U.S. Department of State 2006 Trafficking in Persons Report - Guinea

Guinea (Tier 2)

Guinea is a source, transit, and destination country for children and women trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation. Most trafficking occurs within the country, with girls subjected to domestic servitude, forced hawking, and sexual exploitation. Boys work as shoe shiners and street vendors, on plantations, in mines, and are forced to beg by religious leaders. Children and women are also trafficked from Guinea to Benin, Cote D'Ivoire, Senegal, Nigeria, Mali, South Africa, Spain, and Greece for domestic servitude, restaurant work, and sexual exploitation. Children and women are trafficked to Guinea from Niger, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Mali, and China.

The Government of Guinea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. To better combat trafficking, the government should increase its prosecution and protection efforts, enforce laws against forced labor and child sexual exploitation, and investigate trafficking-related corruption.

Prosecution

The Government of Guinea increased law enforcement efforts to combat trafficking over the last year. Guinean law prohibits most forms of trafficking in persons. The government drafted an additional law against child trafficking with increased penalties that is expected to be adopted in 2006. The government investigated four trafficking cases; one case is currently being prosecuted. The military created an 11-member unit to focus on child protection and trafficking. In partnership with an NGO, the government trained security forces, customs agents, judges, and prosecutors about trafficking. The government signed a bilateral agreement against trafficking with Mali and a multilateral agreement with eight other West African nations. The government failed to investigate reports of child prostitution and trafficking-related corruption, both of which were prevalent over the last year.

Protection

The government made progress in providing care to trafficking victims during the reporting period. Though lacking resources to operate shelters, the government commonly refers victims to NGOs, international organizations, and foreign embassies. The government referred 28 children in distress, some of them trafficking victims, to foster homes, orphanages, NGOs, and international organizations during the year. In partnership with the ILO and an international NGO, the government continued to provide schooling to at-risk children, many of them trafficking victims or vulnerable to becoming victims. The government sometimes incarcerates victims if no care alternatives are available, but they are separated from criminal detainees, provided with care, and recognized as victims.

Prevention

The government made significant efforts to raise awareness about trafficking during the year, despite limited resources. The National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons expanded its membership to include 16 ministries and invited international organizations, labor unions, and NGOs to join. The Committee worked with NGOs to develop a guide to trafficking laws and victim protection services. The government provided community awareness campaigns, in one instance training 70 individuals from all sectors of a community to form a network to screen for potential trafficking victims. With support from UNICEF and other donors, the government launched a national anti-trafficking public information campaign.