The Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report) is published annually by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons at the US Department of State. It analyses developments in the field of trafficking in human beings and also assesses countries' efforts to combat trafficking.
As required by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA, 2000), the TIP Report assesses the efforts of governments around the world to combat trafficking in human beings and highlights strategies to combat and protect trafficked persons. This year's report contains information on 188 countries, including Germany. Countries are categorised in levels from 1 to 3 according to their compliance with minimum standards to eliminate trafficking in human beings.
Germany is categorised as level 1 for the past year. This means that the Federal Government fully complies with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking in human beings according to the TVPAs. Germany was thus upgraded compared to the previous year. From 2019 to 2021, Germany was only ranked 2 - countries whose governments do not fully meet the TVPA's minimum standards, but which are making significant efforts to meet these standards.
The report considers the prosecution and conviction of a larger number of perpetrators as well as the increased prosecution measures against trafficking for labour exploitation as successes. The report emphasises that with the opening of a new specialised counselling centre, there are now counselling centres for trafficked persons in all 16 states. In addition, according to the report, a new public prosecutor's office specifically for trafficking in human beings has been established in one state and a voluntary certificate program for private health care recruitment agencies has been introduced that required labor law compliance.
In addition to crime statistics, Germany's assessment also relies on information and data from civil society. The data report 2021 of the KOK is cited, in which measures against trafficking in human beings and for the protection of trafficked persons are evaluated, such as the access of trafficked persons to specialised counselling centres.
Obwohl die Regierung die Mindeststandards einhält, identifiziert der Bericht Schwachstellen und weitere Bedarfe zur Beseitigung des Menschenhandels in Deutschland. So fehlten nach wie vor nationale Richtlinien zur Identifizierung Betroffener aller Formen des Menschenhandels, eine nationale Berichterstattungsstelle zu Menschenhandel. Auch die ausreichende Finanzierung von Unterstützungsstrukturen und Unterkünften ist nicht gewährleistet.
Although the government complies with the minimum standards, the report identifies weaknesses and further needs to eliminate human trafficking in human beings in Germany. For example, there are still no national guidelines for identifying trafficked persons in all forms of trafficking and no national reporting office on trafficking in human beings. Sufficient funding for support structures and shelters is also not guaranteed.
