Taiwan maintained Tier 1 status for the 13th consecutive year in the 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report released July 19 by the U.S. Department of State.
Taiwan is one of only four Tier 1 countries listed in the Asia-Pacific alongside Australia, the Philippines and Singapore. Regional neighbors Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and China are listed as Tier 2, Tier 2, Tier 2 Watch List and Tier 3, respectively.
According to the report, authorities in Taiwan continued to demonstrate serious and sustained action during the reporting period, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Taiwan thus fully meets the minimum standards for elimination of human trafficking.
Implementation of government policy to strengthen protection and prevent trafficking were highlighted in the report. These include convicting significantly more traffickers and referring more victims to protection services; improving victim-centered shelter intake procedures for foreign survivors; and penalizing a significantly higher number of recruitment brokers for abusive practices.
The Ministry of the Interior said the ranking is resounding recognition of the safeguarding of individual rights by both public and private sectors.
The MOI said remedial measures are in place with respect to recommendations in the report related to forced labor in the fishing industry and recruitment of overseas workers, and these will be monitored by relevant agencies.
These measures include the Action Plan for Fisheries and Human Rights launched in May to improve labor rights and provide appropriate care for migrant maritime workers, as well as amendments to the Regulations on the Authorization and Management of Overseas Employment of Foreign Crew Members.
The ministry said it will continue to integrate resources and initiate further policy measures to combat human trafficking and ensure that Taiwan remains a beacon of human rights protection. (SFC-E)
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