High poverty and unemployment levels make Zambians give in to human traffickers

By John Chola – Lusaka, 29th September, 2009

A recent study conducted by the International Labor Organization (ILO) on Zambia has shown that fast spreading poverty and unemployment are responsible for many victims being deceived by human traffickers.

Hundreds of Zambians are now accepting to be trafficked after being duped into believing that they are going abroad to lead a better life.

Victims of child trafficking in Zambia are very often those from poor households who are trafficked internationally for cheap domestic labor, farm work or commercial sex exploitation.

Zambia’s Minister of Home Affairs Lameck Mangani says trafficking in humans, especially women and children, is worsening in the country.

Mangani says because of the fast spreading human trafficking problem the Zambian government will now enforce aggressively the Anti Human Trafficking Law enacted last year.

The Zambian government has also adopted a National Policy on Human Trafficking to help tackle the problem.

Mangani says the enactment of the law domesticates the 2000 Palemo Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish traffickers.

He says government will now deal ruthlessly with human traffickers because the act has become a serious violation of human rights.

Mangani says human trafficking will now attract heavy punishment of perpetrators because the scourge is a modern day slave trade.

The European Union is giving financial support to the government of Zambia to help address increasing human trafficking problem.
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