Moving up the Trade List

June 13, 2007 - 11:00 AM by Stephanie

Good news for Israel on the international human trafficking front: The latest U.S. State Department Report ranking countries on human trafficking abuses cites Israel as having moved up the ladder towards “purity”.

Israel’s improved record is due largely in part to newly implemented legal amendments ..”that comprehensively prohibit all forms of trafficking in persons, including involuntary servitude and slavery. In addition, the government extended legal assistance to victims of trafficking for involuntary servitude, and passed a national action plan to combat trafficking for forced labor.”

Great.

But Israel still has room for improvement; As State Department rankings go, Israel is a “Tier 2″ country alongside Thailand, Japan, Uganda, Liberia, Angola, etc. Tier 1 countries include Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Norway, etc. and the lowest rank or Tier 3 includes Cuba, Iran, Algeria and so on.

The report notes Israel’s lack of adequate protection services like shelter, medical and psychological aid for forced labor victims as a detriment.

An aside: I don’t see the U.S. ranked in the report…(?)

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