Government says it has stepped up fight against human trafficking, but more needs to be done

The government has said it was “welcoming” the conclusions on Malta of a United States report on human trafficking, emphasising that it had invested more in solving the issue, but acknowledging more remained to be done.

The US State Department report for June 2018 said Malta is a source and destination country for southeast Asian domestic workers, Chinese sex workers and even male footballers, underlining that the country is not fully meeting the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, despite significant efforts.

In a statement today, however, the government said it had increased investment in fighting human trafficking, especially with the setting up of the Victims Support Unit to provide various professional services to victims of human trafficking and an increase in the number of temporary shelters available for the these victims.

Read more: Asian sex workers and male footballers trafficked to Malta, US government report says

The citizenship parliamentary secretary is committed to strengthen the fight against human trafficking by the establishment of the first national strategy against human trafficking,” the government said, “The strategy will aim to consolidate the work of different public entities against human trafficking as well as increase awareness at national level on this criminal act.”

“In this regard, the Parliamentary Secretariat has engaged in a series of meetings with experts and members of the civil society to discuss ways how the authorities could ameliorate its approach against human trafficking. Talks are also underway with the United Kingdom to reinforce the collaboration between the two countries, particularly through the provision of intensive training to public officials on the identification of victims of human trafficking,” it said.

The government added that in line with its pledge in the electoral manifesto, it was determined to introduce the necessary changes to support people, including Maltese nationals, who fell victim to sexual exploitation and prostitution.