New Anti-trafficking Laws for Papua New Guinea

Laws take effect May 2014

With the help of the International Organisation for Migration(IOM), new legislation relating to human trafficking has been developed in Papua New Guinea.  The new legislation will come into effect in May 2014.  This legislation criminalises all forms of human trafficking and will target criminal engaged in trafficking people into, out of and within PNG. George Gigauri, chief of mission for the IOM in PNG, said “Trafficking has many elements to it. It is a very complex process. We obviously will try to battle all aspects of it…I would stop short of saying that this is something that happens everywhere because we don’t have the data to prove that yet. But we do have a very good reason to believe that there is a lot of exploitation going on at certain camps, mining sites and areas where there are significant gatherings of people.”  Papua New Guinea is currently not a signatory to the Palermo Protocol.  It is hope the implementation of the new legislation will be the first step in a process that will lead to the eventual signing of this protocol against organised crime which includes trafficking. Read more…