June 4, 2008



U.S. Embassy, Windhoek

Press Release



United States Government Releases Eighth Annual Trafficking in Persons Report



Today, Wednesday, June 4, 2008, U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice released the 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) in Washington D.C. This is the eighth annual report released.



The 170-country report is the most comprehensive worldwide report on the efforts of governments to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons, a modern-day form of slavery. Its findings are intended to raise global awareness and spur countries to take effective actions to counter trafficking in persons.



The assessment includes reports on 152 countries determined to have a significant number of victims (on the order of 100) of severe forms of human trafficking. Commentary on eighteen additional countries, considered special cases, is also included.



The United States estimates that each year, approximately 800,000 people are trafficked across national borders, which does not include millions trafficked within their own countries. Human trafficking victims can be subjected to labor exploitation or sexual exploitation, or both.



This year's report includes a particular focus on issues related to forced labor - a form of trafficking in persons - including efforts to prosecute such crimes. Modern-day

slavery involving millions of people every year, continues to be a problem in nearly every country in the world, and traffickers continue to search for new opportunities to

exploit men, women, and children.



This year Namibia appears on the human trafficking watch list, and this report can be accessed on the U.S. Embassy, Windhoek website, Home - Windhoek, Namibia. The full 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report is available on the U.S. State Department's website, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.



The TIP Report fulfills a legal requirement under provisions of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (Section 110(b)) that the U.S. State Department submit an annual report to the U.S. Congress on foreign governments' efforts to eliminate severe forms of trafficking in persons. The public release of the TIP Report also provides the State Department an opportunity to fulfill its congressional mandate to increase public awareness of this crime. (Section 106(b) of the TVPA).



For further information, please contact Public Affairs Officer, Raymond Castillo, at 0811280816, or Information Specialist, Roger Lyners, at 229801 [ext. 226].