Human trafficking is the fastest growing means by which people are enslaves, the fastest growing international crime, and one of the largest sources of income for organised crime. Investigative journalism and human trafficking in west africa. Investigative journalism and human trafficking in west africa 81 john grobler, a veteran undercover journalist who works independently out of namibias capital, windhoek, stresses the need for sources aside from the internet. In tanzania this fell to 56 per cent, in uganda to 34 per cent, and in burundi to 12 per cent. The fact that the ultimate aim of the present report is to study the role of organized crime in the smuggling of west african migrants to eu should not be understood to suggest that the encounters between migrants and locals in north africa itself are unimportant or unworthy of study. Policy responses the trafficking of children is one of the gravest violations of human rights in the world today. South africa currently has no legislation enacted that comprehensively and substantially criminalises the trafficking of persons. Middle east, asia and ushered in a new era for west africas criminal economy. The role of organized crime united nations office on. The forms of human trafficking found in south africa include sex trafficking, child labour, domestic servitude, organ smuggling, childbrides ukuthwala, illegal child adoptions, debtbondage, forced surrogacy, and the use of body parts for muti. The african union ouagadougou action plan to combat trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, adopted in tripoli in november 2006.
In many countries people who fall prey to trafficking ordinary women, men and girls living normal lives in their houses, street children and sex workers. Forced labor is the second most prevalent form of trafficking, at 34 percent overall and 82 percent for men, with the greatest prevalence in southern, east and west africa, and the countries of. Solidarity center, ira focuses on human rights, worker rights, marginalized workers, trade union development, gender issues, and counter trafficking. Human trafficking in west africa a case study of edo. Human trafficking is a worldwide problem where humans are trapped in coercion and exploitation. An effort was made to involve many organisations with varied experiences on human trafficking and forced labour in the east and the horn of africa while borrowing heavily from those in west africa. The findings from the study revealed the prevalence, incidence and knowledge of human trafficking and child abuse among residents of edo state. Moreover, in west africa, policies towards drug users are centered predominantly on punitive measures, with tough sentencing for firsttime users.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of children are smuggled across borders and sold as mere commodities. Current patterns of child trafficking in west and central africa although, child trafficking is a global problem, the practice is particularly widespread in some regions. West african children rescued from slavery in pictures. Africa and south asia especially the mekong area are among the worst. Trafficking in persons is the recruitment, transport, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a person by such means as threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud or deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the. Myths about human trafficking in africa africa center for.
Nov 07, 2017 drug trafficking is a major transnational threat in africa that converges with other illicit activities ranging from money laundering to human trafficking and terrorism. This makes west africa more prone to political instability and less able to achieve the millennium development goals. Human trafficking remains a significant problem in africa, exploiting vulnerable individualschildren, women, and menfor forced labor as well as prostitution. The childrens act 1 attempts to define and make provision for the trafficking of children but its application is limited to children only and not to trafficking of persons as a whole. Here in west africa, millions of youth are affected by this brutal, entrenched trade. Top 10 facts about human trafficking in africa borgen. For south american cocaine traffickers, it stands midway between the andean producing countries and the european consumer market. An essential part of the action programme against trafficking and forced labour in west africa patwa is to advocate for a legislative and policy framework in nigeria and ghana that enables the government and other national stakeholders to effectively combat trafficking in men, women and children for purposes of labour or sexual exploitation.
The incident monitoring component of the enact project systematically records instances of transnational organised crime in africa. The study adopted a descriptive method using qualitative analysis to solve the research problems. Human rights watch charged in a new report released today. Crime is dominated by men, but historically there have been occasions and circumstances when women play greater or lesser roles in crime. Introduction in the west african subregion the phenomenon of trafficking in persons is widespread.
Mcguire abstract west africa is one of the most impoverished, underdeveloped, and instabilityprone regions in the world. The multilateral cooperation agreement to combat child trafficking in west africa 2005. Initiatives on combating trafficking in persons have been undertaken on a. This research examine human trafficking in west africa, with specific focus on edo state. Human trafficking and business the palermo protocol distinguishes between trafficking in children under 18 years of age and adults. Stop trafficking in child labor human rights watch. Pdf women and human trafficking in west africa and the. It investigates the implication of ecowas protocol on free movement on human trafficking in west africa. Investigative journalism and human trafficking in west africa 79 nalists to see their journalism as a public service which the state should recognise. Within west africa, there is both internal trafficking, from domestic to urban areas within country borders, and external trafficking to other african countries, the middle east and europe, predominantly for domestic labor but also for prostitution. The challenges of transnational human trafficking in west africa. Economic community of west african states protocol on.
Pdf on dec 25, 2017, chris mensahankrah and others published the modern trend of human trafficking in africa and the role of the african union find, read and cite all the research you need. An estimated 21 million humans are victims to this crime, and even though there is a general agreement of its undesirability, research of its driving forces is scarce. While this report takes a regional approach, its assessment should be put into a global context. Slavery still common in the 21st century hereinafter victimology.
