Trafficking in persons Lesotho, in 9 editions.

current situation:
Lesotho is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking and for men subjected to forced labor; Basotho women and children are subjected to domestic servitude and children, to a lesser extent, commercial sexual exploitation within Lesotho and South Africa; some Basotho women willingly migrate to South Africa seeking work in domestic service only to be forced into prostitution; some Basotho men who voluntarily migrate to South Africa for work become victims of forced labor in agriculture and mining or are coerced into committing crimes
tier rating:
Tier 2 Watch List - – Lesotho does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2013, the government has decreased its anti-trafficking law enforcement and victim protection efforts during 2012; authorities have initiated fewer prosecutions, ceased arresting suspected trafficking offenders due to a backlog of prosecutions, and stopped referring victims to NGO centers several prosecutions for care; the government has trafficking offenses but did not implemented demonstrate overall increasing efforts to address human trafficking; key portions of the 2011 anti-trafficking act, act remain unimplemented, including failing to develop the development of formal referral procedures, establish procedures and the establishment of victim care centers, centers; the government continued to rely on NGOs to identify and complete a national action plan (2013) assist victims, without providing any funding or support for these services (2014)

current situation: Lesotho is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking and for men subjected to forced labor; in Lesotho and South Africa, Basotho women and children are subjected to domestic servitude servitude, and Basotho children increasingly endure commercial sexual exploitation within Lesotho and South Africa; exploitation; some Basotho men who voluntarily migrate to South Africa for work become victims of forced labor in agriculture and mining or are coerced into committing crimes crimes; foreign nationals continue to traffic fellow citizens in Lesotho
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Lesotho does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2013, the 2014, Lesotho was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government initiated several prosecutions for trafficking offenses but did not demonstrate overall increasing has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to address human trafficking; key portions bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; the government failed to initiate any prosecutions against alleged traffickers and has not convicted any offenders under the 2011 anti-trafficking act remain unimplemented, including the development of act, which remains unimplemented for a fifth year; authorities did not develop formal referral procedures victim identification and the establishment of referral procedures, did not establish victim care centers; centers, as required under the government continued to rely on NGOs to identify 2011 anti-trafficking act, and assist victims, without providing any funding or did not support for these NGOs offering victims protective services (2014) (2015)

current situation: Lesotho is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking and for men subjected to forced labor; in Lesotho and South Africa, Basotho women and children are subjected to domestic servitude, servitude and Basotho children increasingly endure children, to a lesser extent, commercial sexual exploitation; exploitation within Lesotho and South Africa; some Basotho women willingly migrate to South Africa seeking work in domestic service only to be forced into prostitution; some Basotho men who voluntarily migrate to South Africa for work become victims of forced labor in agriculture and mining or are coerced into committing crimes; foreign nationals continue to traffic fellow citizens in Lesotho crimes
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – 3 — Lesotho does not fully comply with meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Lesotho so, therefore it was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade downgraded to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance 3; positive steps included partnering with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; the government failed to initiate any prosecutions against alleged traffickers an NGO and has not convicted any offenders under the 2011 anti-trafficking act, which remains unimplemented for an international organization in awareness-raising activities, participating in a fifth year; regional data collection tool, and training 27 diplomats on trafficking in persons; however, authorities did not develop formal investigate, prosecute, or convict any traffickers or officials complicit in trafficking and did not investigate concerns of official complicity in trafficking crimes restricted law enforcement actions; fewer victims were identified and received no protective services; no standard operating procedures for victim identification and or implementation of the national referral procedures, mechanism; the government did not establish victim care centers, as required under finance the 2011 anti-trafficking act, Victims of Trafficking Trust Fund or the Child and did Gender Protection Unit; front-line responders to trafficking crimes are inadequately trained; penalties for human trafficking are not support NGOs offering victims protective services (2015) stringent enough to serve as a deterrent (2020)