Barbados downgraded to US Tier 2 Watch List on human trafficking

Barbados has been downgraded from Tier 2 to the Tier 2 Watch List in the United States’ 2025 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, with US officials warning that the country has failed to make sufficient progress in the fight against human trafficking.

While Tier 2 countries are making progress, those on the Tier 2 Watch List are flagged for either declining efforts, failure to identify victims, or signs that trafficking is worsening. 

In a recent report, the US State Department noted that while the Government of Barbados is making significant efforts to tackle the issue, it did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period, a key requirement to maintain Tier 2 status.

As a result, Barbados joins a list of countries now being more closely monitored for backsliding in their anti-trafficking measures.

The State Department’s annual report is considered one of the most influential global assessments of countries’ efforts to combat trafficking in persons.

“The Government of Barbados does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. Despite making significant efforts to do so, it did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period. Therefore, Barbados was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List,” the report stated.

The downgrade follows a series of missed benchmarks in areas such as:

• The government did not initiate any trafficking investigations or prosecutions in the reporting period and has never convicted a trafficker under its anti-trafficking law.
• No trafficking victims were identified or assisted, marking the third consecutive year of no victim services reported.
• Officials did not provide any anti-trafficking training to first responders, including police officers, and made no effort to draft or implement a new national action plan after the last one expired in 2023.

While the report acknowledged continued screening of vulnerable populations and public awareness campaigns, these were not considered sufficient to maintain Tier 2 status.

The TIP Report noted that penalties under Barbados’ Trafficking in Persons Prevention Act allow for fines in lieu of imprisonment for sex trafficking, a provision the US government says undermines the seriousness of the offence and is not commensurate with other grave crimes, such as rape.

The report further highlighted areas of concern, with the U.S. government referencing issues within the justice system that have undermined progress. 

These include a lack of resources and training within the Sex Crimes and Trafficking Unit, court backlogs, and the absence of dedicated courts to handle trafficking cases.

Civil society groups told U.S. observers that law enforcement continued to focus on other high-profile crimes, while trafficking cases remained under-investigated and under-prioritised. 

Experts also flagged inadequate screening among at-risk populations, including migrant workers, women in commercial sex, and foreign nationals working on overseas-funded construction projects.