Most traffickers are women - UN
2009-02-25 14:20
Pretoria - Up to 75% of all perpetrators of human trafficking are women, according to a study released in Pretoria on Wednesday.
Apart from being offenders themselves, over 70% of women were victims of trafficking, noted the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, by the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The study was conducted in 155 countries, between 2007 and 2008.
"Between 65% and 75% of offenders are women," said UNODC regional representative Jonathan Lucas.
More women convicted for trafficking
In countries that participated in the study, 30% more women than men were convicted for trafficking.
"Women play an important role, more than men and boys," said Lucas.
"Females remain the highest of trafficked individuals worldwide," said UNODC national project co-ordinator for trafficking Johan Kruger.
South Africa was identified as a destination country for trafficked persons, which Kruger said could be linked to poverty.
"It is not indicated in the report but several underlying factors of trafficking is poverty while others are coerced into thinking they will have [a] better life [elsewhere]," he said.
Main form of exploitation
Sexual exploitation was found to be the main form of exploitation in southern Africa and the rest of the world. This was closely followed by forced labour, said Kruger.
The report found that most of the victims in the region - from which most of the data was received from shelters - were adult women and children of both sexes.
In West and Central Africa, forced labour was prominent as well as trafficking for organ removal. Most of the victims were found to be children.
Globally, between 15 and 25% of victims were children.
Protocol to prevent and punish trafficking in people came into effect in December 2003.
No legislation
As of November last year, 63% of the 155 countries that partook in the study had passed laws against trafficking.
South Africa was yet to pass legislation against trafficking, although the SA Law Reform Commission gave proposed legislation against human trafficking to the justice ministry last year.
It was likely that legislation against trafficking could be in place by the end of the year.
The report found that of the countries that took part in the study, including South Africa, 19% had no convictions for trafficking nor laws in place against trafficking.
"Legislation is so critical," said Lucas, adding that a lot needed to be done about the criminal justice response to the matter.
Kruger said there had to be laws criminalising trafficking.
"It is not just general legislation but specialised legislation dealing with organised crime," said Kruger.
- SAPA