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Recommended reading on contributing factors

Trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, in Africa

Patterns, root causes and policy responses to trafficking of women and children, Africa

Authors: ; UNICEF
Publisher: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, 2004

Full text of document

This study provides an overview of key issues related to the trafficking of human beings, particularly women and children, in Africa. It presents a preliminary mapping of trafficking patterns and provides an indication of emerging good practices on the continent. Looking at information from 53 African countries, this report provides an analysis of the patterns, root causes, and existing national and regional policy responses and effective practices.

Given the extensive geographical coverage (53 countries) research focused on countries as research units rather than on designing a statistically significant sample of victims, women and children. Furthermore, though the report addresses the trafficking of both children and women, its focus is primarily on practice regarding children. In addition, the authors recognise that the research has been developed against a background of an absence of reliable estimates regarding the actual levels of trafficking in Africa or, indeed, globally.

The report finds that:

  • patterns of instability, oppression and discrimination may place women and children at greater risk, with social and cultural prejudices and the prevalence of gender violence presenting additional challenges to their effective protection from trafficking
  • the links between poverty, violence, and trafficking have been compounded by the effects of HIV/AIDS
  • according to a survey conducted for this report, trafficking is a recognised problem in at least 49 per cent of African countries
  • the number of countries reporting trafficking in children is two times the number of the countries reporting trafficking in women
  • information on trafficking in human beings in Northern Africa is limited and the level of awareness is low. However, victims of trafficking from North African countries have been reported in Europe
  • trafficking is perceived as a particular problem among West and Central African countries, mainly because most of the countries in the Region are origin countries.

[adapted from author]