Beirut continues to fall below the minimum benchmarks for eradicating human trafficking, according to a US State Department assessment issued earlier this month that justified keeping Lebanon at Tier 2 status.

Officials in Lebanon documented six trafficking probes, 14 prosecutions and 13 convictions during 2025, a shift from 73 prosecutions and zero convictions the prior year.

Among the 14 individuals prosecuted in the latest period, four faced sex trafficking charges, three dealt with forced labor accusations and seven involved unspecified trafficking types, while 20 earlier cases stayed active.

Although Beirut took steps to tackle the problem and conflict-related displacement added complexity, the department noted that Lebanon still lacks sufficient ability to create and enforce anti-trafficking measures. The country did not finalize a National Action Plan, delivered only partial statistics on cases and victim identification, and did not screen potential victims thoroughly, exposing them to punishment for offenses tied directly to their trafficking experiences.

Lebanon’s parliament has yet to endorse a proposed update to the anti-trafficking statute, even though the Cabinet cleared it in October 2023. The revision targets the proof requirements in trafficking matters, where the 2011 law sometimes places the onus on victims to demonstrate exploitation, aiming to lower the chance that victims are prosecuted as offenders or immigration violators instead of recognized as coerced individuals.

The department also pointed out the missing statute that would ban or punish employers for seizing workers’ passports, a known sign of possible trafficking. Lebanon’s sponsor-based visa framework heightens risks for migrant workers and obstructs officials from spotting and assisting victims.

Women and girls from Asia and Africa exploited

Women and girls originating from southern Asia, and more frequently from East and West Africa, remain subject to domestic servitude in Lebanon. Many, particularly those from Nigeria, the Philippines and Ethiopia, encounter passport seizure, unpaid wages, long work shifts, movement limits and physical or sexual mistreatment. The ongoing economic downturn has driven some migrant workers and Lebanese citizens into prostitution amid scarce job prospects, heightening their exposure to trafficking, the report stated.

Despite gaps, Lebanon rolled out detailed standard operating procedures for victim identification, the department observed. Authorities broadened partnerships with NGOs and global bodies to instruct personnel on detection and procedure application. Additional actions involved tighter rules for domestic workers and measures against dishonest recruitment firms.

Lebanon still lacks a specialized court to handle referrals from the Internal Security Forces’ Anti-Human Trafficking and Morality Protection Office, despite stronger international ties. No joint enforcement operations with other nations were reported, prompting worries over possible corruption and involvement in trafficking. Beirut recorded no probes, prosecutions or convictions of officials suspected of complicity.

Syrian refugees encounter greater trafficking dangers

Evidence showed a rise in forced child labor among Lebanon’s Syrian community last year, especially in farming, building sites, street sales and begging, with minimal official response.

The assessment noted that non-state armed factions, including Hezbollah, continue recruiting and deploying child soldiers, leaving Syrian refugee minors especially exposed.

Roughly 900,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon face elevated threats of sex and labor trafficking because of barriers to legal work and residency. Some reportedly trade labor for food, housing or entry into the country, increasing debt bondage risks.

Officials also noted reluctance by the Anti-Human Trafficking and Morality Protection Office to detain parents suspected of trafficking their children, often for begging, owing to scarce social services. NGOs must then place children with foster families.

Lebanon depends on NGOs for adult victim shelters and supplies only basic legal aid. Foreign embassies occasionally accommodate victims when shelters reach capacity.