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Despite being ranked by the 2017 Trafficking in Persons report as a TIER 2 country, which does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking, Morocco is making significant efforts to fight against the tragic traffic. According to the annual survey issued by the U.S State Department‘s Office, compared to previous years the kingdom has established a set of procedures to fight against the inhuman traffic by namely «enacting a new anti-trafficking law prohibiting all forms of trafficking and establishing an inter-ministerial anti-trafficking commission».
The report which ranks governments based on their perceived efforts to acknowledge and ban human trafficking suggests that Morocco has worked on decreasing trafficking through creating «a new law limiting child domestic work and by extending legal protections and social services to irregular migrants». However, the report indicates that Morocco’s efforts are still too weak to meet the standards set by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) signed in 2000.
Authors of the TIP announces that the Moroccan government «reported limited efforts to investigate and prosecute potential trafficking crimes, and it did not report screening for or proactively identifying trafficking victims, especially among irregular migrants» stating also that it «did not provide specialized protection services specifically catered to the needs of trafficking victims».
Putting more efforts
Relying on the TIP survey, Morocco has managed to take part for the third time in a row in the Tier 2 category. Classified among a number of other countries or regions that are making efforts to bring themselves into compliance with the TVPAS standards. The report states that Morocco has made limited endeavors to improve law enforcement to combat trafficking. For example, and according to the TIP, «the penal code does not specifically define and penalize sex trafficking». On the other hand, other penalties related forced labor are not sufficient and need to be reviewed.
Based on reported data that describes the situation in Morocco in the last five years, authors of the yearly report points out that the country due to its status as a transit destination is a subject to human trafficking. According to a study conducted by the Moroccan government in 2015, «children are exploited in Morocco for labor, domestic work, begging, and sex trafficking». The same source adds that «Moroccan boys endure forced labor while employed as apprentices in the artisanal and construction industries and in mechanic shops».
In order to meet the goals put by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, the report placed a number of recommendations for Morocco. To eliminate human trafficking, prosecute and protect victims, the kingdom is advised to «impose sufficiently stringent sentences; develop procedures for officials to proactively identify trafficking victims, especially among irregular migrants; and ensure victims are not punished for crimes committed as a direct result of being subjected to human trafficking».
