Release of TIP Report 2014
By Erla Dema,
Graduate Fellow, Human Trafficking Academy
The just released 2014 Trafficking in Person Report (TIP) reflects the constructive effort and support of governments, organizations representing civil society, human rights activists, advocates, law enforcement and diplomatic corps, in struggling to combat human trafficking worldwide. The joint goal for all the interested parties and the incentive to forward the trafficking in persons cause is to be stronger than the destructive power of the criminals.
TIP Report marks a top priority action platform taking into consideration that human trafficking is among the fastest growing criminal industries in the world.
Therefore with regard to the recently released TIP report Secretary of State, John Kerry highlights in the beginning of his speech emphasized that: “The Trafficking In Persons Report, June 2014, this is not just a book, it’s not just a report filled with stories that will touch you. This is a call to action. It’s a call to conscience. It is a reminder of what happens in many dark places that need light. And we have a responsibility to try to bring that light to these individuals and to these places.”
TIP Report encourages nations to tackle trafficking in persons problems from all directions and it ranks nations according to their vivid effort records throughout the year, to acknowledge human trafficking issues and to contribute in combatting them and creating of appropriate programs focused on the three P’s: prevention of trafficking, prosecution of traffickers and protection of victims.
TIP Report displays on a yearly basis the classification of countries in tiers. The tier placement elaborates the level of compliance of a certain nation with Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s (TVPA) minimum standards to eliminate human trafficking. The tier division is very essential because it acknowledges the hardworking countries which make significant endeavors towards ending human trafficking, and at the same time downgrades the ones that do not meet the minimum anti-trafficking standards.
Meanwhile according to June 2014 TIP report countries like Thailand, Venezuela and Malaysia have been downgraded from the U.S. Department of State from Tier 2 Watch List to Tier 3, the lowest possible ranking since they have shown no serious and sustained action to fight human trafficking for the past years. These countries and the rest of Tier 3 countries are awaiting sanctions to be imposed and determined by U.S. Government and President Obama starting next fiscal year.
The complete report is available at the following link:
St. Thomas University Human Trafficking Academy 