Launch of human trafficking team in august 2009, united methodist women embarked on a mission of learning about, sharing information on, and acting against human trafficking, a criminal act of violence that impacts women and children throughout the united states and the world. The reality of human trafficking in south africa the. The joint ecowaseccas plan of action on trafficking in persons. Report of the eastern and horn of africa conference on. Drug trafficking often complicates and extends armed conflicts by providing revenue needed to purchase weapons, corrupting law enforcement and military officers, and diverting. The trafficking of children is one of the gravest violations of human rights in the world today. Most illicit activity occurring in west africa is caused by external market forces.
Pdf the modern trend of human trafficking in africa and the. The role of organized crime united nations office on drugs. Historic slave trade and present day human trafficking in africa. Myths about human trafficking in africa africa center.
Human trafficking in eastern africa research assessment and baseline information in tanzania, kenya, uganda, and burundi cent of survey respondents agreed that people in their area know what human traffickingis. Pdf on dec 25, 2017, chris mensahankrah and others published the modern trend of human trafficking in af rica and the role of the african union find, read and cite all the research you need. In africa, countries like kenya and lesotho, women and children are the main victims of human trafficking. Nigeria, like some of its neighbouring countries in west africa such as benin, togo and ghana, has been affected by human trafficking for several years but has only recently recognized the phenomenon as an issue of concern to be given national attention. Rebecca surtees is the training manager for icmcs counter trafficking project in indonesia. Interdiction efforts adapt as drug trafficking in africa. Child trafficking in benin, west africa beyond intractability. The public resources including the internet do only half of the job. Study reveals human trafficking as a serious problem in south africa.
A scandal over the issue of child labor in west africa blew up in 2002, when nearly. The data used for the study were obtained through secondary sources. Human trafficking is considered a contemporary form of slavery. Instead, victims of human trafficking are often punished because they are viewed as illegal immigrants.
Crime and governance in west africa west africa offers many advantages for organized criminals. Saharan africa, the caribbean and the pacific 7 causes of trafficking in acp countries can be perceived poverty, weak governance, armed conflict, misinformation and lack of protection from discrimination. An overview of human trafficking, especially child. The article examines the economic community of west african states ecowas protocol on free movement and the challenges of human trafficking in west africa. However in some parts of africa, children are the majority up to 100% in parts of west africa. Forms of human trafficking in the middle east include domestic servitude and forced labor, child trafficking for camel jockeys, and sex trafficking. By doing this, it aims to broaden the evidence base of the scale and nature of the phenomenon.
There are also subregional efforts pdf to combat human trafficking such as the ecowas economic organization of west african states initial plan of action against trafficking in persons 20022003, the joint ecowaseccas regional plan of action to combat trafficking in persons, especially women and children 20062009 and the sadc. This may encompass providing a spouse in the context of forced marriage, or the extraction of organs or tissues, including for surrogacy and ova removal. Human trafficking can occur within a country or transnationally. Large family size, lack of educational opportunities and unemployment can also make a person vulnerable to tip. Indeed, seen by some as a mere entertainment, a source of profit, or an abstract notion.
Precious, 19, is from west africa and was trafficked for domestic servitude and prostitution. Victims of human trafficking, at 282, in victimology in south africa, davis, l. Pdf the modern trend of human trafficking in africa and. Economic community of west african states protocol on free.
Human trafficking in west africa a case study of edo state. To do so, this article examines from an african perspective the causes and consequences of transnational human trafficking in west african context part one. Worldwide, almost 20% of all trafficking victims are children. Trafficking and fragility in west africa world bank. Historic slave trade and present day human trafficking in. Review of research and data on human trafficking in subsaharan africa in data and research on human trafficking.
Drug trafficking and threats to national and regional. Report of the eastern and horn of africa conference on human. Human trafficking in subsaharan africa, the caribbean and. Human trafficking in the middle east and north africa region.
Action programme against trafficking and forced labour in. Department of state, bureau of african affairs, at 1 2003. A major challenge to good governance, transnational trafficking in human beings has been a serious problem for years in west africa. In the case of children, the recruitment and movement of a child for exploitation by a third party is considered human trafficking even if it does not involve the illicit means included in the definition above. Many of the nationstates in the region are empirically weak. Attempts to understand the phenomenon have then been initiated, which unfortunately have resulted in contradictory viewpoints amongst researchers and the impacted populations. Child trafficking in west africa policy responses unicef innocenti insight child trafficking in west africa. The challenges of transnational human trafficking in west. Myths about human trafficking human trafficking involves taking control of people, through duplicity or force, for exploitation or economic gain. Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others. After her dad died, precious was physically abused by her step mother and was sexually assaulted by her step mothers partner. Middle east, asia and ushered in a new era for west africa s criminal economy. United methodist women in action against human trafficking.
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