnot a party The government did publicize not official dataprotectionon of in prostitution—and referringthem to availableservices. The government did not report any specific anti-trafficking The government was not known to have implemented any forced labor. There are indications that some the of hundreds forced labor in the country. Foreign trafficking victimsoriginate forced prostitution, though the government reported that facilities the for treatment children of who have been sexually victims received treatment in these centers. The government reported Indian and Chinese nationals were vulnerable to not report publicly its on efforts. The government reported nationwide network shelters of victims for domestic of violence punishednot crimes for committed as direct a result being of cooperate with another government a child on sex tourism children, and men who are subjected to sex trafficking and may be vulnerable to debt bondage. During the year, authorities domestic service and forced labor in construction, landscaping, did not report any trafficking victim identifications or of anof anti-trafficking taskforce, anti-trafficking action plan, monitoringor mechanism. Transparency was lacking in the theseof measures. The government showed willingness to migrantof women in Curacao’s sex trade are victims forced of or childor abuse, but the government did not verify if trafficking offenders. The governmentdid report not the on existence of assisting trafficking victims were who exploited in Curacao. all countries. The government did not report the existence andretail. Some migrants in restaurants and local businesses and physically abused. In addition, the government operated a any policies to ensure that identified trafficking victims were Reportedly, the government operated three well-regarded threewell-regarded operated government the Reportedly, During the year,the government identified Haitian children Curacao is source, a transit, and destination women, for Curacao’s walled, legal brothel that offers access “24/7 to more Haiti, and Asia. Organizations in Venezuela have also reported CURACAO (Tier 2)* 2013 2012 Prohibit sex traffickingof all 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 CUBA TIER RANKING BY YEAR jurisdiction. For the purpose of this report, Curacao is not a “country” to which the minimum standards for the eliminationAct of apply. trafficking This narrativeTrafficking in the reflects Victims howProtection Curacao would be assessedif it were a separate, independent country. C Prosecution to officials 2012. in to address human trafficking within Cuba. The government toCuban investigations, prosecutions, and convictions of traffickingoffenders, including anyofficials complicit in that human trafficking occurs in Cuba and publicize measures to address human trafficking, specificallyforced labor and trafficking and forced labor on or trafficking-specific victim sex traffickingprosecution data, trafficking victim protection specialized trafficking victimprotection and assistance; take protection and prevention efforts that occurred during the provisionscould benot verified, prostitutionand of children particularlyvulnerable to sex trafficking. The government prohibit most forms human of trafficking through various provisions its of penal code; however, the use these of prosecute traffickingoffenses that occurred during the persons under the in partnership age 18; of with trafficking in Cuban work-abroad missions; and accede to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. government a child on sex tourism investigation during the The Government Cuba of did not report its on efforts to The Government Cuba of has taken steps to share information human trafficking. The governmentprovided information have made significant efforts to addresshuman trafficking. youth, and showed willingness to cooperate with another victim specialists, ensure adults and children have access to reporting period. The government maintained that unlike reporting period. reporting period. Governments that doprovide not such data, childexploitation does existnot in Cuba. Cuba appears to efforts, and traffickingprevention measures; ensure that coercion and other indicators forced of labor are not present consistent with the capacity governments of to obtain suchdata, did not report any specific anti-trafficking training provided did not share official data for the reporting period relating measures to ensure identified sex and labor trafficking victims did respond not to requests data for prosecutions on sex of on generalon legal protections children for and adolescents in othercountries, sex trafficking of children otheror formsof of beingof subjected to sex traffickingor forced labor; recognize Recommendations for Cuba: age 16 andage older 16 is not prohibited, leaving those children are not punished unlawful for acts committed as a direct result aboutits general approach to protection children for and are presumed by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act not to Cuba but did report not any information about current efforts * uracao is asemi-autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Kingdom Charter divides responsibility among the co-equal parts of the Kingdom based on transiting Curacao without their parents en route to Suriname The government did not offer law enforcement training to who were potential trafficking victims. identify trafficking victims and offenses.

