A ZIMBABWE Human Rights Commission official (ZHRC) official has described human trafficking as the fastest growing form of organised crime in the country.
BY MTHANDAZO NYONI
Sethulo Ncube, a ZHRC commissioner told guests at World Day Against Trafficking in Persons commemorations hosted by Habakkuk Trust, Ziyanda Film Trust and Save Matabeleland Coalition last Friday in Bulawayo that women and girls were worst affected by the crime.
“Africa and Zimbabwe specifically need to continuously deal with this blatant violation of human rights,” she said.
“As we commemorate this day, I would like to remind everybody that human trafficking is a present violation of the rights of young women and girls and in some cases boys who are subjected to sexual and physical abuse.
“There should be a comprehensive approach involving government institutions such as the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, civil society organisations, churches, the Home Affairs ministry, border control and other actors such as the International Organisation on Immigration to deal comprehensively with the issue,” she added.
She said ZHRC would be interested in engaging civic society and other actors to fight the crime.
Public Policy Research Institute of Zimbabwe director Samukele Hadebe said the government needed to address its weak financial systems to control illegal money circulation.
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He said the government should train police and immigration officers on new information technologies so that they could understand crime such as human trafficking.
The country has been described as a transit point for human trafficking syndicates with reports saying the practice was more rampant in Harare, Bulawayo and Matabeleland South.
Plumtree and Beitbridge are the most affected because of their proximity to South Africa where trafficked individuals are taken for forced labour or sold to prostitution rings.
Despite this, the government has not enacted a human trafficking law besides having signed the Palermo Protocol in 2000.
However, Ncube congratulated the Ziyanda Film Trust for initiating the Ziyanda Film, which focuses on human trafficking.
The movie, written and produced by Habakkuk Trust chief executive officer Dumisani Nkomo seeks to address human trafficking issues. It will be launched by May next year. Its cast includes popular South African actors.
