WASHINGTON, July 27 (UPI) — The U.S. Department of State on Monday released its annual report on human trafficking that determines the compliance of countries to combat the industry.
The 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report analyzes the efforts of 188 countries to comply with minimum standards required to eliminate human trafficking for sexual exploitation or forced labor.
Countries are separated into three different levels with Tier 1 being the countries most compliant to standards set to combat human trafficking through Tier 3, the countries who do the least to prevent the “scourge of modern slavery.”
Tier 2 has a “Watch List” of countries who will fall into the bottom level if they do not attempt to improve efforts to combat human trafficking.
“In the year 2015 we have a modern version of slavery… it is vital for us to push back against this,” Secretary of State John Kerry said during a press conference. “Like every nation, the United States has responsibility to do a better job protecting those within our own borders.”
Human trafficking is an illicit $150 billion industry, according to Kerry.
“We must never, ever, allow a price tag to be attached to the heart, soul, and freedom of a fellow human being,” Kerry added.
.@JohnKerry: Not only is this a fight we should attempt – it is a fight we can and must win. #EndSlavery— StateDept Live (@StateDeptLive) July 27, 2015
Tier 1 countries include Australia, Belgium, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The countries upgraded from Tier 3 up to the Tier 2 Watch List are Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and Papua New Guinea.
Cuba was upgraded up to Tier 2 up from Tier 3.
Tier 3 countries can be punished at the discretion of the President of the United States. Punishments can include restrictions on non-humanitarian assistance and funding.
In the 2015 report, there are 23 countries in the Tier 3 placement, including Belize, Iran, North Korea, South Sudan, Libya and Russia.
Belarus, Comoros and the Marshall Islands were automatically downgraded to Tier 3 after being on last year’s Tier 2 Watch List.
Thailand, Malaysia, Venezuela and Gambia were downgraded from Tier 2 to Tier 3 in last year’s report and remain in the same ranking in 2015.
“This year’s report places a special emphasis on human trafficking in the global marketplace. It highlights the hidden risks that workers may encounter when seeking employment and the steps that governments and businesses can take to prevent trafficking, including a demand for transparency in global supply chains,” Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement. “The bottom line is that this is no time for complacency. Right now, across the globe, victims of human trafficking are daring to imagine the possibility of escape, the chance for a life without fear, and the opportunity to earn a living wage.”
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