The Government of Curacao does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; Protection however, it is making significant efforts to do so. The The Government of Curacao improved its efforts to identify

CYPRUS government significantly improved its anti-trafficking law and protect trafficking victims during the reporting period. The enforcement response in 2012 by initiating the prosecution of government reported it identified seven sex trafficking victims a sex trafficking case and identifying and referring trafficking during the last year, compared with zero victims identified victims for care. Nevertheless, the lack of standard operating in 2011. Authorities reported the referral of all seven victims procedures on victim identification for all front-line responders, for care and facilitated their safe repatriation. Media reports including immigration officers and health workers, hindered indicated that authorities identified the majority of the victims the government’s ability to identify additional trafficking after an operation involving a raid of a nightclub and various victims and increased the risk of victims’ inadvertent arrest sites of illegal prostitution. The government demonstrated and deportation. notable improvement by treating the discovery of vulnerable foreign women in prostitution in bars as potential trafficking victims and referring them for care rather than detaining and CURACAO TIER RANKING BY YEAR deporting them. However, such gains in victim identification did not extend to Curacao’s walled, legal brothel, where health officials charged with regulating this brothel did not employ measures to identify human trafficking victims or refer suspected victims for assistance. During the year, the media 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 reported the death of a foreign woman in prostitution within the brothel compound; unconfirmed media reports indicated she was strangled. In addition, in August 2012, brothel Recommendations for Curacao: Make a robust and management filed a report of a foreign woman missing from transparent effort to identify and assist potential victims of the compound; the ad placed in the local newspaper indicated sex trafficking and forced labor by implementing formal the women would be deported upon discovery. The government proactive victim protection measures to guide officials, did not report the initiation of trafficking investigations in including health workers, on how to identify victims and how response to either of these cases. The government did not to assist victims of forced labor and sex trafficking in the legal grant temporary or longer-term residency status to any foreign and illegal sex trade; empower local officials to conduct victims of trafficking during the year. Furthermore, it did not outreach in local migrant communities throughout the island report having a policy to protect identified victims from being to uncover potential trafficking victims; integrate outreach punished for crimes committed as a direct result of being in a via a Spanish-speaking victim advocate trained in human trafficking situation. The lack of standard operating procedures trafficking indicators into routine health inspections at the on victim identification for all front-line responders, including legal brothel to ensure the rights of women in the brothel are immigration officers, hindered the government’s ability to protected, and coordinate with law enforcement if signs of identify trafficking victims and increased the risk of their trafficking arise; continue to consult with the Dutch government inadvertent arrest and deportation. on how it proactively identifies victims of labor trafficking and sex trafficking; vigorously prosecute, convict, and sentence trafficking offenders, including any government officials Prevention complicit in human trafficking; and implement a multilingual The government did not initiate any new trafficking awareness public awareness campaign directed at potential victims, the campaigns to educate the public or officials about trafficking in general public, and potential clients of the sex trade. 2012. During the year, however, the government launched an official inquiry into the working conditions of Indian nationals on the island; as a result of their investigation, authorities Prosecution identified this group as vulnerable to forced labor. The The government improved its anti-trafficking law enforcement government did not have any awareness campaigns specifically response during the reporting period by investigating and targeting the demand for forced labor or potential clients of initiating prosecution of one sex trafficking case. Curacao the sex trade in Curacao in an effort to reduce the demand for prohibits all forms of trafficking in persons through the commercial sex acts. Curacao did not monitor and evaluate November 2011 Article 2:239 of its criminal code, which its anti-trafficking efforts. The government has not identified prescribe penalties ranging from nine to 24 years’ imprisonment. a problem of foreign child sex tourists in Curacao. These penalties are sufficiently stringent and are commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape. In January 2013, the government reported it arrested four alleged trafficking offenders for subjecting foreign women CYPRUS (Tier 2) to sex trafficking in a club; the government reported one Cyprus is a source and destination country for men and of the alleged trafficking offenders was a police officer and women who are subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. confirmed that two of the four alleged offenders, including Victims of