[ Human Trafficking, Country-by-Country ]

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

The Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho 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 Lesotho remained on Tier 2. The government increased funding for anti-trafficking law enforcement, victim protection, and awareness efforts. The government appointed a prosecutorial focal point for trafficking cases and established two new district-level multisectoral committees (MSC). The government trained its diplomats on the SOPs and NRM for victim identification and referral. The government increased coordination across agencies on anti-trafficking efforts and with foreign governments on investigations. However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas. The government continued to rely on one NGO to provide all services to trafficking victims without dedicating sufficient government funding, and shelter options remained limited. Additionally, significant backlogs of pending trafficking prosecutions remained. Gaps in training resulted in some front-line officials lacking awareness of the NRM and SOPs for victim identification and referral.

Prioritized Recommendations

Institutionalize specialized trafficking in persons training to police investigators, prosecutors, magistrates, judges, immigration officials, labor inspectors, social service personnel, and health care professionals to identify and refer victims using the NRM.

Increase efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers, including officials complicit in trafficking crimes; address court backlogs; and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should involve significant prison terms.

Adequately fund the Anti-Trafficking and Migrant Control Unit and establish focal points with training on human trafficking investigations for all 10 districts of Lesotho to ensure effective response to all potential trafficking cases.

Dedicate funding for the Victim of Trafficking Trust Fund, establish reporting requirements for transparency, and ensure appropriate allocations for victim protection, including shelter.

Increase joint operations between law enforcement and labor inspectors to increase identification and referral to services of forced labor victims, particularly in manufacturing and agriculture sectors, and facilitate effective criminal investigations against traffickers.

Institutionalize and consistently enforce strong regulations and oversight of labor recruitment companies, including by eliminating recruitment fees charged to migrant workers and holding fraudulent labor recruiters criminally accountable.

Formalize collaboration with foreign governments to increase information sharing and coordination on transnational trafficking investigations.

Systematically collect and analyze anti-trafficking law enforcement and victim protection data.