This year the report also called for more interagency cooperation between governments, academia, business, NGOs, and others, and added a fourth “P” – “Partnership” – to the longstanding “3P” paradigm. The “3P” paradigm – Prevention, Prosecution, & Protection – stands as a fundamental framework used by governments to combat human trafficking.
The US TIP office uses a tiered approach to do their assessment each year. The report assigns countries one of four grades: “Tier 1” for fully meeting basic standards, “Tier 2” for governments making some efforts, ”Tier 2 Watch List” for those slipping, and “Tier 3” for negligible efforts.
The TIP Report, of course, has both its allies & critics. The statistics quoted, we know, can always be disputed, and even the nature of releasing the report annually results in limited time for accurate information gathering each year, in each nation. The information reported is also dependent and subjective to the relationships the US government has in each nation- via US Embassy Consulates, NGOs, or other informants. Governments of countries on the lower tiers criticise the US rankings and often those countries ranked on the higher tiers are received with skepticism. There are political, cultural and economic differences of opinion and like every report, this one also has its limitations and biases.
However, regardless of where each of our preference lies, the TIP Report has been an important tool that allows both NGOs and governments to report on the current challenges and achievements within their countries. It also results in collaborative advocacy points, based on the recommendations that the TIP Report produces.
It is encouraging to see in this year's report a more-balanced response to the issue of human trafficking, including both trafficking for labour and for sexual exploitation; as well as to see a greater acknowledgement of the trafficking of men and boys, and the specialized interventions needed.
Together we need to engage all levels of society to respond broadly to the challenges of demand, to work with governments to implement established human trafficking laws, to empower communities to prevent & protect those who are vulnerable, to educate & work with businesses to be ethical in their practice, as well as in providing stable employment to those in need. And importantly, we must continue to listen and learn lessons from one another, knowing that not one of us has all the answers.
Finally, the most important factor to remember in this fight is that although the report focuses on each nation's responsibility for their own country, we will only see an end to human trafficking if we work together, beyond the boundaries of our own countries & politics, to collaborate with a joint response to this complex issue.
Read the full report on the U.S. Department of State's website: http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2011/
Learn more about Chab Dai's model of collaborating to see an end to human trafficking, by visiting our website: www.chabdai.org
