Lebanon doesn't fully meet minimum trafficking standards but is making progress, US says
The Lebanese government continues to make progress in combatting human trafficking but remains on Tier 2 in the latest global assessment by the U.S. Department of State.
According to the Department of State report, state capacity to implement anti-trafficking policies was heavily strained by the recent war between Israel and Hezbollah, which displaced over one million people and triggered a massive humanitarian crisis.
Despite these challenges, authorities increased trafficking investigations and convictions, launched comprehensive standard operating procedures to identify victims, and introduced new regulations to strengthen protections for domestic workers. The state also cracked down on fraudulent recruitment agencies.
However, significant systemic gaps remain. Lebanon still lacks an approved national action plan and a central interagency task force, leaving law enforcement data fragmented. Furthermore, inconsistent screening led to the potential penalization of trafficking victims for unlawful acts committed under coercion. Experts also noted that the employer-based visa system continues to leave migrant workers vulnerable to exploitation, while Lebanese law still fails to criminalize the confiscation of workers' passports.
Source: Naharnet
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