trafficking identified in Cyprus are from Cyprus, the police officer, were in jail pending trial. The government India, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, reported it also investigated a potential labor trafficking case Dominican Republic, Nigeria, Ukraine, Turkey, and Vietnam. involving Haitian children during the reporting period, but Sex trafficking increasingly occurs in private apartments and could not confirm whether trafficking elements were present. hotels as well as within commercial sex trade outlets in Cyprus, 146 CYPRUS 147 Protection to one month in the shelter a reflection for period—time the trafficking shelter, compared with 2011. in $416,500 trafficking. The Governmentof Cyprus not did report any trafficking compared Thirteen2012 in with 32 2011. in of the to the social welfare office for assistance.Twenty-two victims through which its 2007, of Law also 87(I) contains protection trafficking cases involving2012, in 60 individual defendants. the prosecuted 10 and convicted though the in 2011, majority trafficking statutes and receivedlenient sentences ranging training approximately for public 15 prosecutors, 30 social the equivalent approximately of $300,300 provided in 2011. subsidyand monthly allowance. This was an increase from special police constable was charged sexual for exploitation, stayed the at government-operated shelterfemale for trafficking stringent and commensurate with those prescribed other for serious crimes, such as abduction. The governmentinvestigated significant increase compared18 investigations to and 2011 in seven involvedlabor trafficking. The governmentprosecuted 29 subject to secondary victimization. psychologicalstate victims. of The government co-funded participation ina training organized by theGovernment of period, though a deputy chief the of Aliens and Immigration police unit who was acquitted in the last reporting period procuration, and living the on earnings prostitution. of This was required by the Observers law. reported that prosecutors workers, and judges 20 from the Greek Cypriot and Turkish in which victims can recover before deciding whether to Thegovernment provided the equivalent approximately of investigations prosecutions or public of officials for alleged intimidation was dismissed from the force during this year. This The government maintained efforts to protect victims improvement. The government identified 34 victims of Thein government 2012. referred all the of identified victims Twenty traffickerswere convicted 2012, an in increase over for allegedfor involvement in human trafficking and witness from fines up to years’two imprisonment. NGOs officialsand failed to prepare victims adequately to testify, leaving victims victims in Nicosia. Victims were permitted to stay up for remained weak. Cyprus prohibits both sex and labor trafficking notedconcerns misapplication of the of trafficking law in cooperate with law enforcement. The government spent the equivalent approximately of to operate in 2012 $353,700 chose tostay in private apartments and were entitled to a rent complicity in trafficking-relatedoffenses during this reporting court; judges demanded corroborating evidence beyond what case was pending trial the at end the of reporting period. management services to victims trafficking of needed measuresvictims. for Prescribed penalties sex for trafficking of traffickingof during the reporting period, though case Moldova international on cooperation in combatting human of theof 34 identified victimswere subjected to labor trafficking. of offendersof were in ultimately 2012 convicted under non- human of trafficking cases, useof expert witness testimony, In 2012, theIn 2012, government co-funded specialized anti-trafficking andfocusa understanding on and of sensitivity to the areyears’ upto 15 imprisonment, which aresufficiently Cypriotcommunities regarding best practices in prosecution $318,600 in public assistance$318,600 to victims trafficking of who 34 victims identified during the reporting periodwere men;18 29 investigations Forty in 2010. involved sex trafficking and Authoritiesdid identifynot any child victims trafficking of 47 new 47 cases suspected of trafficking in persons a 2012, in 2013 2012 Improve effortsto vigorously 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 CYPRUS TIER RANKING BY YEAR Prosecution to train judges toensure robust application the of anti- trafficking law and to encourage punishment commensurate the anti-trafficking The governmentlaw. has yet to convict an unit and added a forensic psychologist to conduct victim- to remain in Cyprus humanitarian on grounds after trials. that children migrants of and asylum seekers remain especially subjected to debt bondage, threats, and withholding pay of specialized and systematic training to officials to improve students, bar-maids, domestic and agricultural workers, and stages law of enforcement activity are not yet fully reflected sensitive interviews. However, improvement in the initial Somemigrant workers recruited by employment agencies and prosecute, and convict traffickingoffenders, though the punishments imposed convicted on traffickingoffenders practical guide that clearly outlines the roles andresponsibilities prosecute, convict, and sentence trafficking offenders, prescribe penalties less stringent than those prescribed by providing specialized training. protected against intimidation, and assisted during lengthy period, the government significantly increased numbersthe with the seriousness the of crime; consider the use expert of witness testimony in prosecutions of traffickingoffenders; The Government Cyprus of improved its