It implies that the Nepal government has failed to fully comply with the minimum standards of Trafficking Victim Protection Act (TVPA) of the US, but is making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with those standards. [break]
The report has lauded Nepal´s significant efforts to prosecute traffickers despite limited resources. However, the report raises trafficking-related complicity by government officials as a serious problem.
“Traffickers have been using their ties to politicians, business persons, state officials, police, customs officials and border police to facilitate trafficking in Nepal. Despite these serious concerns, there were no investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government officials complicit in trafficking,” said the report.
The report has recommended that Nepal increase law enforcement efforts against all types of trafficking and government officials who are complicit in trafficking.
It has also recommended to Nepal to institute a formal procedure to identify victims of trafficking and refer them to protection services; and, improve protection services and put in place more effective tracking mechanisms for both sex and labor trafficking cases.
The United States law requires the US Department of State to issue the Trafficking in Persons Report (TPR) annually with the goal of stimulating action and creating partnerships around the world in the fight against modern-day slavery. Countries determined to have a significant number of trafficking victims are assigned to one of three tiers.
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