TONGA: Tier 2
The Government of Tonga does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. The government demonstrated increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period; therefore, Tonga was upgraded to Tier 2. The government demonstrated increasing efforts by providing training to police recruits on human trafficking, coordinating its efforts through an anti-trafficking taskforce, funding an NGO capable of assisting victims, and posting a police officer trained to speak Mandarin Chinese to liaise with Chinese community members, including those who may be vulnerable to trafficking. However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas. Authorities did not initiate any trafficking prosecutions, establish formal procedures to proactively identify victims, or conduct awareness-raising campaigns.