The 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report by the US Department of State has placed Botswana on Tier 2, acknowledging the country's efforts to meet minimum standards for eradicating trafficking but also highlighting its shortcomings. The report notes that Botswana remains a source, destination, and corridor for human trafficking, with traffickers targeting both citizens and foreigners. Women, children, and migrants are particularly vulnerable to sex trafficking and forced labor.
The report expresses concern over the exploitation of children in labor trafficking, particularly in the Ghanzi district, where cattle ranchers are involved. Additionally, the Dukwi Refugee Camp in the Central District has been identified as a hotspot for human trafficking, with child refugees being drawn into sex trafficking. The camp's residents, who are already vulnerable due to restrictions on movement and limited access to education and livelihoods, are easy targets for traffickers.
The report also raises concerns about the presence of 80 Cuban workers in Botswana, who may have been subjected to forced labor under bilateral labor agreements that keep the Cuban government as a middleman. Furthermore, there are allegations that Russian officials and illicit recruiters have fraudulently drawn young women from Africa, including Botswana, to work in military drone-production facilities under hazardous conditions.
Despite these challenges, the report credits Botswana with making progress in its anti-trafficking efforts. The country has strengthened its enforcement, victim identification, and training, and has secured its first trafficking conviction in four years. The government has also enacted labor legislation to protect workers and prevent forced labor. However, the report notes that Botswana did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas.
The report highlights the decline in investigations and prosecutions, with only four trafficking cases investigated during the period, and one conviction secured. Three investigations and seven prosecutions from earlier periods remained unresolved. The government did not disclose any investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of public officials suspected of complicity.
The report also notes that while Botswana identified and referred more victims for care, the safety net for these victims remains frayed, particularly for foreigners. The government does not have a formal policy offering legal alternatives to deportation for victims who may face reprisal or ruin back home. Additionally, the government's funding for anti-trafficking efforts has declined significantly.
The US Department of State uses a tier system to classify countries based on their efforts to combat human trafficking. Botswana's Anti-Human Trafficking Act, as amended, criminalizes both sex and labor trafficking, but the report notes that the country's penalties, while severe, may not be sufficient to deter traffickers. The report concludes that Botswana has made progress but still has much work to do to meet international standards.
Key points
- Botswana's anti-trafficking efforts show progress but fall short of international standards.
- The country's funding for anti-trafficking efforts has declined significantly.
- Women, children, and migrants remain particularly vulnerable to sex trafficking and forced labor in Botswana.
