As required by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), as amended, the U.S. Department of State has released today and submitted to Congress its 2009 report on foreign governments' efforts to eliminate severe forms of trafficking in persons.

The Trafficking in Persons Report 2009 (TIP), the ninth annual TIP Report, is intended to raise global awareness, to highlight efforts of the international community, and to encourage foreign governments to take effective actions to counter all forms of trafficking in persons. The report is prepared using information from U.S. embassies, foreign government officials, NGOs and international organizations, published reports, research trips to every region, and information submitted to tipreport@state.gov. This email address was established for NGOs and individuals to share information on government progress in addressing trafficking. U.S. diplomatic posts reported on the trafficking situation and governmental action based on thorough research, including meetings with a wide variety of government officials, local and international NGO representatives, officials of international organizations, journalists, academics, and survivors.

To compile this year’s report, the Department of State reviewed credible information sources on every country and assessed each government’s anti-trafficking efforts.

Human trafficking plagues every country including the United States. The State Department will rank the United States in its report to be released next year, even though the U.S. Department of Justice releases an annual report focused exclusively on the trafficking problem as it exists inside the United States.

Tier Placement

The State Department places each country in the 2009 TIP Report onto one of the three tier lists as mandated by the TVPA. This placement is based more on the extent of government action to combat trafficking than on the size of the problem, although that is also an important factor. The Department first evaluates whether the government fully complies with the TVPA's minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. Governments that fully comply are placed on Tier 1. For other governments, the Department considers the extent of efforts to reach compliance. Governments that are making significant efforts to meet the minimum standards are placed on Tier 2. Governments that do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so are placed on Tier 3. Finally, the Department considers the Special Watch List criteria and, when applicable, moves Tier 2 countries to Tier 2 Watch List.

Governments of countries in Tier 3 may be subject to certain sanctions. The U.S. Government may withhold non-humanitarian, non-trade-related foreign assistance. Countries that receive no such assistance would be subject to withholding of funding for participation by officials and employees of such governments in educational and cultural exchange programs.

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