Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Curaçao

Articles 1(1), 2(1) and 25 of the Convention. Trafficking in persons. The Committee notes the Government’s indication, in its report, that in Curaçao, both national and foreign nationals, particularly women and girls, can be subject to trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation. Men and women can also be exploited for forced labour in various sectors such as domestic work, auto repair, and construction. The Government also highlights the vulnerability of migrants to trafficking in persons, including Venezuelan migrants, especially those in an irregular situation.

The Government states that section 2:239 of the Penal Code criminalizes trafficking in persons for the purposes of labour and sexual exploitation and provides for sentences of imprisonment of up to 12 years or a fine. It also refers to the Human Trafficking and Human Smuggling Directive of 2019, which provides guidelines on sentencing. It states that one investigation related to trafficking was conducted in 2023 and two in 2024, and that no convictions were handed down. The Government indicates that more needs to be done to combat trafficking in persons in Curaçao and refers to limited human and financial resources.

Furthermore, the Committee takes note of various actions developed by “PATH” (the National Anti-Human Trafficking Office), including awareness-raising activities and the development, in collaboration with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, of a training course on trafficking in persons for police officers. It takes note of the National Action Plan against Human Trafficking 2022–2026.

With regard to victims, the Government reports that two victims of trafficking were identified each year in 2023 and 2024. The Victim Support Office in Curaçao provides comprehensive assistance to victims of trafficking in persons, including legal and medical assistance.

The Committee takes due note of these measures and encourages the Government to pursue its efforts to combat trafficking in persons for the purposes of sexual exploitation and labour exploitation. It requests the Government to continue to provide information in this regard, including on: (i) the prevalence of trafficking in persons in the territory; (ii) the measures taken to implement the National Action Plan against Trafficking in Persons 2022–2026, as well as any assessments that have been carried out in this respect; and (iii) the number of investigations, prosecutions and convictions under section 2:239 of the Penal Code, specifying the penalties imposed.