Tier 2 Isn’t Enough: Why Iraq’s ‘Progress’ on Trafficking Masks Deep Failings

The U.S. State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report keeps Iraq at Tier 2, praising Baghdad’s “significant efforts” — but for KurdFile, this feels more like a veneer than real victory. Yes, arrests jumped to 636 in 2023 (from 129 the year before), and there were 184 convictions under Iraq’s 2012 anti-trafficking law. (Iraqi News) Yet the system’s foundations remain dangerously weak.

For one, the 2012 law has glaring gaps: not every form of trafficking is covered, and definitions are narrow. That means many victims, especially among children or marginalized communities, may fall outside legal protection. (The Washington Institute)

Worse still, despite these arrests, many survivors still don’t trust the system. Protection services are limited and centralized, often in Baghdad, while victims in Kurdish regions may struggle to access them. On top of that, only investigative judges can officially recognize someone as a “trafficking victim” — a gatekeeping role that slows things down. (ECOI)

KurdFile argues: Iraq’s government shouldn’t celebrate Tier 2 status — it should be a wake-up call. Real change requires structural reform, not just statistics to impress foreign observers.