U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry officially announced the release of the 2016 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report on June 30, 2016 in Washington, DC.  As required by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), the TIP Report assesses governments around the world on their efforts to combat modern slavery.  Cambodia is placed in the Tier 2 category in this year’s report, an upgrade from its designation as a Tier 2 Watch List country last year.  Tier 2 status applies to countries whose governments do not fully comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards, but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.

Cambodia’s upgrade to Tier 2 is based on significant efforts by the Government of Cambodia to combat human trafficking over the past year.  The government began implementing the national action plan launched during the previous reporting period and allocated $500,000 to the interagency committee that leads Cambodia’s anti-trafficking efforts.  National guidelines for the identification and referral of victims were finalized and local authorities identified 589 victims, an increase from 326 in the previous year.  The 2016 report also notes the Cambodian government’s progress in prosecutions and convictions, particularly for labor trafficking offenses.  In addition to highlighting these successes, the report also provides recommendations and identifies various areas for improvement in Cambodia’s efforts to combat modern slavery.

The 16th annual TIP Report includes narratives of 188 countries and territories, including the United States.  At the launch event, Secretary Kerry also honored the 2016 TIP Report Heroes, men and women whose personal efforts have made an extraordinary difference in the global fight against modern slavery.

The full text of the 2016 TIP Report can be found here. The Khmer translation of the report will be made available to the public in the coming days. To read the 2016 Country Report for Cambodia, click here.