Human trafficking in Mozambique
This article needs to be updated.(July 2018) |
Traffickers are typically part of loose, informal networks of Mozambican or South African citizens; however, larger
The
The
Causes
Women's Issues
There is both an expectation for women to get married and to get married young so they are no longer a burden to their family financially. Women who remain unmarried are more at risk to be trafficked because of their limited economic opportunities (Britton).[3] Traditional Mozambican societies do not operate in favor of single women and this is what forces them to seek out other ways to make a living. It is reported that “global colonialism and imperialism reflect a series of unequal power relations and hierarchical power structures in which poor girls and women in general, and poor girls and women of color in particular, are located at the bottom of global power structures” (Gale).[4] This is very true in Mozambique and women make up the majority of people that are trafficked into South Africa. Women with black, brown, and gold skin tones are most at risk because they are seen as “exotic” which makes them desirable to others in the global sex trade (Gale).[4] In more traditional and rural areas of Mozambique, jobs can be denied to women based on their status, family name, and cultural background. In many situations women of a lower class are limited in the jobs that they are able to secure, leaving them with little money to buy essentials and take care of their families. In Mozambique, “Poverty distribution is heavily gendered, with female-headed households as most vulnerable group” (Women's Age Indicator)[1]. Poverty, in many cases, is a pipeline to human trafficking and women living in poverty are more exposed to this because they are likely to look for different forms of work to support themselves. Women desperate to find husbands are more likely to be lured by false pretenses, and women who do not get married by a certain age may be driven to find alternate forms of work putting them at risk for be trafficked.
Cultural Values
Traditional Mozambican values foster acceptance and trustworthiness of men which plays to the advantage of many traffickers. Women specifically are taught to trust men because in Mozambique, “Sexuality is often perceived as a site for women's subordination” (Arnfred). Marriage is an institution that gifts a woman's sexuality to her husband, and can impede her advancement in Mozambican society (Arnfred).[5] Women are taught to rely on men which can put them in vulnerable situations when it comes to trafficking. A popular African proverb says,“If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far go together” (Tu) and this is what people abide by in Mozambique.[6] The idea that collectivism is the key to success is prominent in the minds of many Mozambicans living in traditional communities. People often trust that those around them have their best interest in mind and with the rocketing number of human trafficking cases of people being kidnapped from Mozambique to be sold in South Africa that is not always the case. Louisa, a girl that was kidnapped from her rural village, talked about her journey in an interview with Deutsche Welle News[7] and how she ended up in that situation. Louisa was walking home when she encountered a man who offered her work at his house to clean for him. When she got there he threatened her and took her to South Africa with no documentation. At the end of the interview her mother then said, “At fifteen my daughter had never encountered a person in our village who didn't tell her the truth” (DW News).
Unstable Domestic Economy
Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world with a high unemployment rate and a lack of infrastructure. Despite the rapid economic growth after its democratization, the wealth is not equally distributed but is mainly concentrated in the top ten percent. The average income of the top ten percent is five times higher than the national average income, the amount that corresponds to the half of the total rural income.[8] Amongst the poor rural population, Europe is often regarded as a land with opportunities, security and wealth. The young Mozambican population from the low-income household is often encouraged to undertake a risky journey to Europe for a better economic opportunity by their families.[citation needed] However, the migration to Europe makes them susceptible to become victims of human trafficking. The reinforcement of anti-trafficking policies adopted by European nations to combat human trafficking often ends up further marginalizing these migrants from developing countries such as Mozambique. As a consequence, these anti-trafficking policies result in rigorous immigration policies, which also involve forced deportation, thus threatening the security of the migrants from foreign countries.[9] In addition, the approach of international organizations deepend the disparity between the rich and the poor by putting an excessive emphasis on adopting market economies, privatizing national companies, and cutting national spending[10]
Types
Sex Trafficking
Although sex trafficking is often utilized as a synonymous term for prostitution, it is a concept that also includes pornography, exotic dancing, stripping, live sex shows, mail-order brides, military prostitution, and sexual tourism.[11] Forced prostitution is the most prevalent form of sex trafficking[12] in Southern Africa. However, the covert nature of the sex trafficking business makes it challenging to collect accurate data to evaluate the exact scope and nature of the business in the region, particularly on the exploitation of the victims in the pornography industry and sex brothels.
