Cape Town - Human trafficking in South Africa and the rest of the
continent is continuing unabated despite the coronavirus, resulting in hundreds
of victims unable to get assistance, according to Interpol.
Unlike other regions in Africa where human trafficking is
multidimensional, in Southern Africa, South Africa serves as the transit and
destination point for human trafficking.
Despite travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, Interpol
Secretary General Jürgen Stock says the land route for human trafficking from
the Horn of Africa to South Africa continues to show signs of worrying activity.
“Human trafficking, whether for sexual or labour exploitation, is
already complex to detect in ‘normal’ times. The novel coronavirus pandemic has
only pushed human trafficking deeper into the dark and its victims further from
possible detection and assistance,” said Stock.
According to Mohamed Daghar, a researcher at the Institute for Security
Studies, human trafficking routes in Africa are as complex as the trade itself.
Trafficking routes differ and are irregular depending on the type of
trafficking.
“Human smuggling which is controlled by smugglers is different from
human trafficking which is driven by traffickers. This is an important
distinction to note especially when looking into routes used,” says Daghar.
“In some cases the routes of trafficking are the same as the routes of
smuggling but not the other way round. With trafficking, routes differ and are
irregular depending on the type of trafficking. However, they sometimes use
smuggling routes,” said Daghar.
He said In West Africa, countries serve as a source, transit, and
destination for trafficked victims.
While in the East African region, women are mostly trafficked for
prostitution in the Gulf States. Kenya serves as a source, transit and
destination country for trafficking of young girls and women to and from
Europe.
All countries in the northern region of Africa serve as source, transit
and destination countries for trade in human commodity.
It is estimated that about 9.24 million individuals are enslaved in all
of Africa, making up 23% of the total global enslaved population.
According to the 2019 ENACT Organised Crime Index, human trafficking is
also prevalent in Libya, Sudan, Nigeria Eritrea and DRC. It is less prevalent
is Sao Tome and Principe, Mauritius, Cabo Verde, Namibia and Lesotho
Daghar says that the following smuggling and trafficking routes
currently exist in Africa ;
– Eastern Route – from the Horn to Yemen and possibly onwards to Saudi
Arabia.
– Southern Route – from the Horn of Africa to South Africa with Kenya as
a transit point.
– Sinai Route – from the Horn to Israel through Egypt.
– Northern Route from both the Horn of Africa, Central Africa, West
Africa and the Sahel to Europe.
The continued growth of human trafficking on the continent has also
resulted in actions from the African Union (AU) in an effort to subvert the
human crisis.
Sabelo Mbokazi, head of the African Union's labour, employment,
migration and social affairs department, says the AU has prioritised the issue
of combating human trafficking.
“We have identified North Africa as one of the active corridors where
the scourge has increased therefore the AU has established what is called the
AU-Horn of Africa initiative, this is to work with countries in the horn of
Africa and come up with policies that can help combat human trafficking. We are
also establishing Africa’s operation centre in Khartoum Sudan, this centre will
collect data from across the continent,” Mbokazi said.
www.samigration.com
Human trafficking in SA continuing despite coronavirus, says Interpol
Iol – 25 November 2020
Cape Town - Human trafficking in South Africa and the rest of the
continent is continuing unabated despite the coronavirus, resulting in hundreds
of victims unable to get assistance, according to Interpol.
Unlike other regions in Africa where human trafficking is
multidimensional, in Southern Africa, South Africa serves as the transit and
destination point for human trafficking.
Despite travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, Interpol
Secretary General Jürgen Stock says the land route for human trafficking from
the Horn of Africa to South Africa continues to show signs of worrying activity.
“Human trafficking, whether for sexual or labour exploitation, is
already complex to detect in ‘normal’ times. The novel coronavirus pandemic has
only pushed human trafficking deeper into the dark and its victims further from
possible detection and assistance,” said Stock.
According to Mohamed Daghar, a researcher at the Institute for Security
Studies, human trafficking routes in Africa are as complex as the trade itself.
Trafficking routes differ and are irregular depending on the type of
trafficking.
“Human smuggling which is controlled by smugglers is different from
human trafficking which is driven by traffickers. This is an important
distinction to note especially when looking into routes used,” says Daghar.
“In some cases the routes of trafficking are the same as the routes of
smuggling but not the other way round. With trafficking, routes differ and are
irregular depending on the type of trafficking. However, they sometimes use
smuggling routes,” said Daghar.
He said In West Africa, countries serve as a source, transit, and
destination for trafficked victims.
While in the East African region, women are mostly trafficked for
prostitution in the Gulf States. Kenya serves as a source, transit and
destination country for trafficking of young girls and women to and from
Europe.
All countries in the northern region of Africa serve as source, transit
and destination countries for trade in human commodity.
It is estimated that about 9.24 million individuals are enslaved in all
of Africa, making up 23% of the total global enslaved population.
According to the 2019 ENACT Organised Crime Index, human trafficking is
also prevalent in Libya, Sudan, Nigeria Eritrea and DRC. It is less prevalent
is Sao Tome and Principe, Mauritius, Cabo Verde, Namibia and Lesotho
Daghar says that the following smuggling and trafficking routes
currently exist in Africa ;
– Eastern Route – from the Horn to Yemen and possibly onwards to Saudi
Arabia.
– Southern Route – from the Horn of Africa to South Africa with Kenya as
a transit point.
– Sinai Route – from the Horn to Israel through Egypt.
– Northern Route from both the Horn of Africa, Central Africa, West
Africa and the Sahel to Europe.
The continued growth of human trafficking on the continent has also
resulted in actions from the African Union (AU) in an effort to subvert the
human crisis.
Sabelo Mbokazi, head of the African Union's labour, employment,
migration and social affairs department, says the AU has prioritised the issue
of combating human trafficking.
“We have identified North Africa as one of the active corridors where
the scourge has increased therefore the AU has established what is called the
AU-Horn of Africa initiative, this is to work with countries in the horn of
Africa and come up with policies that can help combat human trafficking. We are
also establishing Africa’s operation centre in Khartoum Sudan, this centre will
collect data from across the continent,” Mbokazi said.
www.samigration.com