2007 Trafficking in Persons Report - Center for Women Policy Studies

The Government of Togo does not fully comply with
the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking;
however, it is making significant efforts to do
so, despite limited resources. To improve its response
to trafficking, Togo should increase efforts to enforce
its 2005 law against child trafficking, develop an
effective method for trafficking crime data collection,
pass its Child Code with an improved definition
of child trafficking, draft and pass a law against all
forms of trafficking, strengthen efforts to provide
social rehabilitation for victims, and raise public
awareness about trafficking.
Prosecution
The Government of Togo took some increased
steps to combat trafficking through law enforcement
efforts during the last year. Togo does not
prohibit all forms of trafficking, though its 2005
Law Related to Child Trafficking criminalizes the
trafficking of children. This law, however, provides
a weak definition of child trafficking and fails to
specifically prohibit child sexual exploitation. Its
maximum prescribed penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment
is sufficiently stringent and commensurate
with prescribed penalties for statutory rape. A 2001
draft statute with an improved definition of trafficking
remains stalled at the National Assembly.
The government reported 23 trafficking arrests and
prosecutions in 2006. In February 2007, a man
was convicted in a Kara court for trafficking four
children to Nigeria. The court, however, imposed
only a two-year sentence. Government, NGO,
and international organization officials reported
that other traffickers had likely been arrested and
prosecuted during the year, but these reports could
not be confirmed due to the government’s failure
to systematically collect trafficking crime data. The
government relies largely on donor-funded local
vigilance committees to report trafficking cases.
Protection
The Togolese government demonstrated modest
efforts to protect trafficking victims over the last
year. The Ministry of Social Affairs and The National
Committee for the Reception and Reinsertion of
Trafficked Children assist victims by either referring
them to two primary NGOs in Lome or by coordinating
with law enforcement officials, NGOs, and
international organizations to return them to their
communities. The government referred 240 child
victims to one NGO in Lome during the year. In
2006, the police helped coordinate the rescue of at
least 637 victims who were subsequently returned to
their families. The government lacks the resources,
however, to provide victims with social rehabilitation
or to monitor their progress after return. Neither the
government nor NGOs provide any care for male
victims between the ages of 15 and 18, or for adult
victims. The government does not encourage victims
to assist in trafficking investigations or prosecutions.
The government does not provide legal alternatives
to the removal of foreign victims to countries where
they face hardship or retribution, however, the
majority of victims are Togolese nationals. Victims
are not inappropriately incarcerated or fined for
unlawful acts as a direct result of being trafficked.
Prevention
The Government of Togo made minimal efforts to
raise awareness about trafficking during the reporting
period. Local government officials played an
active role as members of ILO-funded local antitrafficking
committees to raise awareness of trafficking
by organizing skits and radio announcements
in local languages. Although the 2005 anti-trafficking
law called for a National Committee to Combat
Trafficking, this coordinating body has not yet been
established. Togo has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP
Protocol.
TURKEY (Tier 2)
Turkey is a major destination and transit country
for women and children trafficked primarily for
the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. A
small number of men from Turkey were trafficked
to the Netherlands for the purpose of forced labor
in 2006. Women and girls are trafficked from
Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, and other countries
in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.
This year victims were also trafficked from Kenya,
Nigeria, and the Philippines. Some of these victims
are trafficked through Turkey to the area administered
by Turkish Cypriots for the purpose of sexual
exploitation.
The Government of Turkey does not fully comply
with the minimum standards for the elimination of
trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts
to do so. In 2006, the government amended its law
to increase penalties for trafficking offenses and
to increase victims’ rights and access to assistance.
Turkey also increased its total number of trafficking
investigations, prosecutions, and convictions
over the last year. The Government of Turkey
should continue to improve victim identification
procedures, and collect and consolidate trafficking
data. It should also vigorously investigate, prosecute,
convict, and sentence government officials
T U R K E Y
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