Luanda - Trafficking in human beings is a reality that continues to grow, affecting thousands of people around the world, who are coerced, deceived and exploited, deprived of their freedom and dignity.
According to recent United Nations reports, millions of people are victims of trafficking in human beings around the world, with women and children being the most vulnerable.
This act is one of the most serious forms of human rights violation and is a complex phenomenon, in most cases transnational, hidden in nature and constantly changing.
It is based on organized crime, gender issues and the vulnerabilities and weaknesses of the exploited populations.
According to the June 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report, released by the US State Department, around 27 million people in the world are victims of human trafficking and forced labor, a phenomenon that mainly affects women.
According to data from the United Nations (UN), human trafficking generates around 24 billion euros a year and the number of victims revolves around more than 2.4 million people a year.
In Angola, trafficking in human beings is relatively recent. It arises mainly from the recurrence of reports of servitude and/or exploitation in sectors such as agriculture, construction, and mining and also in the domestic sphere.
From 2018 to 2023, the Angolan authorities recorded 220 cases of trafficking in human beings, of which 26 were convicted and three acquitted.
Also according to data from the Ministry of Justice, the province of Cunene tops the list of cases, with 40%, followed by Cabinda, Zaire and Lunda Norte, taking into account the border.
Angola is also seen as a country of origin and destination for men, women and children who are victims of sex trafficking and forced labor.
Measures taken to combat crime
Concerned about these issues, the Angolan state created a ministerial Commission to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings and approved, in 2020, the first National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat this evil, as part of the National Human Rights Strategy.
The plan aims to prevent human trafficking, protect and assist victims of trafficking, hold criminals accountable in a serious and effective manner, increase investigations, as well as promote national and international cooperation in order to achieve the objectives set.
The combat strategy provided the impetus for drawing up the guidelines for the national referral mechanism and the standard operating procedures for assisting victims of trafficking.
This instrument is seen as an indication of the Angolan government's determination to protect and assist victims of trafficking in Angola. To discourage this practice, in 2021 the government increased the penalty from two to eight years in prison, which can be increased depending on the situation.
Trafficking in human beings is considered to be the third most profitable crime in the world.
According to the UN in 2007, 2.5 million people are trafficked (1 million of whom are victims of sexual exploitation) from 127 countries, earning approximately 32 million dollars a year.
Causes
Situations of poverty, unemployment, social and economic exclusion, social inequalities and inequalities of opportunity are some of the causes that contribute to the vulnerability of countries and populations.
The most vulnerable groups are exposed to political and humanitarian crises that cause populations to move.
Asymmetries between countries, discrimination, low levels of education, corruption and armed conflicts facilitate situations of vulnerability that trigger processes of exploitation.
Human trafficking is a violation of human rights and, in view of this, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Global Action Plan against this scourge in 2010.
World Day against Trafficking in Human Beings is celebrated on July 30 and aims to raise awareness among governments of the need to strengthen measures to combat this evil.
This year's theme is “Let no child be left behind in the fight against human trafficking”.
The World Day against Trafficking in Persons was proclaimed by Resolution 68/192 adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 18, 2013. FMA/ART/TED/AMP
