The majority of people have, knowingly or unknowingly, conducted research.
The simple definition of research is a systematic and organised way of finding a solution or an answer to a problem.
The growing cancer of human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons, is a big issue in Zimbabwe.
The solution to be proffered is to find sustainable ways of suppressing and fighting this wildfire. It is an undisputed fact that human trafficking is a complex crime committed by well-resourced gangs with the capacity of even capturing State departments and other organs of State which are into the justice delivery system.
However, we have no choice but to face this calamity head-on.
Zimbabwe in particular has not been spared from the vagaries of modern day slavery.
The first port of call is to understand how big the problem is? How do we know? Where is it happening? How is it happening?
Those are great epistemological questions which should be frankly addressed.
If Zimbabwe can be in a position to answer those questions, that will be the first positive step towards fighting trafficking.
The answer to those questions is research.
A lot of African states have started investing human capital, technological and financial resources in trafficking research. Zimbabwe should join the bandwagon.
The African Programming and Research Initiative to End Slavery (APRIES) is carrying out extensive research in our neighbouring sister republics of South Africa, Zambia and Malawi.
The major aim of the research is to reduce the high prevalence of cross-border labour trafficking and to provide sustainable, reasonable, practical and comprehensive solutions to combat and suppress trafficking.
In this historic research in our SADC region its baseline and endline research are the Centre for Social Research at the University of Malawi, and the Institute for Economic and Social Research at the University of Zambia. These baseline researches consist of comprehensive household surveys, respondent-driven sampling, and qualitative research in rural and urban districts of these respective counties.
This is the same type of research which Zimbabwe needs to carry out through its various universities such as University of Zimbabwe, National University of Science and Technology, Africa University, Midlands State University, Great Zimbabwe University, Bindura University of Science Education, Chinhoi University of Technology just to mention but a few. These are institutions of higher learning which are competent and capable of carrying research of greater magnitude.
In June 2023, South Africa through The Human Sciences Research Council made a historic study on trafficking in persons which highlighted that prosecution of trafficking cases remain minimal as compared to over 250 000 cases which are being recorded.
In this report South Africa’s renowned anti-trafficking expert, professor Philip Frankel provides that the research has managed to unearth various forms of human trafficking such as labour child trafficking which is being supplemented by child organ trafficking, illegal abortion, ‘baby farming’ of children for the sake of exploitation by foster parents.
This is a sad chapter in the history of mankind.
All these are different forms of trafficking which are being added to those we normally know.
However due to such research South Africa now knows various forms of trafficking in persons currently underway in the backyard of its various communities.
This ground-breaking research further went on to unmask rampant corruption within the police force and state departments such as Home Affairs as accomplices due to their complicity.
The point I want to drive home is that the majority of African countries face almost similar challenges socially, economically and politically.
Therefore, there is a high probability that Zimbabwe, just like our neighbouring sister South Africa, is facing the same challenge.
However, even if Zimbabwe and South Africa face the same problem on human trafficking, South Africa is now on better standing in fighting the scourge because it has carried researches which can equip its law enforcement apparatus and players in the justice delivery system to decisively deal with trafficking. It’s not shooting in the dark.
As things stand for Zimbabwe, the government and other organs of the State acknowledge that there is human trafficking happening, but it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where and how it is happening.
At the same time our women, young people and vulnerable members of our respective communities continue to bear the brunt of trafficking in persons.
I am a firm believer that public awareness and consciousness about trafficking remains limited and a lot of trafficking. There is underreporting of these cases.
It is very difficult even for the government to embark on mass public awareness about trafficking in persons because there is no extensive research to ascertain the magnitude of the problem.
After accepting that trafficking in persons is a problem in the country government created the Zimbabwe Trafficking in Persons National Plan of Action (NAPLAC) for 2016-2018 and 2019-2021 which clearly states that it is an instrument which “will go a long way in aiding collaborative regional protection of the vulnerable in society and general peace and security”.
In its guiding principles, NAPLAC, made it very clear that they will carry evidence-based research through data collection, regular monitoring and evaluation for the development of Zimbabwe’s response to Trafficking in Persons.
This was a really noble initiative by the government in a bid to address the challenge of human trafficking.
However, until and unless there is comprehensive research conducted it will be difficult for Zimbabwe to be able to successfully fight the complicated scourge of modern-day slavery-Human Trafficking-Trafficking in persons.
In 2018 the Statistic Brain Research Institute published a crime report which presented results of people who were sexually exploited in Mozambique. The research showed that there is rampant child prostitution in cities such as Beira, Namula Nacala, Chimoio and Maputo.
Mozambique and Zimbabwe are sister states which share a lot in common in terms of social, political and economic standing.
Looking at Mozambique research finding there is a reasonable inference which can be drawn for Zimbabwe. The inference that there is possibility of high child sexual exploitation in Zimbabwe, but it’s difficult to authoritatively pinpoint it due to lack of research.
However, it’s not safe and proper for us to draw inferences based on experiences of other sister states on such a serious human rights problem without carrying out an extensive research exercise to see how big the problem is.
Zororai Nkomo is a Zimbabwean Journalist, Lawyer and Social Justice Activist, he writes in his own personal capacity. He can be contacted on zoronkomo@gmail.com
