Within the United States, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, as amended, provides the tools to combat trafficking in persons both worldwide and domestically. The Act authorized the establishment of the State Department’s TIP Office and the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons to assist in the coordination of U.S. government anti-trafficking efforts. Internationally, several conventions, in particular the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Palermo Protocol), set out international standards for combating trafficking in persons
U.S. Laws on Trafficking in Persons
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, as amended, provides the tools to combat trafficking in persons both worldwide and domestically. The Act authorized the establishment of the State Department’s TIP Office and the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons to assist in the coordination of anti-trafficking efforts.
- Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act 0f 2017 (January 9, 2019)
- Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2018 (January 8, 2019)
- Abolish Human Trafficking Act of 2017 (December 21, 2018)
- Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2017 (December 21, 2018)
- Survivors of Human Trafficking Empowerment Act (Section 115 of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015) (May 29, 2015)
- Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2013 (Title XII of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013) (March 7, 2013)
- William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (December 23, 2008)
- Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 (January 10, 2006)
- Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003 (December 19, 2003)
- U.S. Leadership on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003 (May 27, 2003)
- Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools To End the Exploitation of Children Today Act of 2003 (PROTECT Act) (April 30, 2003)
- Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (October 28, 2000)
International Conventions Relevant to Combating Trafficking in Persons
The chart below shows the Ratification, Accession (a), or Acceptance (A) of relevant international conventions for those countries that have ratified, acceded to, or accepted any such conventions.
[Scroll bar is available at the bottom of the table; click here for PDF version [310 KB]]
Country | UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress & Punish Trafficking in Persons |
ILO Convention 182, Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour |
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography |
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Armed Conflict |
ILO Convention 29, Forced Labour |
ILO Convention 105, Abolition of Forced Labour |
ILO Convention 189, Domestic Workers, 2011 |
|||
Signature | Ratification, Accession (a), or Acceptance (A) |
Ratification | Signature | Ratification, Accession (a) |
Signature | Ratification, Accession (a) |
Ratification | Ratification | Ratification | |
Afghanistan |
|
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
|
X |
|
||
Albania |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Algeria |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Angola |
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
|||
Antigua & Barbuda |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|||
Argentina |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Armenia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Australia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Austria |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Azerbaijan |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Bahamas, The |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||||
Bahrain |
|
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Bangladesh |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||
Barbados |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||||
Belarus |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Belgium |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Belize |
|
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Benin |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Bhutan |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||
Bolivia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
|
Bosnia & Herzegovina |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Botswana |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Brazil |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Brunei |
X |
X(a) |
||||||||
Bulgaria |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Burkina Faso |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Burma |
|
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X |
|||||
Burundi |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Cabo Verde |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Cambodia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Cameroon |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Canada |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Central African Rep. |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||
Chad |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Chile |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
China (PRC) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
||
Colombia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Comoros |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
|||||
Congo (DRC) |
|
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Congo, Rep. of |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
|||
Costa Rica |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Cote d’Ivoire |
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
|||
Croatia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Cuba |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||
Cyprus |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Czech Republic |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Denmark |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Djibouti |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Dominican Republic |
X |
X |
X |
|
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Ecuador |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Egypt |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
El Salvador |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Equatorial Guinea |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
|||
Eritrea |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||||
Estonia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Ethiopia |
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||
Fiji |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||||
Finland |
X |
X(A) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
France |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Gabon |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Gambia, The |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
X |
X |
|
Georgia |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Germany |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Ghana |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||
Greece |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Guatemala |
|
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Guinea |
|
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
|||
Guinea-Bissau |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Guyana |
|
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
||
Haiti |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
X |
X |
|
Honduras |
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
|||
Hungary |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Iceland |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
India |
X |
X |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Indonesia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Iran |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
|
||||
Iraq |
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
|||
Ireland |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Israel |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Italy |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Jamaica |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Japan |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
|
Jordan |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Kazakhstan |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Kenya |
|
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Kiribati |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
|
|||||
Korea (DPRK) |
X |
X |
||||||||
Korea, Rep. Of |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
||
Kuwait |
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
|||
Kyrgyz Republic |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Laos |
|
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
|
|
||
Latvia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Lebanon |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Lesotho |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Liberia |
|
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||
Libya |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Lithuania |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Luxembourg |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Macedonia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Madagascar |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Malawi |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Malaysia |
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
|
|
|||
Maldives |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||
Mali |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Malta |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Marshall Islands | ||||||||||
Mauritania |
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||||
Mauritius |
|
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Mexico |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Micronesia (FSM) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
||||||
Moldova |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Mongolia |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Montenegro |
X(d) |
X |
X(d) |
X(d) |
X |
X |
|
|||
Morocco |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Mozambique |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Namibia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Nepal |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||
Netherlands |
X |
X(A) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
New Zealand |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Nicaragua |
|
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
||
Niger |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
|
Nigeria |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Norway |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Oman |
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
|||
Pakistan |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||
Palau | ||||||||||
Panama |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Papua New Guinea |
X |
X |
X |
|
||||||
Paraguay |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Peru |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Philippines |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Poland |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Portugal |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Qatar |
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
|||
Romania |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Russia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Rwanda |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
St. Lucia |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
St. Maarten |
X |
X |
|
|||||||
St. Vincent & the Gren. |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Saudi Arabia |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Senegal |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Serbia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Seychelles |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Sierra Leone |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Singapore |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||
Slovak Republic |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Slovenia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Solomon Islands |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||||
Somalia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|||||
South Africa |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
South Sudan |
X |
X |
X |
|
||||||
Spain |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Sri Lanka |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Sudan |
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||
Suriname |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||
Swaziland |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Sweden |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Switzerland |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Syria |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Tajikistan |
|
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Tanzania |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Thailand |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Timor-Leste |
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
|||||
Togo |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Tonga | ||||||||||
Trinidad & Tobago |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
||||
Tunisia |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Turkey |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Turkmenistan |
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
|||
Uganda |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
|||
Ukraine |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
United Arab Emirates |
|
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
|
||||
United Kingdom |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
United States |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Uruguay |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Uzbekistan |
X |
X |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||
Venezuela |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Vietnam |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
|
Yemen |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|
||||
Zambia |
X(a) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|||
Zimbabwe |
X(a) |
X |
X(a) |
X(a) |
X |
X |
|