Sri Lanka is proud to have secured Tier 2 status in the United States Department of State's 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report for the fifth consecutive year, reflecting the continued efforts of the Government of Sri Lanka to strengthen the national response to Trafficking in Persons, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
The Ministry stated that this recognition reflects ongoing efforts to improve coordination, victim protection, law enforcement action, prevention initiatives and institutional cooperation in combating human trafficking.
According to the statement, the National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (NAHTTF), chaired by the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, continues to provide national-level coordination among relevant government institutions responsible for prevention, protection, investigation, prosecution, migration management, labour, child protection and victim assistance.
During the reporting period, Sri Lanka took several important steps to strengthen its anti-human trafficking framework, the Ministry said. A major milestone was the launch of the National Strategic Action Plan to Monitor and Combat Human Trafficking 2026-2030, which provides the national framework for coordinated action over the next five years.
The Ministry further stated that Sri Lanka continued to strengthen its district-level response through the establishment and expansion of District Anti-Trafficking Forums, improving coordination among local authorities, law enforcement agencies and other relevant institutions. These mechanisms support the early identification of victims, improved referrals and more coordinated responses at the district level.
Further efforts included awareness and capacity-building programmes for frontline officers, strengthened cooperation among member institutions, engagement with international and regional partners, and increased attention to emerging forms of trafficking, including technology-facilitated recruitment, online exploitation and forced criminality, the statement said.
Sri Lanka's continued placement in Tier 2 recognizes the progress made and the sustained efforts undertaken to combat human trafficking, while highlighting the importance of further strengthening the national response, the Ministry noted.
The NAHTTF remains committed to addressing remaining challenges and to further strengthening prevention, victim protection, investigation, prosecution and inter-agency coordination, according to the statement.
The Ministry further stated that securing Tier 2 status for five consecutive years reflects the collective efforts of government institutions and other stakeholders involved in Sri Lanka's response to trafficking in persons. This achievement reinforces the importance of sustained commitment, continued cooperation and further progress towards effectively preventing and combating human trafficking.
