The U.S. Department of State published the 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report. Georgia ranked among the top countries that effectively fight against trafficking, Justice Ministry reported.

“The Government of Georgia fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. The government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore, Georgia remained on Tier 1. These efforts included convicting more traffickers and providing comprehensive victim assistance, including robust pandemic mitigation efforts at government-run shelters.

The government created guidelines for mobile victim identification units (mobile units) on identifying child victims and adopted the 2021-2022 national action plan (NAP). The government established the Labor Inspection Service (LPS) with a special unit for forced labour; and, the process of obtaining official victim status through the Permanent Group, a five-member board of NGO and international organization representatives, improved in comparison to 2019,” reads the report.

According to Georgian Justice Ministry, Georgia ranked among the European Union member states – Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Lithuania, France, Finland, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and the United Kingdom – for effective struggle against trafficking. Georgia is also the leader among the Eastern Partnership (EAP) countries.

The 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report also outlines the shortcomings. “Although the government meets the minimum standards, it investigated and prosecuted fewer suspects and identified fewer victims. Labour inspectors continued to lack the staff, resources, and training to fulfil labour oversight responsibilities.

The government did not establish a work permit system for migrant workers, nor did it license and monitor recruitment agencies. Police conducted some ad hoc raids on commercial sex establishments without a clear strategy or victim identifications. The government did not provide adequate public assessments or information on its efforts and at times lacked transparency,” the 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report reads.