Belize Newspaper
V. Country Narratives -- Countries A through G
Belize is a transit and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of labor and sexual exploitation. Women and children are trafficked to Belize, mainly from Central America, to work in Belize’s growing sex industry. Girls are trafficked internally for sexual exploitation, sometimes with the consent and encouragement of their parents. There are also reports of sexual and labor exploitation of men and women in Belize’s banana, sugarcane, and citrus industries. Some Chinese and Indians are trafficked to Belize for debt bondage. Exact numbers of trafficking victims are unknown, particularly the number of transnational trafficking victims, given Belize’s lengthy and porous borders. The Government of Belize does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. B ... [Read More]
IV. Country Narratives: Western Hemisphere
The government has aggressively used the media to warn the public about trafficking. With UNICEF support, the government sponsored public service ads on television warning about trafficking associated with illegal migration. The government is participating in an ILO-IPEC “Timebound” Program to eliminate the commercial sexual exploitation of children. As part of this program, the government sponsored newspaper ads warning about this sexual exploitation. With U.S. Government support, the government’s child welfare agency also sponsored publicity campaigns via posters, radio, and TV that warn about child trafficking situations. GUATEMALA (TIER 2 - WATCH LIST) Guatemala is a source, transit, and destination country for Guatemalan and other Central American women and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation inside Guatemal ... [Read More]
Presidential Determination with Respect to Foreign Governments’ Efforts Regarding Trafficking in Persons
Statement of Explanation: KazakhstanOn the basis of positive actions undertaken by the Government of Kazakhstan since the end of the 2003 reporting period, the Secretary of State has determined that the Government of Kazakh3tan does not yet fully comply with the Act’s minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but is making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance. This is the standard for placement on Tier 2 of the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons report. In June 2003, the Government of Kazakhstan was presented with a work plan by the State Department that outlined steps to combat trafficking. Since that time, it has accomplished each of the items in the Department’s work plan, thus demonstrating "significant efforts." These efforts include: [Read More]
Introduction
Controls on the press and public expression of political opinions continued in Kazakhstan, as the Government selectively prosecuted political opponents in trials with serious irregularities. The Government’s harassment of independent media included the conviction, with no due process, of two prominent independent journalists. In Turkmenistan, the Government completely controlled the media, censored all newspapers and access to the Internet, and never permitted independent criticism of government policy. In Kyrgyzstan, honor and dignity lawsuits filed by government officials against newspapers bankrupted two leading independent newspapers. ... [Read More]
International Narcotics Control Strategy Reports
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE95/03/01 BRIEFING: 1995 NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORTOFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN ON-THE-RECORD BRIEFING BY UNDER SECRETARY FOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS TIMOTHY E. WIRTH ANDASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR NATIONAL NARCOTICS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AFFAIRS ROBERT S. GELBARD RELEASE OF THE 1995 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT March 1, 1995 ACTING SPOKESMAN SHELLY: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Today the President sends to the Congress his narcotics certification decisions for the major drug-producing and transit countries, and the Department of State releases its annual International Narcotics Control Strategy Report. Tim Wirth, our Under Secretary for Global Affairs, and Bob Gelbard, the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, are here to speak on the President's de ... [Read More]
Country Narratives -- Countries A through G
Belarus’ criminal code includes specific penalties for trafficking for the purposes of sexual or other kinds of exploitation, but the government continues to group trafficking crimes with sexual assault or rape. Investigations are hampered by lack of expertise, but improved due to training by the NGO community and foreign governments. The Interior Ministry opened 90 cases of trafficking women abroad for prostitution and 20 cases of recruitment for sexual exploitation and abduction of minors. A total of 35 defendants reportedly were convicted for trafficking in persons. Belarusian police participated with German police in a criminal investigation involving the trafficking of more than 160 Belarusian women and terminated the operations of 10 organized criminal groups operating in Belarus. The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare works to regulate and monitor newspaper ads to ensure each entity is licensed. Belarus has law enforcement agreements with Turkey, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, ... [Read More]
In The Press - US Department of State
In The PressBriefs from selected newspaper, magazine and journal articles as well as other sources discussing topics relevant to human smuggling. ... [Read More]
Trafficking in Persons Interim Assessment
The Government has made progress in carrying out a trafficking awareness media campaign. Officials are frequently seen in local newspapers speaking out against trafficking, and SLP officials have conducted radio discussions on the subject. In addition, National Vision for Sierra Leone, an entity comprised of the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission, NGOs, clergy, and the Government, sponsored an art exhibit created by trafficking victims in a library and exhibition space in Freetown. ... [Read More]
Western Hemisphere
Trafficking issues merited widespread coverage in local media. Television and newspapers reported passage of the anti-trafficking legislation as well as subsequent arrests, and reporters generally contacted embassy officials for statements. Anti-trafficking advertisements ran in newspapers and on television, and several major radio talk shows featured trafficking discussions and included speakers at high levels, including the Chargé d'Affaires, the Belizean foreign minister and a Belizean ambassador. ... [Read More]
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