[ Human Trafficking, Country-by-Country ]

Bhutan (Tier 2) – Extracted in part from the U.S. State Dept 2023 TIP Report - Bhutan

The Government of Bhutan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.  The government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, if any, on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore Bhutan was upgraded to Tier 2.  These efforts included significantly increasing prosecutions against suspected traffickers, including cases involving Bhutanese migrant workers abroad.  The government developed specialized victim identification procedures to identify vulnerable populations, and promulgated guidelines for child protection, including child trafficking.  The government continued to provide services to trafficking victims and opened a legal aid center to provide assistance to victims in civil and criminal cases.  The government also acceded to the UN TIP Protocol.  The government conducted anti-trafficking awareness programs to inform and educate the public, including migrant workers and students.  The government also implemented revisions to regulations governing the oversight of foreign worker programs to ensure fair recruitment processes and protections for Bhutanese migrant workers.  However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas.  The government did not identify any trafficking victims, including Bhutanese exploited abroad, nor initiate any trafficking investigations or achieve convictions of traffickers.  Police and judicial officials continued to lack an understanding of human trafficking.  In addition, Bhutan’s trafficking laws did not criminalize all forms of child sex trafficking.

Prioritized Recommendations

Vigorously investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers, and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should include significant prison terms. 

Systematically and proactively identify trafficking victims by screening for trafficking indicators among vulnerable populations, including among foreign migrant workers. 

Train officials on the implementation of anti-trafficking laws, SOPs for victim identification and referral, and guidelines for child protection. 

Train labor inspectors to screen cases of labor violations for indicators of forced labor such as nonpayment of wages, particularly among foreign migrant workers, and refer potential cases to police for criminal investigation. 

Amend anti-trafficking laws to ensure that a demonstration of force, fraud, or coercion is not required to constitute a child sex trafficking offense, consistent with international law. 

Consistently enforce strong regulations and oversight of labor recruitment companies, including by eliminating recruitment fees charged to workers, investigating claims of nonpayment of wages and contract switching, and holding fraudulent recruiters criminally accountable.