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Improving the Effectiveness of the International Law of Human Trafficking: A Vision for the Future of the US Trafficking in Persons Reports

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Abstract

In 2000, the United States Congress passed the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act requiring its State Department to issue annual Trafficking in Persons Reports (TIP Reports) describing “the nature and extent of severe forms of trafficking in persons” and assessing governmental efforts across the world to combat such trafficking against criteria established by US law. This article examines the opportunities and risks presented by the TIP Reports, tracing their evolution over the past decade and considering their impact on the behavior of states. In looking to the future, the article focuses on how this influential unilateral compliance mechanism could improve its legitimacy, respond to negative impacts, and better contribute to the international legal regime around trafficking.

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Notes

  1. In 2009, 17 countries were placed in Tier 3. In September of that year, the U.S. President determined that two of these countries would be sanctioned without exemption (Cuba and North Korea, both already under sanction) and that a further six (Burma, Eritrea, Fiji, Iran, Syria and Zimbabwe, most of which were already under sanction) would be partially sanctioned. Sanctions against the remaining eight Tier 3 countries (Chad, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritania, Niger, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia and Sudan) were subject to a national interest waiver (Wyler and Siskin 2010). In 2010, 13 countries were placed in Tier 3. At the time of writing no determination had yet been made about sanctions against these countries.

  2. A caveat contained in the introduction to the annual Narcotics Control Report (“Although the Department strives to provide accurate information, this report should not be used as the basis for determining legal rights or obligations under US or foreign law”, U.S. Department of State 2010c: 3) could provide a useful template in this regard.

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    Anne T. Gallagher

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Correspondence to Anne T. Gallagher.

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Thanks to Angela Ha for editorial assistance. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and should not be taken to represent, in whole or part, those of the organizations with whom she is or has been associated.

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Gallagher, A.T. Improving the Effectiveness of the International Law of Human Trafficking: A Vision for the Future of the US Trafficking in Persons Reports. Hum Rights Rev 12, 381–400 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12142-010-0183-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12142-010-0183-6

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