The US Department of State’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report gave Taiwan a top tier ranking for fully meeting minimum standards for eliminating trafficking.
The report says Taiwan’s efforts to combat human trafficking included more convictions for traffickers than the previous year, better protection for victims and more penalties for abusive brokers. This is Taiwan’s 13th consecutive year with a Tier 1 ranking.
But the report also identified problems: insufficient staffing and inspection protocols on Taiwan’s vulnerable distant water fishing fleet and the “lack of specific labor laws ensuring the rights of migrant domestic caregivers.” Taiwan’s documented abuses of migrant fishermen in its deep water fishing industry led it to be added to the US Department of Labor’s “Dirty List”, or List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced labor for fish products in 2020.
The 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report ranked countries in one of four tiers by the scope of government efforts to eliminate human trafficking. Taiwan was one of 30 countries to receive a Tier 1 ranking. It was also one of only four in the Asia Pacific, along with Australia, the Philippines, and Singapore.
On Thursday, foreign ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou said the report’s recommendations will be given to appropriate government agencies for review. The ministry says it will work with government institutions and non-governmental organizations to solve these problems. It will also deepen cooperation on combatting human trafficking with like-minded countries.