IOM has launched a new project to assist the Zimbabwean government
in strengthening its national response capacity to combat
trafficking in persons (TiP).

The project "Building National Response Capacity to Combat Human
Trafficking in Zimbabwe", funded by the US Agency for International
Development (USAID), supports a government counter-trafficking
strategy focusing on raising awareness of trafficking in persons
among government officials and members of the public.

Recent research on child trafficking, jointly conducted by IOM
and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), reveals that a significant
number of minors in the country are being approached and recruited
by traffickers. The study finds that children are trafficked to
work in agriculture, for sexual exploitation and for domestic
servitude, both within and beyond Zimbabwe, including in the
neighbouring countries of South Africa and Botswana.

The US Department of State 2010 Trafficking in Persons report
also lists Zimbabwe as a source, transit and destination country
for trafficking of women and children.

Activities under the new project include developing
comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation and strengthening the
national referral system for protection and reintegration
assistance to trafficking victims with a special focus on children
and youth – gaps specifically identified by the IOM/UNICEF
research.

Due to its geographical location, Zimbabwe is highly vulnerable
to both trafficking and smuggling in people from Asia, Europe and
from other African countries.

Since 2005, IOM's counter-trafficking programme in Zimbabwe has
facilitated training and awareness raising on prevention,
identification and victim assistance to law enforcement agents,
social service providers, teachers and community leaders.  The
programme also provides direct assistance to victims of trafficking
(VoTs), runs a nation-wide counter-trafficking hotline and supports
local VoT shelters.

"The socio-economic deterioration in Zimbabwe in recent years
has contributed to heightened vulnerabilities of Zimbabwean
nationals to human trafficking, particularly youths. The
USAID-funded project is timely as it will allow IOM to strengthen
the government's counter-trafficking efforts, particularly as it
intends to pass counter-trafficking legislation this year," says
IOM Chief of Mission in Zimbabwe, Vincent Houver.

For more information, please contact:

Yukiko Kumashiro

IOM Harare

Tel: +263 4 333 454

Email: "mailto:ykumashiro@iom.int">ykumashiro@iom.int