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5 clusters · 20 sources · 10 days · First seen · Last updated

U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report rankings

Overview

The 2026 U.S. Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report highlights varying levels of progress in combating human trafficking across several nations. Ghana has been upgraded to Tier 1, making it the only African nation in the top tier of the report. This elevation signifies that the country meets minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking, following measurable progress in prosecution and victim identification. During the reporting period, authorities investigated 222 cases and prosecuted 212 alleged traffickers, resulting in 28 convictions. A total of 2,331 victims were identified, consisting of 862 Ghanaian nationals and 1,469 foreign nationals. Nigerian citizens represented the largest group of foreign victims, with 896 individuals recorded. Challenges persist regarding shelter capacity for adult survivors and resources for rural interventions, with traffickers frequently using deceptive job offers to lure women and girls into forced labour or commercial sex work. In response to these developments, Ghana’s Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has convened a Technical Working Group through the Human Trafficking Secretariat. This group is reviewing and developing a new National Plan of Action (NPA) to address gaps in the country’s response, specifically focusing on improving trafficking data classification, mobilizing resources, and enhancing monitoring systems. Director of the Human Trafficking Secretariat, Abena Annobea Asare, emphasized the need for stakeholder collaboration to strengthen institutional coordination for victim protection and offender prosecution. Guyana also achieved Tier 1 status, though the report noted that trafficking investigations decreased in 2025, with 16 cases opened compared to 31 in 2024. While 390 victims were identified, only 25 were referred to care; the majority, 375, were foreign nationals, including Venezuelans. Additionally, prevention funding in Guyana was reduced from US$788,372 to US$387,210. Suriname has maintained its Tier 1 status, though Minister of Justice and Security Harish Monorath warned of significant resource shortages.

Entities

Ghana · Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection · United States Department of State · Suriname · Korps Politie Suriname

Timeline

  1. [CRIME] 3 sources
    Ghana Ministry of Gender reviews national anti-trafficking plan

    Ghana's Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is developing a new National Plan of Action to combat human trafficking through stakeholder collaboration and improved data collection.

  2. [INTERNATIONAL] 7 sources
    Guyana and Ghana achieve Tier 1 status in US trafficking report

    Guyana and Ghana have both achieved Tier 1 status in the US 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, despite a decline in investigations in Guyana and significant victim identification numbers in Ghana.

  3. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Suriname maintains Tier 1 status despite human trafficking resource shortages

    Suriname retains its Tier 1 status against human trafficking, but officials warn that shortages in personnel and equipment hinder efforts to combat exploitation in sectors like gold mining and retail.

  4. [INTERNATIONAL] 8 sources
    Ghana upgraded to Tier 1 in US human trafficking report

    Ghana has been upgraded to Tier 1 in the US Trafficking in Persons Report, while Sri Lanka retains Tier 2 status for the fifth consecutive year.

  5. [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    U.S. State Department report ranks Afghanistan and Bangladesh on human trafficking efforts

    The U.S. 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report places Afghanistan in Tier 3 due to a lack of significant effort to combat trafficking, while Bangladesh remains in Tier 2 for making notable progress.

Sources

adomonline.com · astig.ph · chale.news · en.prothomalo.com · ghanaguardian.com · ghananewss.com · inewsguyana.com · kaieteurnewsonline.com · kowchecking.com · lankanewspapers.com · liberianewsnetwork.com · myjoyonline.com · occrp.org · onlanka.com · polygraph.info · pulse.com.gh · riotimesonline.com · surinamenieuws.nl · thehighstreetjournal.com · time.news

This summary has been updated 4 times: see revision history