[ Human Trafficking, Country-by-Country ]

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

The Government of Palau 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 Palau was upgraded to Tier 2.  These efforts included investigating more trafficking crimes, convicting a labor trafficker, starting construction of a national shelter, leading anti-trafficking awareness discussions with foreign migrant communities, and conducting public awareness campaigns.  The government finalized and began implementing SOPs for victim identification and referral.  However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas.  The government did not provide any protection services to victims and did not allocate any funding to victim assistance.

Prioritized Recommendations

Increase efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers, including complicit officials, under trafficking laws and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should involve significant prison terms. 

Increase efforts to identify victims through proactive screening of vulnerable populations, such as migrant workers and individuals in commercial sex. 

Disseminate and train officials on the victim identification and referral SOPs to promote proactive victim identification. 

Increase resources for and develop victim protection services, including long-term shelter options, interpretation services, and medical and psychological care. 

Amend anti-trafficking laws to remove sentencing provisions that allow fines in lieu of imprisonment for sex trafficking crimes and ensure victims are not inappropriately penalized solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked. 

Enforce the anti-trafficking laws punishing recruiters, employment agents, and labor officials for illegal practices that facilitate trafficking. 

Create and implement a system to proactively offer foreign trafficking victims job placements and work visa extensions. 

Implement a systemic victim-witness assistance program to increase protective services for victims participating in the criminal justice process. 

Increase anti-trafficking awareness among vulnerable populations, including foreign migrant worker communities. 

Establish a mechanism for the systematic monitoring of government anti-trafficking efforts.