Eight cases of human trafficking have been reported since April 2023 to date in Namibia, with five cases currently on the court roll, while one case has been convicted.
Additionally, since August 2023 to date, the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare (MGEPESW) accommodated a total of 26 victims of trafficking of whom 12 were children.
These statistics were revealed by Minister Doreen Sioka at the National Commemoration of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons in Swakopmund on Tuesday.
According to Sioka, there has been increasing reports of domestic trafficking, highlighting that trafficking may also take place within a single country, where both origin and destination are within the same country and not require the crossing of an international border.
‘We cannot deny that there has been an increase in the crime of trafficking in persons in the world, Namibia included. It has also been recorded that the crime of trafficking in persons has been perpetrated towards both fem
ales and males from different age groups but more towards children because of their vulnerability, family background, as well as socio-economic contexts,’ the minister added.
Chief of the Namibian Police in the Erongo Region, Commissioner Nikolaus Kupembona stated that manuals on Gender-Based Violence, Child Protection, Trafficking in Persons and Children in Conflict with the Law, are excellent tools for law enforcement in the fight against Trafficking in Persons.
‘Law enforcement agencies are encouraged to make use of these tools and to work hand in hand to improve our efforts to fight this heinous crime and fully protect the victims and our society at large,’ Kupembona emphasised.
Florence Situmbeko of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Head of Office in Namibia highlighted that IOM’s database globally contains over 100 000 individual cases, with approximately 5 000 new cases added each year. Currently, IOM globally assists 7 000 to 9 000 victims annually.
‘Efforts to prosecute those beh
ind trafficking networks have faced significant challenges, and new approaches are needed to ensure justice for victims. Increased investment is required to evaluate anti-trafficking interventions and researching current trends to guide future responses,’ she said.
Source: The Namibia News Agency