efforts to investigate, identificationof victimsof labor trafficking;improve case including officials who are complicit in trafficking;continue individual the for crime human of trafficking usingits 2007 law. in prosecution and court proceedings. The vast majority The government also expanded the anti-trafficking police The government improved protection by allowing victims The Government Cyprus of does not fully comply with the isit making significant efforts to do so. During the reporting including bars,pubs, coffee shops, and cabarets. Foreign formalize the national referral mechanism to provide a health workers to identify possible victims trafficking of by victims trafficking of are adequately informedof their rights, vulnerable to sex trafficking and forced labor. visa holders in vulnerable sectors; increase efforts to provide labor within construction, agriculture, and domestic work. continue to monitor visa regimes performing for artists, entering the country short-term on work permits are often criminal proceedings; and leverage the existing network of management services trafficking for victims; ensure that minimum standards the for elimination trafficking; of however, migrant workers and asylum seekers from Eastern Europe, of frontlineof responders, respective ministries, and NGOs; of offendersof continued to be convicted under statutes that of trafficking investigations, prosecutions, and convictions. other categories that present potential misuse by traffickers Recommendations for Cyprus: anddocuments once the work permitexpires. NGOs report and increase screening trafficking for victimization among Asia, and some countries in Africa are subjected to forced In practice, NGOs reported substantial delays in issuance action plan. The 2013-2015 national action plan was adopted of monthly public allowance checks to victims, which left in April 2013. The anti-trafficking law was amended during the victims indebted to landlords. Government case management reporting period to increase the number of NGOs participating services were inadequate, impeding victims’ timely renewal in the group. The government allocated the equivalent of of residency and work permits. The Government of Cyprus approximately $107,800 for the multidisciplinary group to did not help victims identify appropriate, affordable housing cover the cost of information campaigns, participation in

CYPRUS or employment. Victims had the right to work, receive free international trainings, hosting international experts in medical, legal, and psychological care, receive police protection, Cyprus, funding for NGOs, and implementation of some use free interpretation services, and access vocational training actions under the national action plan. During the reporting but lack of directives on coordination between ministries period, a law came into effect allowing the government to and specific responsibilities of officials to identify and assist revoke the license of an employment agency if a person victims of trafficking led to gaps in the accessibility to and responsible for the agency, a director, or owner is convicted provision of these services. for any offense under the anti-trafficking law. The government did not make specific efforts to reduce the demand for forced The government gave all 34 victims who cooperated with law labor. The government issued 176 “performing artists” work enforcement renewable temporary residence permits of six permits during the reporting period, including renewals, months, with the right to work in Cyprus. The government compared with 339 issued in 2011. The government issued 156 reported that although legislation stipulates that victims of “bartender/barmaid” work permits compared with 246 in 2011. trafficking be repatriated at the completion of legal proceedings, Fifty-two were issued to men and 98 were issued to women. the police conducted a risk assessment for each victim prior to repatriation. Five victims of trafficking whose safety was assessed to be at risk were issued extensions of residence Area Administered by Turkish Cypriots permits on humanitarian grounds and remained in Cyprus. The northern area of Cyprus is administered by Turkish One victim was granted permanent residence and one victim Cypriots; the area has declared itself the “Turkish Republic was granted refugee status. The government issued a manual of Northern Cyprus” (“TRNC”). The United States does not and a pocket-sized operational guide on how to identify and recognize the “TRNC,” nor does any other country except assist victims of trafficking to police and immigration officers. Turkey. The area administered by Turkish Cypriots continues The government encouraged victims of trafficking to assist in to be a zone of impunity for human trafficking. The area is the investigation and prosecution of alleged traffickers. The a destination for women increasingly from Central Asia, as anti-trafficking police unit added psychologists to its staff to well as Eastern Europe and Africa, who are subjected to forced conduct victim-sensitive interviews with potential witnesses prostitution in night clubs that are licensed and regulated by before taking an official statement. All 34 victims identified Turkish Cypriot authorities. Men and women are subjected in 2012 assisted law enforcement. Four victims visited their to conditions of forced labor in industrial, construction, home countries and returned to Cyprus to testify in judicial agriculture, restaurant, and retail sectors. Victims of labor proceedings during the reporting period. The government trafficking are controlled through debt bondage, threats of signed an agreement during the