In the recently published 2022 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, the U.S. Department of State praised Georgia for maintaining the “highest level” in combating human trafficking.
“The Government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity; […] These efforts included providing comprehensive victim assistance, including robust pandemic mitigation efforts at government-run shelters,” the State Department said in its report.
The Government’s efforts included providing comprehensive victim assistance and robust pandemic mitigation efforts at government-run shelters, which succeeded despite being affected by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the report noted.
Georgia also created a new mobile group and crisis center in the Adjara region aimed at identifying victims among vulnerable children. Officials further amended the Criminal Code of Georgia to allow the Ministry of Internal Affairs to assign victim-witness coordinators to trafficking victims. Additionally, authorities increased the number of labor inspectors and developed guidelines for screening instances of forced labor.