[ Human Trafficking, Country-by-Country ]

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

The Government of Suriname 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 on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore Suriname remained on Tier 2.  These efforts included more convictions of traffickers, including two police officers, and increasing investigations.  The government also established and funded a temporary shelter for victims, provided services to a potential victim, and cooperated with international organizations and an NGO to allow safe transit of a foreign victim to a third country.  Authorities trained police and signed law enforcement cooperation agreements with neighboring countries.  However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas.  Authorities identified fewer victims.  The government also did not sufficiently fund anti-trafficking efforts; did not adequately train judges; and did not adequately address gaps in immigration officials’ capacity to screen foreigners entering the country.

Prioritized Recommendations

Continue efforts to investigate and prosecute traffickers – including officials complicit in trafficking crimes – under the trafficking law and seek adequate penalties for guilty traffickers.

Provide trafficking victims legal assistance during trials when necessary.

Fully implement the victim identification and referral protocol and train officials in its use to identify trafficking victims, especially among at-risk groups, including Haitian migrants and Cuban medical workers.

Improve collaboration with local police, neighborhood police managers, local and tribal leaders, NGOs, survivors, foreign embassies, and other beneficial partners on anti-trafficking efforts.

Complete and disseminate SOPs to enable victims to automatically access social workers.

Provide adequate and dedicated funding for the NAP and government departments carrying out anti-trafficking activities, including monitoring of remote areas and screening of migrant workers and other visitors by immigration officials.

Investigate trafficking cases in private homes and online.

Provide shelter for victims outside of a police station and provide shelter for male and child victims.

Train judges at all levels of the judiciary in human trafficking, trauma-informed and victim-centered approaches, and the trafficking law, including sentences.

Consistently seek restitution for victims and consider maintaining a victim compensation fund.

Develop and execute a robust monitoring and evaluation framework, publish the results, and report on the hotline’s effectiveness.