Fiji has been ranked in tier two of the Trafficking in Persons Report that has been released by the U-S State Department of State.
A tier two ranking means countries whose governments do not fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Acts, but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.
The 2015 report was launched by the United States Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington and examines the current status of laws in each country and what governments are doing in order to combat human trafficking.
It says Fiji is a source country for women and children subjected to sex Trafficking and forced labour and a transit and destination country for Asian men and women subjected to forced labour and forced prostitution.”
The report says “Fiji’s liberal visa requirements-which allow nationals of 132 nations to enter the country without acquiring a visa-coupled with Fiji’s role as a regional transportation hub, may contribute to Fiji being a transit area for human trafficking.”
The report has made a number of recommendations for Fiji to continue efforts to investigate and prosecute trafficking offenses and convict and punish traffickers, institute additional trainings for law enforcement and immigration officers on victim identification and protection as well as develop and strengthen formal procedures to proactively identify trafficking victims.
It also recommends that Fiji make efforts to allow identified trafficking victims to work and earn income while assisting with investigations as well as disseminate more anti-trafficking awareness campaigns directed at individuals purchasing commercial sex; and accede to the 2000 UN Protocol.