reporting period with the deportation, restriction of movement, and inhumane living IOM to begin anti-trafficking projects and facilitate the safe and working conditions. Women issued permits for domestic repatriation of victims of trafficking. Undocumented workers work are vulnerable to forced labor. A significant number who complained of a labor dispute or exploitation to the labor of women from Turkey enter the “TRNC” on three-month department reportedly faced a high risk of being deported by tourist or student visas and enter prostitution in apartments immigration authorities. An NGO reported a case in which in Nicosia, Kyrenia, and Famagusta. Migrants and refugees a labor trafficking victim whose documents and wages were are also at risk for sexual exploitation. withheld by the employer was deported before a trafficking investigation could be initiated. There were no reports of In 2012, 40 night clubs and three pubs operated in the “TRNC” victims being prosecuted for unlawful acts committed as a for which authorities issued 1,121 hostess and 24 barmaid six- direct result of their being subjected to human trafficking month work permits. The majority of permit holders came from in 2012. Moldova and Ukraine, as well as Morocco, Kenya, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Paraguay, Georgia, Tunisia, Romania, Nigeria, Latvia, Egypt, Prevention Armenia, and Tanzania. Women were not permitted to change The Government of Cyprus continued modest efforts to location once under contract with a night club and authorities prevent trafficking in 2012. Immigration officers at passport deported 389 women who curtailed their contracts without control continued to provide potential victims with an screening for trafficking. There was a reported increase in the information card with basic information on trafficking and number of websites advertising sexual services to tourists and an emergency telephone number for assistance. In cooperation posting reviews by clients of nightclubs. While prostitution is with NGOs, the government continued to conduct anti- illegal, authorities were complicit in the industry and made trafficking presentations at high schools and army camps. no efforts to reduce demand for commercial sex acts. Police Presentations for soldiers focused on sex trafficking and continued to retain passports upon arrival of women working targeted potential clients of commercial sex acts. The Ministry in night clubs. The “law” that governs night clubs prohibits of Education included human trafficking in its 2012-2013 foreign women from living on-site at their place of employment, curricula, made funding available to universities that wished to however, most women live in group dormitories adjacent to organize seminars on trafficking, distributed an information the night clubs, or in other accommodations arranged by booklet, and organized several seminars to educate teachers the establishment owner. The night clubs operated as “legal” on human trafficking. The multidisciplinary coordinating businesses that provided revenue to the “government.” group to combat trafficking was responsible for overseeing the implementation of the government’s 2010-2012 national 148 CZECH REPUBLIC 149 2013 to Western 2012 Ensure traffickingEnsure 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 CZECH REPUBLIC TIER RANKING BY YEAR bondage forced or labor using deceptive labor agreements, to ensure they do not exploit foreign workers through debt the use force, of threat or force; of ensure workers are given train first responders, including labor inspectors, police, and the minimum standards the for elimination trafficking. of traffickingoffenders and sentenced them to significant time the government’s programto protect victims assisting law the European Union. Roma women from the Czech Republic trafficking in Unitedthe Kingdom, womenand from the Czech servitude in the houses foreign of diplomats working in the subjected to forced prostitution in the Czech Republic and writtencontracts they are able to understand, as required by women subjected to forced labor. from Women many countries identification criteria used by law enforcement authorities The government issued the first finalconviction of labor inprison. The number trafficking of victims assisted through its fourth national strategy to combat trafficking.However, thoughin 2012, restored it funding in 2013. identification and encouraged to cooperate with law The Czech Republic is a source, transit, and destination including the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Moldova, Nigeria, the The Government the of Czech Republic fully complies with victims arethoroughly explained theirrights the at outset of labor. new legislation; increase training opportunities judges for on enforcement; robustly implement new regulations to monitor clearly incorporate indicators forced for labor; continue to enforcement dropped considerably. The government adopted countrywomen for who are subjected to forced prostitution, Menand women from the CzechRepublic aresubjected to Recommendations for Czech Republic: and, as appropriate, investigate and prosecute labor agencies anti-trafficking legislation; ensure existing trafficking acknowledge and take steps to addressconditions forced of and a source, transit, and destination country men for and and women from the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, the Philippines, are subjected to forced labor in the construction, automotive, agricultural, and service sectors in the Czech Republic and also transit through the Czech Republic to other countries in are subjected to forced prostitution and forced