Toggle navigation menu.
Helsinki Default Banner

State Department Releases 2005 Trafficking Report

WASHINGTON – Helsinki Commission Co-Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ), the author of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, released the following statement regarding the success and positive impact of the State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, released today for the fifth year. The report was mandated by Smith’s first trafficking bill, signed in October 2000 (Public Law 106-386).

“Since its inception in 2001, the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report has been a powerful tool to encourage governments around the world to address the growing problem of trafficking in human beings for forced labor and sexual exploitation.

“The 2005 Report includes an analysis of 150 countries. This is ten more than the previous year’s publication, and the most countries ever included in the report.

“A review of the report shows that over the past year, a stronger response from governments, an increase in public awareness of victim protection services, and a successful effort in anti-trafficking practices have occurred in many countries. Thirty-four countries improved their tier status, a sign of the system’s success and effectiveness. Regrettably, some other governments’ efforts lagged in the past year, resulting in the downward assessment of twenty-six countries. While it is disturbing that many strong allies of the United States fell into Tier 3, I commend the State Department for allowing the facts with regard to human trafficking to determine each country’s tier placement, rather than unrelated political considerations.

“The 2005 TIP report includes an informative list of ‘International Best Practices’ consisting of examples of innovative and effective anti-trafficking policies, such as the Czech Republic’s screening and identification procedures, as well as Estonia’s campaign to raise public awareness on global trafficking.

“This year’s report brings needed attention to the problem of peacekeepers’ complicity in the sexual exploitation of vulnerable populations, including through trafficking, and highlights some positive steps underway to prevent such exploitation.

“In addition, this year’s report includes data provided by foreign governments on trafficking-related investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and sentences. As in our own country, the number of traffickers prosecuted and convicted has increased by nearly 300% since enactment of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. Likewise, the number of worldwide convictions increased this past year to more than 3000 convictions, as more countries acquired the legal tools necessary to combat trafficking and the political will to implement those tools.”

To support the U.S. Government’s ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking, on February 17, Smith introduced the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005, H.R. 972. The bill would reauthorize appropriations for anti-trafficking programs in the United States and abroad. The bill also offers solutions to specific scenarios in which trafficking is a problem and which experience has shown could benefit from additional initiatives.

Media contact

Category
Country
Issue
Date
Filter Topics Open Close
Hearings

Rescuing Ukrainian Children and Women from Russia...

Jul 26, 2023

Russia’s war has exposed the critical need for U.S. and international action to both save Ukraine’s children and to put in place measures for the future that will protect children, as well as vulnerable refugees around the world, from wartime atrocities and from other threats such as human trafficking. Ukraine’s children are suffering serious injury […]

screen-reader-text
Press Releases

HEARING: RESCUING UKRAINIAN CHILDREN AND WOMEN FROM ...

Jul 19, 2023

Wednesday, July 26, 2023 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Rayburn House Building room 2200 Streaming here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n-NyI5xjt8 Russia’s war has exposed the critical need for U.S. and international action to both save Ukraine’s children and to put in place measures for the future that will protect children, as well as vulnerable refugees around the world, […]

screen-reader-text
Articles

United States Demonstrates Global Leadership on Ukra...

Jul 14, 2023

The Helsinki Commission’s four senior leaders helmed the United States’ bicameral, bipartisan delegation to the 30th Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly last week in Vancouver, Canada. Co-Chairman Senator Ben Cardin (MD), serving as Head of Delegation, was joined by Chairman Joe Wilson (SC-02) as Deputy Head of Delegation as well as Ranking Members […]

screen-reader-text
Hearings

Protecting Ukrainian Refugees from Human Trafficking

Apr 07, 2023

More than 4 million refugees have fled Ukraine since Russia’s massive invasion on February 24, in the largest migration of people in Europe since the Second World War. Given Ukraine’s exit restrictions on males from 18-60, the vast majority of those are women and children. Most cross the Ukrainian border without resources or a place […]

screen-reader-text
Press Releases

CO-CHAIRMAN COHEN APPOINTED AS OSCE PARLIAMENTARY AS...

Jul 21, 2022

WASHINGTON—Margareta Cederfelt, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA), has appointed Helsinki Commission Co-Chairman Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-09) as the first-ever OSCE PA Special Representative on Political Prisoners. “I welcome the chance to serve as the voice of political prisoners across the OSCE region,” said Co-Chairman Cohen. “Every day, we witness more political arrests of […]

screen-reader-text
Press Releases

Protecting Ukrainian Refugees from Human Trafficking...

Apr 01, 2022

WASHINGTON—The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today announced the following hearing: PROTECTING UKRAINIAN REFUGEES FROM HUMAN TRAFFICKING Thursday, April 7, 2022 10:30 a.m. Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 562 Watch live: www.youtube.com/HelsinkiCommission More than 4 million refugees have fled Ukraine since Russia’s massive invasion on February 24, […]

screen-reader-text
helsinki commission logo 368x331
Digests

Helsinki Commission Digital Digest January 2022

Jan 31, 2022

screen-reader-text
Articles

OSCE SHDM on Digital Technology and Human Rights

Jul 26, 2021

OSCE Conference on Risks and Opportunities Posed by Digital Technologies On July 12 and 13, 2021, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) held the third Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM) of the year, titled “Digital Technologies and Human Rights – Opportunities and Challenges.” The virtual conference included representatives from 45 OSCE […]

screen-reader-text
Press Releases

Cardin Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Legislation ...

Jun 23, 2021

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) lauded approval today by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee of two bills he authored to strengthen U.S. human rights and anti-corruption efforts. Both pieces of legislation, the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Reauthorization Act (S. 93), cosponsored by Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and the Combating Global Corruption Act […]

screen-reader-text
Statements

45th Anniversary of the U.S. Helsinki Commission

Jun 21, 2021

I take this time as the Chair of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, better known as the Helsinki Commission, as we celebrate our 45th anniversary. The Helsinki Commission is the vehicle for U.S. participation in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), representing 57 states that have come together under […]

screen-reader-text
Generic BG 368x331
Articles

Helsinki Commission Leadership Joins Inter-Parliamen...

Jun 07, 2021

On May 25, 2021, the U.S. Helsinki Commission joined the House Foreign Affairs Committee and European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights at the launch event for the EU – US Strategic Inter-Parliamentary Consultation on Human Rights. The inter-parliamentary discussion focused on global human rights sanctions regimes, values-based foreign policy, and opportunities for transatlantic cooperation. Helsinki […]

screen-reader-text
Logo_tile_368x331
Press Releases

Helsinki Commission Commemorates 45 Years of Advanci...

Jun 03, 2021

WASHINGTON—To commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, on June 3, Chairman Sen. Ben Cardin (MD) and commission leaders Sen. Roger Wicker (MS) and Rep. Joe Wilson (SC-02) issued the following statements: “The Helsinki Commission has played a vital role in elevating […]

screen-reader-text