Modern day slavery has become a booming business with an estimated 27 million people thrown into a life of forced labor, coerced prostitution, and physical abuse. This week, Lebanon moved up on the U.S. Department of State's human trafficking blacklist to be included among the 42 countries now on a watch list. This does not bode well for Lebanon, especially as the country is trying to revive its slow tourism season. In order to improve Lebanon's reputation and ensure it is in alignment with international law, the government must take action now to clamp down on human rights abuses.

In 2011, President Obama granted Lebanon a waiver to allow the continuation of US assistance which was at risk of being blocked due to the country's poor ranking at the bottom of the blacklist (known as Tier 3) in 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report.

This year's report, published on Tuesday, however, pushed Lebanon to the Tier 2 watch list which could lead to sanctions unless Lebanon's record improves. The country's worsening record is a result of it being both the destination and a transit point of Eastern European and Asian women who, upon arriving in the country, are often subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. This has been the case with workers arriving from Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Kenya, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Madagascar, who travel to Lebanon with the assistance of recruitment agencies to work as domestic workers.

This system has made it simpler for predators, as they gain control of their victim's vital information including passport, and work visas. The Department of State's report highlights alarming personal accounts of victims including a Bangladeshi woman who took a job as a maid in Lebanon only to find herself locked up in doors, tortured, and molested.  One female migrant worker dies every week in Lebanon due to ill-treatment.

As of late, Lebanon has begun a slow process of reform. In August 2011, Lebanon passed anti-trafficking Law 164, which broadens the definition of individuals that are considered victims and establishes imprisonment as penalty for abuses. Similarly, the civil society has taken a leading role in raising awareness about this issue. However, Lebanon has yet to implement those laws.

The State Department recommended in the report that Lebanon implement the laws in place to crack down on sex trafficking and increase protection for domestic and foreign workers. The report also called for prohibiting the confiscation of personal documents as well as the development of facilities and centers to assist in providing shelter, counseling, and protection services for victims of abuse.

Once the haven of minorities seeking protection, Lebanon has devolved over the years into a place that overlooks violations of human rights. The Lebanese government must adopt all laws outlawing human and sex trafficking and immediately crack down on the agencies that foster mistreatment of foreign migrants. Simultaneously, the government must actively work with the civil society on awareness campaigns to education people on treatment of domestic workers. If the problem persists, Lebanon risks facing diplomatic sanctions, potentially leading to severing aid from the U.S. and other countries.