Child traffickers in EA were still active during lockdowns, report says
What you need to know:
- Trafficking cases were still reported in the region despite lockdowns in several countries.
- Over 50 cases are being addressed by the organisations, mostly in Uganda and Tanzania, with a few cases in Kenya and Ethiopia.
- Increased economic stress coupled with children being out of school has led to a rise in child exploitation.
Child trafficking has continued across East Africa, including in Kenya, despite domestic and international travel bans meant to slow spread of Covid-19.
This is according to child rights organisation Terre des Hommes Netherlands, which says that trafficking cases were still reported in the region despite lockdowns.
“Our partner organisations in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia all reported child trafficking cases during the lockdown. The expectation is that child trafficking will only grow further with the phased lifting of most movement restrictions in the countries,” said Monique Janssens of Terre des Hommes' East African regional office.
Together with local civil society organisations, the Dutch right group fights child trafficking and unsafe migration in known hotspots across East Africa.
In all these areas, the group established that movement restrictions issued to curb the spread of Covid-19 did not stop the vice within and beyond borders.
“On the contrary, unscrupulous traffickers have found ways to bypass government directives and carried on with their lucrative business of trafficking minors for exploitation in labour or prostitution,” said Ms Janssens.
Over 50 cases are being addressed by the organisations, mostly in Uganda and Tanzania, with a few cases in Kenya and Ethiopia.
The group reckons that the Covid-19 crisis has caused and aggravated economic and social inequalities that are among the root causes of child trafficking.
The economic impact of the pandemic is severe, resulting in loss of livelihood, specifically at the low income segment of society where people mostly survive on casual labour.
The organisation states in a report that increased economic stress coupled with children being out of school has already led to a rise in child exploitation.
The region has witnessed growing numbers of forced female genital mutilation, child marriages and teenage pregnancies as desperation brings families to push their children to go out and make some money.
With schools not yet re-opened in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia, children in particular miss the protection of being in school.
