Monrovia – United States Secretary of State released the 17th annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, ranking Liberia on the Tier 2 Watch List; meaning the Government of Liberia (GoL) did not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking for the period 2016/2017.
However, the 2017 TIP Report at the same time, acknowledges that while Liberia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking, the GoL is making significant efforts to do so.
The Ministry of Labour on behalf of the National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force has announced that it welcomes the U.S. State Department’s 2017 TIP report, promising to keep harnessing efforts aimed at combating human trafficking in Liberia.
The Ministry of Labour says it reaffirms the Government of Liberia strong commitment to further combating the scourge of human trafficking by strengthening previous efforts.
The Ministry of Labour divulged that already, during the reporting period, it has in line with its strategy which aims not just to deliver immediate results, but to as well send a strong signal to perpetrators and to also create an environment where change is likely to be sustainable through promoting greater public confidence in the national efforts to fight against human trafficking, the followings have been achieved:
- Completed the drafting of the National Referral Pathway for the protection of victim of human trafficking;
- Conducted workshop to train staff that will manage the National Hotline on human trafficking;
- Conducted training of trainers workshop facilitated by United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) for law enforcement officers;
- Partnered with World Hope International to conduct three counter human trafficking workshops in favor of the following:
- Liberia National Police
- Media groups
- Liberia National Police Officers assigned at various depots in Monrovia and its environment
- Through World Hope International funding, established and launched the National Anti-Human Trafficking Hotline, at no cost or charge to callers;
- Recorded and referred more than seventy-two alleged human trafficking cases to the relevant institutions for quick redress;
The government provided emergency funding to temporarily shelter 25 potential child-trafficking victims and prosecuted one trafficking case.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour maintains that through closer cooperation with its partners both domestically and internationally, the Government of Liberia is resolved to working toward accomplishing recommendations contained in the U.S. 2017 TIP Report and continue the implementation of the National Action Plan 2013-2018, which among other things called on Government to increase efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers, including complicit officials and cases against Liberian nationals.