[ Human Trafficking, Country-by-Country ]

LITHUANIA (Tier 1) – Extracted in part from the U.S. State Dept 2023 TIP Report

The Government of Lithuania fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. The government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, if any, on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore Lithuania remained on Tier 1. These efforts included investigating more trafficking cases; organizing a series of trainings for child protection specialists on topics including trafficking risks and sexual exploitation; and enacting labor law amendments enabling the State Labor Inspection (SLI) to better regulate the activities and mitigate illegal practices, such as labor trafficking, of temporary employment agencies. Additionally, SLI created 10 new inspector positions, trained inspectors on labor trafficking among foreign workers, established a specialized group of inspectors in Kaunas to coordinate with police and NGOs on trafficking issues, and conducted 83 inspections in agriculture, construction, and other at-risk sectors. In response to the influx of refugees fleeing Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and arriving in Lithuania, the police formed an anti-trafficking working group, appointed coordinators in registration centers, employed and trained 14 Ukrainians to register incoming refugees, and compiled a list of most vulnerable refugees for authorities to reference. Although the government meets the minimum standards, courts convicted fewer traffickers. In addition, authorities identified fewer victims, lacked the skills to proactively identify and screen for trafficking indicators among vulnerable populations, such as children and migrants, and inconsistently implemented victim identification and referral mechanisms throughout the country, especially in rural areas. Moreover, victim identification data did not provide a comprehensive picture of the trafficking situation.

Prioritized Recommendations

Increase efforts to prosecute and convict traffickers under the trafficking statute.

Enhance efforts to proactively identify victims, particularly among vulnerable groups, such as children, individuals in commercial sex, migrants, and refugees.

Develop specific guidelines for identifying and screening among vulnerable populations and conduct joint trainings for relevant authorities, such as law

enforcement and labor inspectors, on implementation.

Implement formal victim identification and referral mechanisms for victim assistance throughout the country, especially in rural areas.

Improve the data collection system across all government agencies to capture more accurately comprehensive information, including the number of identified victims.

Strengthen procedures on how to protect victims from threats and re-victimization during investigations and prosecutions.

Develop, adopt, and implement a new NAP.

Train investigators and prosecutors on a victim-centered approach and building cases, including collecting evidence to substantiate charges.

Provide knowledgeable legal counsel for victims assisting prosecutions.

Appoint a national rapporteur, who is independent from the Ministry of Interior, to monitor and assess the government’s actions and lead anti-trafficking efforts