labor internally andin destination countries, including the United Kingdom. authoritieseliminated funding new for prevention activities also travel through the Czech Republic en route European countries, including Germany and the United Republic are subjected to forced labor in the United States. Philippines, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Vietnam are Kingdom, where they are subjected to forced prostitution. Men Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, andVietnam During the year, there were two cases alleged of domestic Czech Republic. CZECH REPUBLIC (Tier 1) Enact that runs a shelter victims for domestic of violence, with no trafficking efforts.Police were not trained identifyto victims traffickers who confiscateworkers’ passports or documents, traffickingoffenders could prosecutedbe under non-trafficking training officials for how on identify to or investigatehuman trafficking.Turkish Cypriot authorities not did keep statistics serving as material witnesses against a former employer are standards the for elimination trafficking of and is not making significant efforts to do so. If the “TRNC”were assigneda shelter trafficking for victims. According humanto rights servitude. promote awareness among clients and the public about force, period. Turkish Cypriot authorities made no efforts to reduce potential trafficking victims during the reporting period. prostitution-related charges. Limited police raids nightclubs on provide entertainment such as dance performances. Very few working nightclubs. Witnesses are not allowed to leave the increase transparency in the regulation nightclubs of and The “TRNC” does not fully comply with the minimum immediatelydetained anddeported to Turkey within 24 Turkish Cypriot authorities do not acknowledge a need immediately deport foreign women who wish to leave their Turkish Cypriot authorities allocated no funding to anti- is punishable by one year imprisonment. Authorities do There is “law” no that prohibits human trafficking in the for humanfor trafficking victims within nightclubs and pubs; fraud, and coercion used to compel prostitution; provide formal ranking in this report, would it be Tier 3. for carefor shelter or victims for trafficking of because police hours, regardless country of origin. of Victims trafficking of victims.The lack anti-trafficking of legislation and lack of victims trafficking. of Authorities do not acknowledge the result in arrests low-level of managers, waiters, and probable resulted in penalties months’ to 12 of 18 imprisonment. Sex reporting period. The “TRNC” did not provide any specialized legislation prohibiting all forms human of trafficking; screen legal proceedings. Turkish Cypriot authorities did not conduct notentitled to find new employment and reside in temporary not enforce the “law” stipulating that night clubs mayonly night club owners,pimps, clients or have beenprosecuted for employer. Foreign women arrested for prostitution were efforts to identify and protect victims indicated that Turkish existence forced of labor. There is no “law” that punishes change contracts, withhold or wages to subject workers to code” was pendingapproval by “parliament” the at end the of demand forced for labor. financial support from the authorities, reported helping five of traffickingof and authoritiesprovided protection no to or “encouraging or prostitution misdemeanor A women.” of offense “compelling of a person to labor against their will” on lawon enforcement efforts against traffickingoffenders. Recommendations for Turkish Cypriot authorities: NGOs, police have been placing material witnesses in other alternatives to deportation victims for trafficking; of and any anti-trafficking awareness activities during the reporting accommodation arranged by the police. There is no specific a fewa trafficking-related cases involving falsified passports that Cypriot authorities tolerated human trafficking. An NGO However, the “attorney general’s office” reportedprosecuted it “statutes” “living for off the earningsprostitution of women” of “TRNC.” An anti-trafficking amendment“criminal to the “TRNC” pending trial and are deported the at conclusion of state contracting officers, on labor trafficking victim NGOs provided shelter and care to approximately 55 victims of identification criteria and evolving trends in labor trafficking; trafficking in 2012, of whom at least 22 were newly identified ensure adequate shelter space is available for large-scale cases, during the year. The government provided both foreign and including labor trafficking cases; ensure that presumed victims Czech victims with a 60-day reflection period, in which of trafficking are referred promptly to care; vigorously victims received comprehensive care and determined whether investigate and prosecute both sex and labor trafficking cases; to cooperate with law enforcement. The Ministry of Interior strengthen bilateral coordination on trafficking with source (MOI) continued to fund its witness support program, which countries, including neighboring EU countries; conduct large- provided funding to NGOs caring for victims willing to scale public awareness-raising campaigns, particularly on cooperate with law enforcement. However, there were only six labor trafficking; increase referrals to victims for assistance victims in this program in 2012, compared with 17 in 2011. As by law enforcement personnel; and accede to the 2000 UN a result, the MOI disbursed the equivalent of approximately TIP Protocol. only $30,000; this marked a decline from 2011, when the MOI allocated the equivalent of approximately $189,500 to NGOs for victim assistance and