The Government of Liberia has made important headway in combatting trafficking in persons (TIP) through IDLO’s support. In July 2022, the US State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons report upgraded Liberia from its Tier 2 Watchlist to Tier 2. This “graduation” resulted from significant national efforts to meet international anti-trafficking standards.
As the Liberian Government’s leading partner in combating TIP, IDLO is proud of this major milestone as it shows how rule of law interventions can bring about tangible results in stopping trafficking. Its work builds on a partnership with the Judiciary and Ministries of Justice and Labour. In 2022, it provided training to 134 justice and security officials in the remote counties of Bomi, Gbarpolu, Grand Kru, Margibi, Rivercess and Sinoe. Trainings built the capacities of prosecutors, magistrates, judges and law enforcement officials in these counties to prosecute and adjudicate trafficking cases.
IDLO also worked with the Government to develop and operationalize a digitized case management system for the Crimes Statistics Division of the Liberia National Police (LNP). The system represents a major step towards robust data collection and reporting on trafficking.
“The LNP will work collaboratively with partners, especially TIP investigators, prosecutors and the NATT [National Anti-Trafficking Taskforce] Secretariat, to ensure that TIP data are collected in a singular and effective manner,” said Augustine Browne, Liberia’s Deputy Commissioner of Police, Planning and Research. “[IDLO’s] support will really help us in looking at TIP differently, because we will have the data to speak.”
In July 2022, IDLO trained 32 officials on using and maintaining the system. They included officials from the Judiciary, the Ministries of Labour and Justice, and law enforcement agencies, including the LNP, Immigration Service and Drug Enforcement Agency.