Overview
The Government of Belize 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, if any, on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore Belize remained on Tier 2. These achievements included identifying more victims; improving screening for trafficking indicators, including by finalizing and implementing screening guidelines for frontline officers and training officials on their use; banning worker-paid recruitment fees; conducting an extensive public awareness campaign; and improving data collection. The government, in partnership with an NGO, made an additional shelter available to trafficking victims and supported victims in domestic and foreign trials. The government also created an amnesty program to regularize the immigration status of undocumented migrants, which may reduce their vulnerability to trafficking; at least four confirmed trafficking victims applied for amnesty under the program. However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas. It did not adequately address official complicity in trafficking crimes, nor convict any traffickers, nor initiate any new prosecutions. It also did not adequately oversee labor recruitment nor report investigating allegations of labor trafficking of Indians and People’s Republic of China (PRC) nationals.
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