trafficking prevention CZECH REPUBLICCZECH Prosecution projects. Police reported identifying an additional 52 victims The Government of the Czech Republic demonstrated of trafficking who did not enter the program. In 2012, the strengthened anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts MOI also altered the program’s funding mechanism; rather during the reporting period, as it obtained its first labor than granting funds to multiple NGOs to provide services, the trafficking convictions. The government prohibits all forms of ministry openly advertised a contract for one NGO to be the trafficking in persons under Section 168 of its criminal code, primary partner, with the ability to sub-contract out to other revised in 2010, prescribing punishments of up to 15 years’ NGOs. The change has reportedly caused a breakdown in imprisonment. These punishments are sufficiently stringent communication and cooperation among NGOs and a decline and commensurate with those prescribed for other serious in the number of NGOs participating in the government’s crimes, such as rape. The government continued to prosecute victim assistance program. some trafficking cases initiated before enactment of Section 168 under Sections 232a of the criminal code. During the reporting Law enforcement authorities continued to employ formal period, the police conducted 24 investigations of 22 offenders victim identification procedures and a victim referral under Section 168, compared with 19 investigations of 29 mechanism, though experts suggested police could improve offenders in 2011. In 2012, Czech authorities prosecuted 28 their identification and referral of victims. Foreign victims who people under Section 168, and five individuals in cases brought cooperated with investigators received temporary residence, under the old Section 232a. In contrast, Czech authorities in work visas, and support for the duration of the relevant legal 2011 prosecuted 12 offenders previously investigated under proceedings. Upon conclusion of the court proceedings, Section 232a, and 21 offenders under Section 168. During victims could apply for permanent residency, although no 2012, Czech courts convicted five defendants under Section victims did so in 2012. The MOI funded an NGO to assist the 168, a decrease from 10 convictions in 2011. Six defendants return of three Czech trafficking victims and the voluntary were convicted under Section 232a in 2012, compared with repatriation of one victim who was trafficked in the Czech nine in 2011. Ten of the 11 defendants convicted in 2012 Republic. NGOs did not report any victims of trafficking who received prison terms ranging between four and eight and a were punished for unlawful acts committed as a direct result half years’ imprisonment; one received a conditional sentence. of their being trafficked. Czech judges more readily viewed forced labor cases as simple fraud rather than trafficking, in light of offenders’ use of non-typical coercive practices. However, courts issued their Prevention first two post-appeal decisions on labor trafficking cases in The Czech government demonstrated weakened prevention 2012. In total, an appellate court affirmed the convictions of efforts in the reporting period. The MOI did not provide any six offenders for labor trafficking; these offenders received NGO funding for new prevention activities in 2012, though the prison sentences ranging from four to eight years. MOI recommenced funding in 2013. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized three anti-trafficking trainings for consular The organized crime branch of the Czech police maintained officers, reaching 70 attendees. Informational brochures for a specialized anti-trafficking unit that offered trainings for workers coming to the Czech Republic were available online investigators in different departments. During the year, the in eight different languages and were distributed by consular Czech judicial academy offered two anti-trafficking courses officers. The MLSA inspected 113 licensed labor recruitment specifically for prosecutors and judges. Czech authorities agencies and 42 companies that use recruitment agencies and collaborated on trafficking investigations during 2012 with found 66 in violation of contract compliance, such as hours foreign governments, including one coordinated by Eurojust. and pay. The interior minister chaired the Inter-Ministerial The government did not report any prosecutions of government Coordination Group for Combating Trafficking in Human employees for alleged complicity in trafficking-related offenses Beings, which coordinated anti-trafficking efforts, compiled during the reporting period. and analyzed data, and planned future strategies. The group presented the country’s fourth national anti-trafficking strategy covering 2012 to 2015 that aimed to train more police, judges, Protection and labor inspectors, as well as to research vulnerabilities in The Czech government demonstrated limited progress in its the Roma population and industries at risk for forced labor. A victim protection efforts during the reporting period. The unit in the MOI served as the national rapporteur and prepared Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MLSA) provided the a comprehensive annual report on anti-trafficking patterns equivalent of approximately $251,400 in 2012 to NGOs and programs, which it released publicly. The government providing care for trafficking victims regardless of victims’ continued to fund an NGO-run hotline to identify victims of participation with law enforcement. Government-funded trafficking; in 2012, the hotline received calls from 451 separate 150