Exploring institutional competence for effective anti-trafficking policy compliance
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Although many countries have committed to international declarations, protocols, and conventions aimed at protecting human rights, compliance with anti-trafficking policies remains low at the institutional level. Confronting domestic “institutional impotence” which impedes compliance, this study investigates countries’ compliance with the Trafficking Protocol (2000) to evaluate “institutional competence.” Grounded in the concepts of inclusive institutions examined by Acemoglu et al. and effective institutions replicated in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets, this study investigates how and why institutions influence compliance with global anti-trafficking policies. Three key measures were considered for “institutional competence”: institutional quality, economic freedom, and political risk ratings. An ordered probit model was employed to analyze data from 131 countries between 2003 and 2023. The results show that institutional competence is vital for attaining higher rankings in anti-trafficking efforts. The effect is positive and statistically robust. These findings highlight the role played by competent institutions in enhancing national compliance with anti-trafficking policies, which can contribute to stronger institutional-based policy frameworks.
Author: Md Saidur Rahman
Institution: International University of Japan
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,180
OpenAlex ID: W4411055185