HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN ZIMBABWE
Human trafficking rampant in Zimbabwe
Saturday, 03 March 2012 19:13
BY PATRICE MAKOVA
THE International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says human trafficking deserves attention in Zimbabwe as more people are falling prey to the problem due to socio-economic challenges.
IOM spokesperson, Folen Murapa told The Standard that while Zimbabwe was a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and the Palermo protocol, the country is yet to domesticate these key international instruments.
“The 2011 Trafficking in Persons report notes that Zimbabwe is a source, transit and destination for human trafficking given its central geographical position in southern Africa among other factors,” she said.
Murapa said although the magnitude of human trafficking was difficult to ascertain due to the clandestine nature of the phenomenon, government recognised the problem and is currently in the process of tabling in Parliament a bill on Human Trafficking.
Chinese citizens have joined the list of nationals being trafficked to Zimbabwe where they are illegally working in restaurants, mines and other businesses.
The department of immigration recently said over 100 foreigners mostly Chinese and Nigerians were arrested and deported for illegally operating businesses, with some of them believed to be victims of human trafficking.
But Murapa said anyone could be a victim of trafficking regardless of nationality, sex, age and profession. She said trafficking in general was driven by various factors, among them promises for better economic opportunities, perception of greener pastures among other push and pull factors, depending on the origin and destination of the victims.
“Victims of trafficking to South Africa, Mozambique and Angola are reportedly being forced to perform duties against their will for the benefit of the trafficker,” said Murapa. “These include sexual exploitation, forced labour, domestic servitude — under horrific, ruthless and hazardous working conditions.”
She said the IOM in conjunction with its partners in both the public sector and the civic sector has several programmes to prevent and protect people from human trafficking. These include awareness initiatives, provision of direct support to victims of trafficking and reintegration assistance.
On Zimbabweans who continue to be deported from South Africa, Murapa said between October 7 2011 and February 10 this year, IOM had assisted 10 000 returnees.
The United States 2011 trafficking report notes that Zimbabwean women were being lured to China, Egypt and Canada for prostitution.
Men on the other hand were being lured for labour to countries such as South Africa, Malaysia, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates on false offers of good employment in the construction, agriculture and hospitality sectors.
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