Liberia was downgraded to Tier Two Watchlist in the U.S. Department of State’s annual Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report which is the world’s most comprehensive resource of government anti-trafficking efforts.
In the report released in July, it was determined that the Government of Liberia did not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking; even considering the measures required trying to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in 2020.
The return of Liberia to Tier Two Watchlist on the TIP Report was a disappointment to all and a reminder of the intense work needed to make and sustain progress.
U.S. Ambassador to Liberia, Michael McCarthy lamented the consequences of inaction noting that, “The failure to make these changes or even to engage seriously in conversation about an amendment puts millions of dollars in U.S. assistance to Liberia at risk.
At visits to Minister of Justice Frank Musah Dean at the Ministry of Justice to donate the newly developed TIP Legal Handbook for prosecutors and later at the Supreme Court where he presented to Chief Justice Francis Korkpor the TIP Bench-Book for judges, Ambassador McCarthy remarked that fortunately, the TIP Report also offers a clear action plan.
“Through their silence, legislators may think they are not making any statement, but in fact they are sending a message to both traffickers and victims that fighting human trafficking is not a priority. I hope legislators decide this issue is worth their time this year and make the necessary reforms to the law,” he noted
He reminded the officials of the judiciary that one of the top recommendations was to ‘Train law enforcement and judicial officials on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting trafficking cases under the 2005 anti-trafficking law.’
The materials which will play an essential role in combatting TIP in Liberia were developed by the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) as part of a US$2 million cooperative agreement funded by the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) Bureau of the U.S. Department of State.
The IDLO-developed handbooks will be the cornerstone of this training effort.
The TIP Report also acts as a guide to improving a country’s status by recommending a number of specific steps that can improve the ranking which include providing sufficient funding for victim support services to increase the number of investigations, prosecutions, and most importantly convictions.
The report also strongly recommended much needed changes to the 2005 Human Trafficking Law.