Remarks of Dr. Mohamed Mattar for the Luncheon with Ambassador Mark P. Lagon on June 20th

Click here to listen to or download audio of this event.

On behalf of The Protection Project at The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, I would like to welcome all of you to the tenth Embassy Luncheon, which we will devote to a discussion of:

The United States State Department TIP Report of 2007.

And as you all know the Embassy Luncheon is a Protection Project tradition.

On February 13, 2007 we had the Swedish Ambassador to Combat Trafficking.

And it is my pleasure to have today the only other Ambassador who has the responsibility of doing something about this form of modern-day slavery around the world:

Ambassador Mark Lagon.

And, first of all, allow me Mr. Ambassador to thank you for such a comprehensive, well-written and well-documented report.

And as I always say the TIP Report constitutes the primary reference and the main source of information on efforts made by foreign governments to combat trafficking in persons.

Whether you agree or disagree with such information.

Allow me also to thank you in particular for recognizing the good work of The Protection Project.

I am referring to page 23 of the TIP Report where you kindly acknowledged our findings on the link between child sex tourism and pornography, where we concluded that 42% of child sex tourism cases are also cases of pornography.

The TIP Report is mainly a diplomatic tool.

A way of engaging governments.

And I look forward to your leadership in this constructive engagement process.

But to me, as a member of an academic institution, the TIP Report is an educational tool.

We learn from it.

We refer to it.

And that is why we have this analysis of the report that you have a copy of.

Because, it is significant for us to know that trafficking for the purpose of begging is a problem in many countries. Not only internally, but externally as well.

Because, it is significant to know which countries provide victims of trafficking with a residency status and which countries still follow the traditional immigration policy of deportation.

Because, it is significant to know which countries still do not have specific anti-trafficking legislation:

• Only 25 countries, out of the 164 countries covered in the TIP Report, have no specific laws on trafficking.
• 111 countries have anti-trafficking laws.
• 12 countries have only child anti-trafficking laws.
• And 16 countries have an anti-trafficking draft law.

The Protection Project is currently assisting the 6 Gulf States in enacting anti-trafficking legislation.

United Arab Emirates just passed a comprehensive law on trafficking.

Bahrain and Qatar have draft laws.

Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait are in the process of drafting such laws.

This brings me to the question that I have been getting since the release of the TIP Report:

Why have Arab countries dropped to Tier 3

When the Report places

Russia, India and Mexico for the fourth consecutive year on Tier 2 Watch List,

And China, Armenia and South Africa on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year?

Of course I do not have the answers, but with us is the expert, the Director of the State Department Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, the Ambassador. Please help me welcome Ambassador Mark Lagon.