Human trafficking in Zambia: A human rights,gender and international law perspective
Date
2013-05-16
Authors
Kawangu, Valerie
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Abstract
Human Trafficking is a crime recognised by international law in the Protocol to Prevent Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons especially women and children. This vice affects the most vulnerable in our society today due to their social, economic and cultural status and even though men are also victims, women and children constitute an overwhelming number of those trafficked.
Human trafficking consists of 3 stages: recruitment is where traffickers convince unsuspecting persons to agree to leave their home countries for opportunities in foreign countries without giving them complete information about their likely working conditions. Through deception, a person is led to believe that she can get large amounts of money. Traffickers also recruit victims by means of force or abduction, fraud or abuse of power. Recruitment takes place mostly in the victims 'country of origin.' the second stage is transportation where a victim is transported over one or several international borders. Most victims are transported to distant locations in which they are not conversant with the place, language and authorities like the police so that they are isolated and obey the trafficker without the trafficker going to much trouble. Most victims experience different forms of violence during this stage, which is used to intimidate the victim. Exploitation is the last stage in which the victim is forced into various activities ranging from labour akin to slavery, prostitution, removal of organs. Exploitation usually takes place in the country of destination.
Trafficking consists of a hub of human rights and international law violations against the
victim. Victim's rights are not respected, especially women victims who go through
sexual and reproductive violation and are forced into labour akin to slavery.
National and international laws provide that the individual has got the right to basic
human rights but these are not regarded during the process of trafficking.
Countries have in the recent past tried to put into place measures, laws and mechanisms
to curb and prevent trafficking, Zambia inclusive. The Zambian Government has worked
with stakeholders to come up with an Anti Trafficking Law which is yet to be assented
to.
It is hoped that this law will take into account the provisions of the Palermo Protocol so that international law obligations are adhered to.
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Keywords
human trafficking , Children --Crimes against , Women --Crimes against