The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has urged government and law enforcement agencies to intensify efforts to dismantle organised human trafficking networks, as the country joined the global community in commemorating the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30.
This year’s theme, “Human Trafficking is Organized Crime – End the Exploitation,” casts a spotlight on the growing role of sophisticated criminal syndicates in trafficking operations, which continue to prey on vulnerable populations amid Zimbabwe’s socio-economic instability.
In a press statement released yesterday, the ZHRC acknowledged that while Zimbabwe has laws addressing trafficking in persons, enforcement remains hampered by corruption, porous borders, and economic desperation. “Inflation and unemployment are pushing citizens to accept risky offers, making them easy targets for traffickers,” the commission warned.
Human trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation, or harboring of individuals through coercion, deception, or force for exploitation — including sexual slavery, forced labour, and organ harvesting.
The ZHRC noted that traffickers now heavily exploit digital platforms, online ads, and fake job listings, often luring young graduates with false promises of high-paying international employment.
Zimbabwe continues to act as a source, transit, and destination country for trafficking victims. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2024 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons revealed that Africa remains the region with the highest trafficking flows, with Zimbabwean victims increasingly identified abroad.
According to the 2024 U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report, Zimbabwe remains on the Tier 2 Watch List due to low conviction rates, minimal support systems for victims, and unresolved cases involving government officials.
Notably, in 2016, 213 Zimbabwean women were repatriated from Kuwait after enduring abuse. In a recent 2024 case, three traffickers were sentenced to up to 30 years for trafficking women to Oman and Dubai for sexual exploitation.
The ZHRC has called on the government to amend current legislation to better define and protect children from trafficking. “Children are among the most vulnerable, yet the current legal framework merely treats their involvement as an aggravating factor during sentencing, rather than addressing it directly,” the commission stated.
Zimbabwe is a signatory to the Palermo Protocol, a key international agreement aimed at preventing trafficking, prosecuting offenders, and protecting victims.
Locally, several laws support anti-trafficking efforts, including the Trafficking in Persons Act [Chapter 9:25], the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, the Labour Relations Act, and the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act.
The ZHRC is currently working with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on awareness and education campaigns targeting at-risk communities.
The commission reiterated its call for stronger enforcement of anti-trafficking laws, eradication of corruption, and tighter border controls.
“Human trafficking is a gross violation of human rights and a threat to national and regional security. We urge the government to act decisively in smashing the organised crime rings responsible for this exploitation,” said the ZHRC.
The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons was established by the United Nations to raise awareness and promote the fight against human trafficking globally.