The
Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report is the U.S. Government’s principal
diplomatic tool to engage foreign governments on human trafficking. It is also the world’s most comprehensive
resource of governmental anti-human trafficking efforts and reflects the U.S.
Government’s commitment to global leadership on this key human rights and law
enforcement issue. It represents an updated,
global look at the nature and scope of trafficking in persons and the broad
range of government actions to confront and eliminate it.
The
Government of The Gambia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the
elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so.
The government made key achievements during the reporting period; therefore,
The Gambia was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List.
These achievements included identifying and providing services to the
first internal trafficking victims identified in four years; training law
enforcement and border officials on identifying and referring cases of
trafficking for investigation; and convicting and sentencing one trafficker to
life imprisonment—its first reported conviction for a trafficking-related
offense in four years. Despite these
efforts, the government did not have formal procedures to identify trafficking
victims and refer them to care; it did not complete any prosecutions or secure
any convictions under the amended 2007 Trafficking in Persons Act, even though
NGOs brought cases of child sex trafficking to law enforcement’s attention; nor
did it prosecute or convict any complicit officials. Additionally, the National Agency Against
Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP) remained without sufficient funding and
resources to coordinate inter-ministerial anti-trafficking efforts and
investigate trafficking offenses nationwide.
RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR THE GAMBIA
Vigorously
investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers—including allegedly complicit
government officials and child sex traffickers—with sufficiently stringent
sentences; train law enforcement and prosecutors to investigate and prosecute
all types of trafficking, and ensure they have the resources to do so; develop
standard procedures for identifying trafficking victims, including those among
vulnerable populations, and referring them to care, train government officials
on such procedures, and ensure no victims are detained before they are referred
to services; significantly increase awareness of trafficking among the general
public, including of child sex trafficking and how to report cases; increase
funding and training for social workers to ensure trafficking victims,
including those outside the capital, receive adequate social services; provide
adequate funding and resources to NAATIP to ensure effective implementation of
the anti-trafficking national action plan; amend the labor law to extend its
protections to domestic workers; and improve data collection and public reporting
on victim identification and law enforcement efforts.
In
releasing the 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report, United States Secretary of
State Rex Tillerson said, “Human trafficking is one of the most tragic human
rights issues of our time. It splinters
families, distorts global markets, undermines the rule of law, and spurs other
transnational criminal activity. It
threatens public safety and national security.
But worst of all, the crime robs human beings of their freedom and their
dignity. That’s why we must pursue an
end to the scourge of human trafficking.
Because human trafficking is global in scope, international partners are
essential to success. That’s why the State
Department will continue to establish positive partnerships with governments,
civil society, law enforcement groups, and survivors to provide help for those
who need our support.”
United
States Ambassador to The Gambia, C. Patricia Alsup offered her congratulations,
“Congratulations to the Government of The Gambia, especially NAATIP and all the
stakeholders who fight against human trafficking. I am very pleased that The Gambia’s rating on
trafficking in persons has improved over the past year. I hope that NAATIP and other partners will
continue fighting the evil of human trafficking until The Gambia is considered
a Tier 1 country.”