Organ Trafficking
It is reported that murders and human trafficking are committed to harvesting human organs in Mozambique. Witch doctors were often accused of creating a greater demand for human organs because of the belief that human genitals can bring fortune and prosperity. However, recent critics reveal that this myth that blames witch doctors as the root of the problem is fabricated by the police who are deeply involved in the human organ trafficking business.[13] Because of its proximity to South Africa, Mozambique can provide the South African organ trafficking business with an inexpensive, profitable option.
Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking
Prosecution
In September 2008, the government enacted a new comprehensive human trafficking law. The
Protection
The Mozambican government suffers from limited resources and a lack of political commitment regarding human trafficking. Funding for victims' assistance remained rudimentary, and government officials regularly relied on NGOs to provide shelter,
Sex Trafficking Protections
The establishment of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized crime in 2000 is one of the policies being implemented by officials in order to combat human trafficking. Promoting women's empowerment is a way that the African Union and Southern African Development Community have chosen to fight human trafficking. It has proved to be hard for the government to prosecute crimes related to sex trafficking and provide support for victims. Government funding, community cooperation, and acceptance of the issue are part of what makes sex trafficking in Mozambique difficult to combat. The government does have action plans in place, but they are almost never followed through. Last year, “the government maintained inadequate protection efforts... and offered limited shelter, medical, and psychological assistance.” (U.S. Department of State).[14] Information reported to police is often not followed up on making it hard for the government to help those in need. Other public health related issues in the country often take priority to combating human trafficking does not always take priority in terms of funding. At risk groups have been identified by outside support systems, yet, “Maputo has ‘failed to identify or protect victims during the last year, and funds for the fight were not used in the best manner’”(VOA).[15] The government has not taken combating this issue a seriously they could and most of the money that goes towards to combating trafficking come from NGOs which can be taken away at any time.
Governmental Efforts
The government's prevention efforts remained weak during the reporting period. The government did not launch a nationwide campaign to foster awareness of trafficking among government officials and private citizens. As a result, most Mozambicans, including many law enforcement officials, reportedly lacked a clear understanding of what constitutes trafficking. Officials met regularly with the Anti-Trafficking Forum, which provided a mechanism through which the government and its NGO partners could discuss trafficking issues and coordinate their anti-trafficking activities. Most anti-trafficking educational workshops were run by NGOs with some government participation. Media coverage of trafficking cases or issues significantly diminished over the past year, although a
Palermo Protocol
Mozambique is one of the 159 countries that ratified the
External links
- RIGHTS-MOZAMBIQUE: Law to Stop Human Trafficking
- Asian human traffickers seek Mozambican route to S.Africa
References
- ^ a b c d e "Trafficking in Persons Report 2010 Country Narratives -- Countries G Through M". US Department of State. 2010-06-18. Archived from the original on 2010-06-18. Retrieved 2023-02-16. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Trafficking in Persons Report 2017: Tier Placements". www.state.gov. Archived from the original on 2017-06-28. Retrieved 2017-12-01.
- JSTOR 2454178.
- ^ a b Hartwell, John (2008), Human Trafficking: Encyclopedia of Race and Racism, archived from the original on 2011-05-21, retrieved 2019-08-20
- JSTOR 10.7722/j.cttn343m.
- ^ Tu (October 18, 2018). "Mozambican Proverbs". proverbicals.
- ISBN 9783319719870
- ^ Cunguara, Benedito; Hanlon, Joseph (2010). "Poverty Is Not Being Reduced in Mozambique". Crisis States Working Papers Series. 2: 4–5. Archived from the original on 2011-01-11. Retrieved 2022-04-22 – via LSE Research Online.
- JSTOR 4317159– via JSTOR.
- ISBN 9781565493339.
- PMID 23687554.
- hdl:10520/EJC120054– via Sabinet African Journals.
- S2CID 144873898– via SAGE Journals.
- ^ "Mozambique". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
- ^ Junior, Alfredo. "Poverty, Witchcraft Make Mozambique Risky for Bald Men". VOA. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
- ^ Milivojevic, Sanja; Segrave, Marie (2012). "Evaluating responses to human trafficking: A review of international, regional and national counter-trafficking mechanisms". Human Trafficking: 233–257 – via ProQuest EBook Central.
- hdl:10520/EJC165945– via Sabinet African Journals.
- ^ Devor, C. P. (2013). An analysis of the continuation and expansion of transnational organized crime: The case of human trafficking in Mozambique. Stellenbosch University (Thesis). pp. 40–43.