The U.S. Department of State’s latest 2024 report indicates that Tonga does not fully meet the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking, although it is making significant efforts. As a result, Tonga remains on the Tier 2 Watch List, indicating that while improvements are being made, key issues still need addressing.
The report commends Tonga’s progress, which includes launching the country’s first National Action Plan (NAP), training immigration and customs officials in partnership with international organizations, and conducting public awareness campaigns. However, critical areas of concern remain. The Tongan government did not identify any trafficking victims, initiate investigations, or prosecute trafficking cases during the reporting period. Tonga has not convicted a trafficker since 2011.
Prioritized Recommendations for Tonga
The U.S. Department of State emphasizes several areas where Tonga should improve its anti-trafficking measures. Key recommendations include fully implementing procedures to identify trafficking victims among vulnerable groups, proactively investigating and prosecuting trafficking crimes, and amending trafficking laws to criminalize all forms of trafficking. Additionally, the report calls for increased support for trafficking victims, including restitution, legal and medical benefits, and immigration relief.
Tonga is also encouraged to raise public awareness about human trafficking and accede to the 2000 United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (TIP Protocol).
Challenges in Law Enforcement
Although Tonga’s laws prescribe severe penalties for trafficking offenses—up to 15 years imprisonment for adult victims and 20 years for child victims—the country’s existing legal framework does not cover all forms of trafficking. Tonga’s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime Act of 2013 requires transnationality to constitute a trafficking offense, which does not align with international standards. Also, the law does not consider force, fraud, or coercion essential elements of the crime.
The report indicates that law enforcement faces significant challenges in tackling trafficking crimes, including language barriers, resource limitations, and a lack of prioritization. Although officers received training in collaboration with international organizations, no trafficking investigations, prosecutions, or convictions occurred during the reporting year.
Victim Protection Efforts
Tonga has not identified any trafficking victims since 2015, though screening guidelines for law enforcement were developed to help identify and refer victims for services. While Tonga’s government has partnerships with non-governmental organizations to assist female and child trafficking victims, these services have not been utilized recently. A partnership to provide housing and counseling for male victims of trafficking was also established but did not assist any victims in 2023.
Prevention and Awareness Campaigns
The government made strides in prevention, adopting the 2023-2027 NAP to Counter Trafficking in Persons and Protect Vulnerable Migrants. The government allocated $353,500 for the NAP’s implementation, with $1,500 specifically directed toward prevention efforts. These initiatives included awareness-raising events for the 2023 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, as well as a media campaign led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to educate the public about trafficking.
Despite these efforts, Tonga does not maintain a trafficking hotline, and further measures are needed to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts and to monitor recruitment practices. No anti-trafficking training is provided for Tongan diplomatic personnel, and the government has yet to join the 2000 UN TIP Protocol.
Trafficking Profile in Tonga
Over the past five years, various groups in Tonga, including domestic workers, children, and foreign nationals, have been identified as vulnerable to trafficking. Climate-induced displacement and natural disasters further increase vulnerability. Reports suggest that East Asian women, particularly from China, are at risk of sex trafficking in Tonga, while Tongan children and adults face risks of forced labor both domestically and abroad.
While Tonga has made some progress in combating human trafficking, significant challenges remain. Strengthening legal frameworks, increasing investigations and prosecutions, and enhancing victim support services will be essential for Tonga to improve its anti-trafficking efforts.
Source: U.S. Department of State