By Grace Q. Bryant
The United States Department 2024 Trafficking-in-Person report says Liberia’s efforts to combat human trafficking have fallen short of international standards, leading to its downgrade to the Tier 2 Watch List.
The report said the Government of Liberia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so and these efforts included completing renovations for two victim shelters initiated in the previous reporting period and conducting awareness campaigns.
However, report further indicated that the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period by prosecuting fewer traffickers and did not convict any traffickers.
“Law enforcement officials continued to lack adequate resources and understanding of trafficking to effectively investigate and prosecute trafficking crimes. Victim services remained insufficient, and the government referred significantly fewer trafficking victims to care,” the report indicated.
The report stated that the government did not allocate adequate funding for anti-trafficking efforts, and concerns of official complicity remained and therefore Liberia was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List.
The government’s prosecution of traffickers has decreased and not a single trafficker was convicted over the past yea; additionally, law enforcement officials continue to grapple with limited resources and a lack of understanding regarding trafficking, which hampers effective investigation and prosecution of trafficking crimes.
Victim services are notably inadequate, with significantly fewer victims being referred to care compared to previous years.
Financial constraints further impede the government’s ability to support anti-trafficking initiatives, and suspicions of official complicity in trafficking crimes persist.
In response to these challenges, experts and advocates have outlined several key actions the government must take to enhance its anti-trafficking efforts among which are strengthening law enforcement and judiciary efforts.
It is imperative to increase the investigation, prosecution, and conviction of traffickers, including those involved in internal trafficking and complicit official and ensuring that convicted traffickers face significant prison terms will serve as a deterrent and underscore the severity of these crimes.
Expansion of victim protection services protection services for all trafficking victims, including those outside the capital, male victims, and those requiring long-term care, must be made more accessible. Partnering with and allocating funding to civil society organizations can help bridge current service gaps.
Allocating more financial and in-kind resources to support anti-trafficking efforts is also crucial which includes bolstering the national anti-trafficking task force and fully implementing the 2019-2024 National Action Plan (NAP).
Training for officials, including law enforcement, labor inspectors, and social workers, on using standard victim identification procedures and the national referral mechanism is essential and improved collaboration between anti-trafficking police units, immigration, labor, and judicial authorities will foster a more unified and effective approach.
Also increased labor inspections, particularly in the informal sector and mining regions, are necessary to identify and address cases of trafficking, including child forced labor as well as continued efforts to raise public awareness about human trafficking, including internal trafficking, will help mobilize community support and vigilance against these crimes.
The road ahead for Liberia in its fight against human trafficking is undoubtedly challenging; however, with increased efforts, better resource allocation, and enhanced collaboration, the government can make significant progress in meeting international standards and protecting its citizens from this grave violation of human rights.
