TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS IN BELIZE - OAS

Services, bolstered by the booming tourist industry contribute more to the GDP
than either primary or secondary productive traditional activities. Primary
activities, including agriculture, forestry, fishing, ant mining, account for about
18 % of the GDP, while the secondary sector of manufacturing, electricity and
water, and construction represents about a quarter of the GDP. When combined
with the country’s agro industries, agriculture clearly still represents the most
important economic activity in Belize. 17
IV. BELIZE, A COUNTRY OF MIGRATIONS
There have been a number of studies on the impacts of refugees and
immigrants on the Belize society. However, most tend to be descriptive rather
than analytical, and many cover exactly the same ground. They outline the
situation in broad terms, but do not go into how these immigrants got to Belize
in the first place and if there were problems relating to arrival into the country.
There is no existing or previous studies done on Human Trafficking in Belize,
which may reflect the lack of relevant literature and the difficulty in obtaining
information on the subject. In addition to this we must consider that Human
Trafficking is an explosive situation with dangerous criminal connotations, such
as sexual abuse and child prostitution, matters that are difficult to address
openly worldwide.
None of the available studies have worked within a specific migration paradigm
to explain the phenomenon and it effects on the Belizean society, political and
economical structures. Contemporary migration literature can be used to
understand the basic “push” and “pull” factors affecting migration in and out of
Belize.
One of the pioneer studies on refugees in Belize is Montgomery’s study. This
study 18 focuses on delimiting the refugee population within the broader
immigration population. It is useful as it establishes mobility patterns and spatial
distribution of refugees within Belize. It offers a broad view of the areas of
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