Liberia Repeats U.S. Trafficking Watchlist Spot Due to Inaction on Convictions and Victim Protection

Liberia’s Persistent Struggle with Human Trafficking

Liberia has once again found itself on the U.S. State Department’s Tier 2 Watch List for human trafficking, a designation that reflects the country’s ongoing failure to secure even a single conviction for traffickers for the second year in a row. This public rebuke highlights the government’s inability to protect its most vulnerable citizens and underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms.

The 2025 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, released in Washington, acknowledges some efforts by the Liberian government, such as high-profile arrests. However, it concludes that these actions were not sufficient to meet the minimum standards required to eliminate trafficking. The report states that “the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period” and notes that no traffickers were convicted for the second consecutive year.

This designation keeps Liberia on the Tier 2 Watch List, which is one step above the most severe Tier 3 category. Being placed on Tier 3 could trigger restrictions on certain kinds of U.S. non-humanitarian aid, further complicating Liberia’s ability to address this critical issue.

High-Profile Arrests, but No Convictions

Despite several high-profile arrests, including that of Rev. Emmanuel Nimely, a former presidential religious adviser under ex-President George Weah, who was implicated in an alleged trafficking scheme tied to fraudulent overseas recruitment, there have been no convictions. Nimely spent weeks in Monrovia Central Prison before being released on bail, and the case remains in court.

In another incident, a director at the National Anti-Human-Trafficking Task Force, the body responsible for coordinating Liberia’s response, was charged with running an illegal recruitment ring. These cases illustrate the deep-seated issues of official complicity that weaken the entire anti-trafficking response system.

“The government again failed to secure convictions of any traffickers, including complicit officials, thereby undermining deterrence,” the TIP Report warns.

Victims Without Safe Haven

The report also criticizes the state of victim protection services in Liberia. The sole government-run shelter in Monrovia is described as “under-resourced and largely inoperable.” Outside the capital, there are no functional shelters, despite the law requiring nationwide protection services.

The national 24-hour anti-trafficking hotline, once considered a breakthrough, is “not consistently operational,” according to the report. A social worker who has worked with rescued street children shared the challenges faced by survivors:

“We sometimes keep survivors in our own homes for a night or two because the shelter cannot take them. There is no food budget, no counselors, and no security. It’s heartbreaking.”

Scope of the Crime

Human trafficking in Liberia is pervasive and multifaceted, ranging from child labor in artisanal mines and street vending to coerced domestic servitude and fraudulent recruitment for work abroad. The TIP Report emphasizes that “street children, workers in informal mining camps, rural women, and people seeking jobs overseas remain the most vulnerable.”

Civil-society activist Josephine Finda, head of a community-based NGO in Gbarpolu County, highlighted the situation in mining areas:

“In the mining areas, boys as young as 10 carry heavy loads for little or no pay. Girls are lured to the camps as cooks or sex workers. We alert the police, but cases rarely reach court.”

Corruption and Complicity

Corruption among law-enforcement and judicial officers is cited as a major obstacle. The report mentions allegations that some officials solicit bribes to delay hearings or dismiss cases. A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted the challenges:

“We lack resources, and some officers compromise cases for money. Without better pay and oversight, it’s difficult to stop.”

U.S. Recommendations

The U.S. has laid out specific benchmarks for the Boakai administration to improve Liberia’s ranking:

• Investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers, including complicit officials.
• Proactively identify victims, especially among vulnerable populations such as street children and mining workers.
• Train law-enforcement officers, prosecutors, and social workers to better detect and respond to trafficking.
• Allocate meaningful financial resources to anti-trafficking efforts, including functional shelters outside Monrovia.

Failure to show measurable progress by the next reporting cycle could result in Liberia being moved to Tier 3, with serious implications for foreign assistance beyond humanitarian aid.

A History of Missed Opportunities

Liberia first criminalized human trafficking in 2005 after media and humanitarian groups exposed cases of women and children being trafficked to the Middle East and neighboring West African countries for domestic servitude and forced labor. Despite multiple national action plans and millions of dollars in donor support, implementation has been inconsistent.

An anti-trafficking advocate reflected on the two-decade struggle:

“Each administration launches new plans, but political will fades after the headlines. We built special units for rape cases under donor pressure, yet we still see uneven justice. Now, trafficking is following the same sad path.”

Parallels to Sexual-Violence Cases

Experts note that Liberia’s struggle against trafficking mirrors its mixed record in tackling sexual- and gender-based violence. International pressure in the late 2000s led to the creation of special courts and prosecution units for rape cases, but progress has been slow and convictions remain inconsistent.

The Human Toll

Survivor testimonies, though rarely made public for safety reasons, highlight the personal cost of Liberia’s weak response. One 17-year-old girl, rescued from an illegal recruitment scheme that promised her a domestic-worker job in Oman, shared her story:

“I thought I was going to school and work to help my family. Instead, they locked me in a room and took my passport. I still have nightmares.”

Advocates say many rescued victims face stigma in their communities and lack access to psychological support, further complicating reintegration.

CENTAL’s Response to the Report

Anderson Miamen, executive director of the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), expressed concern over Liberia’s continued decline in addressing human trafficking. He emphasized the need for stronger government action and better resource management:

“Liberia needs to do better, and this is only possible when corruption is fought intentionally and uncompromisingly. Our justice system needs to do better in guaranteeing justice without any concern about who knows whom or what someone has in his or her pocket.”

Miamen called for meaningful progress locally to curb the crime internationally, urging the government to fight corruption and reduce poverty through equitable distribution of state resources.