Children in Antigua and Barbuda remain vulnerable to forced labor and exploitation, particularly in farms, mechanic shops and domestic service, according to the latest U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report.
The 2025 report said traffickers exploit both domestic and foreign victims in the country and warned that youth are increasingly at risk of being pulled into forced criminality, especially amid rising gang-related crime.
Observers noted that children working in construction, agriculture and family-owned businesses face particular danger of exploitation. The report also cited cases of sex trafficking involving girls, with Guyanese and Jamaican women highlighted as especially at risk in bars, taverns and brothels.
While Antigua and Barbuda has taken steps to strengthen prevention — including public awareness campaigns and training for frontline officials — gaps in victim identification and prosecution persist. The government did not confirm any trafficking victims in 2024, and no convictions have ever been secured under the 2010 Trafficking in Persons (Prevention) Act.
Civil society groups have raised concerns that limited victim-witness protections and weak investigative capacity are preventing children and families from coming forward. Without adequate safeguards, many cases remain hidden and unprosecuted.
The report concluded that until the government can improve screening, provide greater protection for vulnerable youth, and bring traffickers to justice, children in Antigua and Barbuda will continue to face the risk of forced labor and exploitation.
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