By Sallieu S. Kanu
Children in four Sierra Leone districts are now experiencing human trafficking at a significantly lower rate than they were five years ago, according to a new report by the Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach (CenHTRO) at the University of Georgia.
This reduction is the result of a concerted effort by international organizations, in partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone and its people.
The report shows that across the country, the effort to combat human trafficking has increased at a great scale, promising a brighter future for all Sierra Leone children.
Beginning in 2018, CenHTRO at the University of Georgia, funded by the U.S. Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, sought to fight child trafficking in four hotspots: Kailahun, Kambia, Kenema, and Kono.
Statistics show that over 33% of children aged 5-17 in these districts had experienced trafficking and 36% had experienced child labor. Following several years of targeted, evidence-based interventions developed alongside the Government of Sierra Leone and international partners, CenHTRO now reports the following reduction in the rate of child trafficking:
- Kailahun — 9% decrease
- Kambia — 15% decrease
- Kenema — 11% decrease
- Kono — 30% decrease
“Human trafficking remains one of the most severe threats to the human rights of our citizens, particularly women and children,” said Sierra Leone Minister of Social Welfare Mrs. Melrose Kargbo. “Coordinated action, reinforced by adequate national investment, is crucial as we confront this challenge.”
The prevalence of child labor did not decrease in Kailahun, Kambia, and Kenema. This indicates that as communities became aware of and world to reduce child trafficking, children experienced other forms of exploitation. Communities are also now more vigilant in detecting both child trafficking and child labor, leading to more reports of child labor. However, the child labor rate did decrease in Kono by 11%.
Research on child trafficking was conducted with Conflict Management and Development Associates — Sierra Leone.