Sri Lanka has retained its Tier 2 ranking in the United States Department of State’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report for the fifth consecutive year, according to the National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (NAHTTF).
The task force said the ranking reflects the government’s continued efforts to combat human trafficking through improved victim protection, law enforcement, prevention measures and coordination among state institutions.
A key development during the reporting period was the launch of the National Strategic Action Plan to Monitor and Combat Human Trafficking 2026-2030, aimed at strengthening the country’s response over the next five years.
Sri Lanka has also expanded District Anti-Trafficking Forums to improve the identification of victims, referral procedures and coordination between local authorities and law enforcement agencies.
Other initiatives include training programmes for frontline officers, greater cooperation with international partners and measures to address emerging trafficking threats, including online exploitation, technology-facilitated recruitment and forced criminal activity.
The NAHTTF, chaired by the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, said Sri Lanka remains committed to addressing existing challenges and strengthening investigations, prosecutions and victim protection.
Under the US State Department’s classification system, Tier 2 indicates that a country does not fully meet the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. (Newswire)