Human Trafficking

He said the downgrade in the human trafficking watch list produced by the United States (U.S.) is of circumstantial evidence and unproven.

National Government concerns were also expressed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Elias Wohengu, with US Charge D'Affaires Matthew Bunt in a 'please explain' meeting of parties.

Minister Tkatchenko noted that the report's conclusion that PNG's status has been downgraded from Tier 2 Trafficking In Persons (TIP) to Tier 3 in accordance with US Government standards, was a lack of good faith on its part as a key bilateral partner.

The TSA has taken proactive measures by conducting specialized training for its officers, equipping them with the knowledge to identify potential victims, establish referral pathways, and aid survivors in reintegrating into their communities and restoring their livelihoods.

One of the key figures spearheading this initiative is Major Muru Igoto, the Commander of the South-Central Division in Koki, Port Moresby. Major Muru expressed how the training has been instrumental in her ability to identify opportunities within her community to raise awareness about these pressing issues.

The U.S. government is committed to prevent human trafficking around the world and to protect survivors of all forms of human trafficking.

Human trafficking occurs worldwide, including in Papua New Guinea where human traffickers exploit women and children in sex trafficking and in forced labour in domestic service, the tourism sector, manual labour, forced begging, and street vending.

The court in Bruges also ordered Vo Van Hong, 45, to pay a 920,000 euro (NZ$1.5 million) fine and gave prison terms of between 18 months and 10 years to 17 others for their roles in large-scale people smuggling from Vietnam to Britain.

The three-judge panel said in a ruling that ran to 234 pages that those convicted had cynically exploited the victims, who were each charged nearly 25,000 euros for the trip to Britain, and treated them as a dehumanised cargo.

In Papua New Guinea, there is a need for more public awareness and action to address human rights violation such as human trafficking.

This was revealed by a panel discussion hosted by the Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee on Tuesday in Port Moresby.

Principal Legal Officer of the Department of Justice and Attorney General and panelist Limawali Yalapan said forced prostitution is a form of trafficking.

The panel discussed that there was a need for more action on this form of human rights in the country.

Trafficking In Persons (TIP) or Human Trafficking is one of the worst forms of Gender Based Violence where victims are in most cases forced to meet certain expectations in homes, workplaces and the community.

TIP victims are often traumatized as they are often subjected to the worst kinds of human rights violations or exploitation that can include, forced prostitution, sexual exploitation, forced labour, domestic servitude which involves work or domestic work around the home and in communities.

The trial, presided by Justice Panuel Mogish, saw the fourth state witness take the stand today.

Businessman Willie Gare of Gumine, Chimbu Province, is standing at the National Court for six counts of human trafficking, one count of aggravated human trafficking and one count of rape. 

Gare who has pleaded not guilty to all the charges was allegedly involved in the recruitment and transportation of two boys and eight girls from Lealea and Boera villages, to Kundiawa on 30 July 2015, to perform at the opening of a lodge on 14 August, 2015.

July 30 will observe the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.

The International Organization of Migration (IOM) says human trafficking is a grave violation of human rights.

Millions of people every year become victims of forced labour globally, many of whom are victims of trafficking for labour and sexual exploitation.

Women and girls comprise 71 per cent of victims of trafficking and children make up almost a third of all human trafficking victims worldwide.  

The annual Trafficking in Persons Report divides nations into tiers based on their compliance with standards outlined in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000.

These tiers are:

With changes in the social landscape in PNG, capacity building among stakeholders, especially those in the Law and Justice sector, is vital to address this threat. 

Human trafficking is the process of transporting an individual from their community through the use of deception or force.

In most instances, the end result of human trafficking is exploitation, which takes many forms in PNG; from sexual exploitation to forced labour, slavery, removal of organs and even the abuse of cultural practices.