Abstract
Despite being confronted with a myriad of challenges that are economic, social, and environmental, the Zimbabwean nation is overwhelmed by human trafficking cases. Previous studies have established that human trafficking proliferation is orchestrated by religious, social, and economic motives aimed at in most if not all cases self-enrichment. The chapter presents that the Zimbabwean form of human trafficking can take different forms whereby victims may be lured to participate in prostitution, robberies, and suicidal killings whilst in some cases, they can be killed for body organs usage in rituals. The study established that Zimbabwe has experienced many painful years of economic decay. Hence, it has become a breeding ground for both old and new forms of human trafficking. The chapter recommends that awareness campaigns, maximisation of law enforcement agents in combating human trafficking prevalence, and crafting human trafficking-combating policies are some of the various ways the Zimbabwean society can nip human trafficking in the bud.
TopCauses Of Human Trafficking In Zimbabwe
Apart from poverty, HIV and AIDS and terrorism, Musademba (2017) concurs with Dodo & Dodo (2012) and Gromova (2015) cited in Mazuru, (2017) that human trafficking is currently considered as one of the most sombre challenges confronting many nations in the world. As highlighted by Sachikonye (2013), Zimbabwe encountered cases of human trafficking between 1998 and 2003 when the nation witnessed the land invasion epoche. Apart from the invasions, the Zimbabwean context envisages a myriad of factors that expose the general citizenry to human trafficking. These factors entice victims to succumb to human trafficking by default argue Mhlanga & Mhlanga, (2021). The factors point to issues that have to do with poverty, unemployment, lack of income, poor health facilities and opportunities, the HIV and AIDS pandemic, natural and man-made disasters with the Corona Virus (COVID-19) as a recent example, political instability and poor institutional systems.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Law Enforcement Agency: This refers to the police force, immigration service, customs service and any other agency lawfully appointed to enforce law in Zimbabwe or any other country or territory ( Government of Zimbabwe, 2014 AU37: The citation "Government of Zimbabwe, 2014" matches multiple references. Please add letters (e.g. "Smith 2000a"), or additional authors to the citation, to uniquely match references and citations. ).
Human Trafficking Awareness: Human trafficking awareness refers to all efforts done to bring attention and opposition to human trafficking and modern-day slavery. It can point awareness campaigns and national trafficking awareness day for example.
Human Trafficking Policies: These are constitutional efforts the Zimbabwean government has made in the quest to criminalise trafficking in persons such has the Trafficking in Persons Act of 2014, ratification of United Nations Human Trafficking Protocols, Inter-ministerial Committee on Human Trafficking, human trafficking data capturing, establishment of victim centres where human trafficking victims receive psycho-social support.
Trafficking in Persons: Refers to recruitment, transportation, harbouring or receipt of persons, transfer, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purposes of exploitation (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s 2005 AU38: The in-text citation "Drugs and Crime’s 2005" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. situational assessment of human trafficking in the SADC,2007 AU39: The in-text citation "SADC,2007" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ). The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation shall be considered ‘trafficking in persons’ (Musadembura, 2017 AU40: The in-text citation "Musadembura, 2017" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).
Illegal Labour: The Government of Zimbabwe (2014) AU36: The citation "Government of Zimbabwe (2014)" matches multiple references. Please add letters (e.g. "Smith 2000a"), or additional authors to the citation, to uniquely match references and citations. views illegal labour as child labour or any form of labour that is practised in conditions below the minimum standard required by the labour laws of a country or territory. Illegal labour is further clarified as any labour that is unregistered, not notified or otherwise not permitted by the labour, social security or immigration laws of a country or territory.
Human Trafficking Proliferation: Proliferation refers to prevalence, meaning that a phenomenon is on the rise and taking unprecedented dimensions such is both the national and international impact of human trafficking.
Exploitation: This includes, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs ( Government of Zimbabwe, 2014 AU33: The citation "Government of Zimbabwe, 2014" matches multiple references. Please add letters (e.g. "Smith 2000a"), or additional authors to the citation, to uniquely match references and citations. & United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s 2005 AU34: The in-text citation "Drugs and Crime’s 2005" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. situational assessment of human trafficking in the SADC, 2007 AU35: The in-text citation "SADC, 2007" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).
Child: A child is any person under eighteen years of age ( Government of Zimbabwe, 2014 AU32: The citation "Government of Zimbabwe, 2014" matches multiple references. Please add letters (e.g. "Smith 2000a"), or additional authors to the citation, to uniquely match references and citations. ).