Human trafficking in Laos
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Laos ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol in September 2003.[1]
In 2008, Laos was primarily a source country for women and girls trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and labor exploitation as domestics or factory workers in Thailand. Some Lao men, women, and children migrated to neighboring countries in search of better economic opportunities but were subjected to conditions of forced or bonded labor or forced prostitution after arrival. Some Lao men who migrated willingly to Thailand were subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude in the Thai fishing and construction industry. To a lesser extent Laos was a country of transit for Vietnamese, Chinese and Burmese women destined for Thailand. Laos' potential as a transit country was on the rise with the construction of new highways linking the People's Republic of China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia through Laos. Internal trafficking was also a problem that affects young women and girls who were trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation in urban areas.[2]
In 2008 the Government of Laos did not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however it made significant efforts to do so. The government increased law enforcement efforts to investigate trafficking offenses and prosecute and punish trafficking offenders. It also increased collaboration with international organizations and civil society to provide training for government and law enforcement officials, to provide repatriation and reintegration services for victims, and to launch public awareness campaigns to combat trafficking. A severe lack of resources remains the biggest impediment to the government's ability to combat trafficking in persons and it remains dependent on the international donor community to fund anti-trafficking activities.[2]
The U.S. State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons placed the country in "Tier 3 Watchlist" in 2018.[3] In 2023 it was placed at Tier 2.[4]
In 2023, the Organised Crime Index noted human trafficking was the country's most significant crime, and that it was mainly carried out by international gangs working with local low-level officials.[5]
Laos is mainly an origin country for sexually trafficked persons.[6] A number of citizens, primarily women and girls, from all ethnic groups and foreigners have been victims of sex trafficking in Laos.[7][8][9]
Prosecution (2008)
The Lao government demonstrated progress in its anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts and willingness to collaborate with other countries as well as NGOs and international organizations. Laos prohibits all forms of trafficking through Penal Code Article 134, which prescribes penalties that are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those prescribed for rape. In 2007, the Ministry of Public Security used Article 134 to investigate 38 cases of trafficking, resulting in 23 arrests and eight ongoing prosecutions. An additional 20 cases are currently under investigation. Police corruption, a weak judicial sector and the population's general lack of understanding of the court system impeded anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts. Through legal aid clinics, the Lao Bar Association assisted victims by educating the public at large on the legal system and by providing legal advice to victims of human rights abuses, including human trafficking. Corruption remained a problem with government officials susceptible to involvement or collusion in trafficking in persons, narcotics, wildlife, and illegal logging. No government or law enforcement officials have been disciplined or punished for involvement in trafficking in persons. The Lao government worked with international organizations and civil society to increase law enforcement capacity through training for police, investigators, prosecutors, and customs and border officials.[2]
