MARSHALL ISLANDS – Papua New Guinea and the Marshall Islands have received the worst ranking in a United States government report on human trafficking.

The annual report says women and children are subjected to sex trafficking and prostitution, while some men are forced into labour.

The State Department says the Marshall Islands is a source and destination country for women and children who are subjected to sex trafficking, and local girls have been forced to engage in prostitution for docking fishing vessels.

Radio New Zealand’s correspondent in Majuro, Giff Johnson, says there have been cases of trafficking at the atoll’s busy port, but the extent is not known.

“It’s a fact that the Marshall Islands has a thriving port that’s a major trans-shipment point for fishing vessels. So some of the things that are in the report are clearly correct, it’s just what the extent of the activity is around it.”

The report acknowledges efforts by the government to conduct education about trafficking, but says the country is not making significant efforts to eliminate it.

Johnson says political will has been an issue, with past governments being critical of the report, but there are hopes a new government may change that.

“There was a lot of antagonism toward the report, criticising the US observation. So, there’s a relatively new government elected in January, so they may be taking a different look at this report and we may see some different types of action as a result.”

The other Pacific country at the bottom of the human trafficking list is Papua New Guinea, where the State Department says women are subjected to sex trafficking, domestic servitude and forced begging, while men are forced to work in dangerous environments.

The head of the PNG Institute for National Affairs, Paul Barker, says trafficking is particularly common in the extractive industries, such as logging, mining and fishing, far away from government reach.

“I mean it’s difficult to know what the numbers because so much of it is relatively undercover.

“But certainly, it’s a serious issue and it seems to have been a growing issue particularly as more and more attention over the years has been given to extracting resources out of PNG.”

Nevertheless, the report was scathing of the government’s response. It says efforts to stop trafficking has been limited, and in some provinces, officials have benefited from it.

But the head of the International Organisation for Migration in PNG, George Gigauri, says efforts are being made to combat it, although they are still in their infancy and are yet to yield results.

He says the government is starting to implement anti-human trafficking laws introduced in 2013, and government departments are working out how to crack down on illegal practices.

“There is certainly nothing good about being downgraded to Tier 3. However, I would not use that as an overall assessment or evaluation of the progress achieved so far, and certainly not as the correct recognition of the ongoing work. It just takes time, that’s all.”

Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Kiribati, Tonga, and Solomon Islands also feature in the report, albeit with better grades, mostly for trafficking related to the fishing industry.

- RNZI