Which countries are the worst for human trafficking?

The US State Department has released its 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report. The annual publication ranks the efforts of 188 countries to comply with minimum standards to eliminate the trafficking of people for sexual exploitation or forced labour.

Each nation is measured against a tier system.

Tier 1 is for governments of countries that fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.

Tier 2 means that a country does not fully comply with the minimum standards but is making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.

Tier 2 Watch List is for countries that are trying to improve but which the US government still has serious concerns about.

Tier 3 is applied to countries that do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so.

US Secretary of State, John Kerry, said:

“This year’s report places a special emphasis on human trafficking in the global marketplace. It highlights the hidden risks that workers may encounter when seeking employment and the steps that governments and businesses can take to prevent trafficking, including a demand for transparency in global supply chains.

“The bottom line is that this is no time for complacency. Right now, across the globe, victims of human trafficking are daring to imagine the possibility of escape, the chance for a life without fear, and the opportunity to earn a living wage.”

See how countries around the world rank by exploring the map below.

Have you read?
How data can help fight human slavery
The rise of organized crime on social media
Why the SDGs must address trafficking

Author: Ross Chainey, Digital Media Specialist, World Economic Forum

Image: African would-be immigrants hold onto a perimeter fence in an enclosed compound at the Safi detention centre outside Valletta in this July 15, 2008 file photo. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit