The Palermo Protocol calls for human trafficking destination countries to implement policies focused on prevention of trafficking and protection of victims. In her article, Responsibilities of the Destination Country, Cecilia M Bailloet argues that most countries are focusing on preventing trafficking but are not aiding and protecting the victims, and suggests that this places the fight to end human trafficking at a great disadvantage. The amount of re-trafficking is increasing. Victims who do not receive protection have an increased chance of being re-trafficked than those who are protected by the state. Norway has drafted an Aliens Law that allows trafficking victims permanent residency in the country in exchange for their testimony in criminal cases against traffickers. This law goes directly against the principles of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights which state that a victim does not have to participate in legal proceedings against traffickers in order to gain protection from the state.
Many countries have made tighter immigration laws in order to fight human trafficking. Bailloet argues that this has not had the desired effect and instead has driven migration underground. The UNHCHR calls for destination countries to alter their immigration policies in order to allow the possibility of more legal migration in order to deter irregular migration and the risk of trafficking.
Bailloet's article suggests that four main components of anti-trafficking policies should be: a one-year period of protection for all victims in the country, education on trafficking victim’s rights for those who work in the legal system, creating a source of funding to finance combined protection and prevention policies, creation of an inter-agency group focused on legal immigration alternatives for those at risk of being trafficked.
Compiled from: “Responsibilities of the Destination Country,” Cecilia M Bailloet, Refugee Studies Centre. Forced Migration Review. May 2006, accessed 4 August 2006.