Papua New Guinea - IOM, in partnership with the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Department of Justice and Attorney General, has launched a report on trafficking in persons and people smuggling.

It shows a high rate of domestic and international trafficking of both adults and children for the purpose of forced labour, sexual exploitation and domestic servitude.

The report also shows that irregular migrants, to a large extent, enter PNG assisted by organized crime rings, while facilitators provide onward travel, employment and accommodation to smuggled persons.

The report analyses data collected on issues associated with both trafficking in persons and people smuggling, two very distinct crimes.

The logging industry received the highest results by survey respondents as the sector that most exposes persons to the risk of trafficking. People who work in and around market places, bars, restaurants and gaming clubs, were also indicated as being at heightened risk of exposure to trafficking.

The report establishes a first baseline of statistics on people smuggling and trafficking in persons in PNG. Prior to the release of this report, and without a legislation criminalizing people smuggling and trafficking in persons in PNG, data on these crimes were very limited and based only on anecdotal accounts and media reports.

The survey finds that the highest means of recruitment being used for trafficking in PNG are the exchange of money, the abuse of a position of authority or trust and abuses of cultural practices.

In the area of child trafficking, girls were shown to be over twice as likely as boys to become victims of trafficking. Children who do not attend school are at greater risk to be targeted for child trafficking, according to the report.

In the absence of legislation specifically criminalizing human trafficking in PNG, survey results indicate that under PNG’s existing legislation, victims of trafficking are at risk of prosecution and further psychological and physical abuse and trauma. Currently, persons found without proper immigration papers are arrested and detained for deportation.

Assessments on their status as a victim of transnational trafficking are not systematically conducted. Likewise, persons engaging in prostitution are arrested and are not assessed to determine whether they are potentially victims of domestic trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

“In providing fundamental information in support of the need for the passing of new people smuggling and trafficking legislation, this report will also be used to inform the design and implementation of training programs for law enforcement and the judiciary and for public awareness raising activities,” said IOM Papua New Guinea Chief of Mission Giuseppe Crocetti.

“Trafficking concerns every person. As nations, let us recommit ourselves to a sense of justice that affirms no child should be exploited” said U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission, Bryan Hunt, in his keynote address at the launch of the report.

He also urged the Government of Papua New Guinea and Members of Parliament to introduce and pass the People Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons Bill which will amend the criminal code of Papua New Guinea and give law enforcement and prosecutors the necessary tools to address trafficking crimes.

PNG Deputy Secretary for Justice Jack Kariko agreed in his keynote remarks that human trafficking is a major problem in PNG and added that his department was confident that Parliament would legislate soon to criminalize human trafficking and people smuggling.

The report is part of a 4-year project funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Office to Combat and Monitor Trafficking in Persons, which aims to strengthen the capacity of the PNG Government to prevent human trafficking, prosecute traffickers, and protect victims of trafficking.

For a copy of the report, please go to: http://www.iom.int/files/live/sites/iom/files/pbn/docs/IOM-DJAG-Baseline-Assessment-Report.pdf

For more information, please contact

Giuseppe Crocetti
IOM Port Moresby
Email: gcrocetti@iom.int