[ Human Trafficking, Country-by-Country ]

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

The Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.  These efforts included establishing multi-agency emergency response teams (ERTs) to respond to trafficking victim identification.  However, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period, even considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, if any, on its anti-trafficking capacity.  Lack of government coordination and effective leadership of the Prevention of People Trafficking and Smuggling Secretariat (Secretariat) continued to hinder trafficking efforts.  The government did not allocate funding for the Prevention of People Trafficking and People Smuggling Task Force (Task Force) to coordinate anti-trafficking efforts.  The lack of specialized anti-trafficking training for front-line officers continued to hamper anti-trafficking efforts.  Serious allegations of trafficking and abuse of trafficking victims by senior government officials in protection roles remained pending prosecution for multiple years.  The first shelter for victims of trafficking and GBV refurbished in a collaborative effort with foreign donor-support remained inoperable for the second consecutive year.  Therefore Eswatini remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year.

Prioritized Recommendations

Increase efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers, including allegedly complicit officials.

Launch and operationalize the refurbished shelter dedicated to providing care for victims of trafficking and GBV, including by utilizing shelter guidelines, management plans, and government resources to ensure sustainability of operations.

Appoint a new Protection Officer in the Secretariat to ensure trafficking victims are appropriately identified and referred to services.

Train law enforcement, social workers, prosecutors, magistrates, immigration officers, and other front-line officials to proactively identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, including at-risk children, migrants, and Cuban medical workers, and refer all identified trafficking victims to appropriate protection services.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the National Strategic Framework and Action Plan (NSFAP) to Combat People Trafficking (2019-2023) and renew and launch an updated National Action Plan.

Increase coordination and adequately fund mandated activities of the Secretariat and the Task Force to enable the Task Force to fulfill its statutory responsibilities.

Strengthen coordination with civil society on victim protection, including by partnering with local NGOs.

Improve trafficking data collection and analysis of anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts.

Conduct anti-trafficking public awareness campaigns.

Amend the Employment Act to create strong regulations and oversight mechanisms of labor recruitment companies, including by eliminating recruitment fees charged to migrant workers and holding fraudulent labor recruiters criminally accountable.