National Human Trafficking Prevention Month
This January, the Migrant Rights Coalition wants to emphasize the impact of human trafficking in our country, but also its impact in other countries around the world. As it is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, we at MRC have a duty to inform our student body in the hopes that this crime can be prevented everywhere, and eventually be brought to an end. So, during the duration of the month-our newsletter, The Monarch-will be dedicated to this cause.
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South Sudan Authorities Urged to Prevent Human Trafficking More Efficiently
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Human trafficking is a big concern in East Africa, so many authorities are being urged to tackle and prevent human trafficking more. Unfortunately, South Sudan has been on the cusp of human rights violations, and many women and young girls have become regularly abducted. One recorded survivor was abducted and purchased for around 750 US dollars. Children specifically have been the biggest group in South Sudan to increasingly face danger and are more prone to trafficking, as well as a humanitarian crisis. Around 70% of children are not enrolled in schools, while disease and gender-based violence are rampant.
"Sexual and gender-based violence for all girls of ages in South Sudan is relentless. The ongoing violence in Jonglei and other parts of South Sadan is quite extreme, and we have seen abductions of girls who were forced into marriage and they kidnap women and girls, these are terrible incidents", said Yasmin Sooka, a leading human rights lawyer and Executive Director of the Foundation of Human Rights.
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United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to combat the trafficking of persons
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However, it is no surprise that South Sudan has struggled with human trafficking- since 2018, South Sudan has been facing criticism for their lack of harsher concern for the people. Going even further back in South Sudan's history, human trafficking has been a prominent issue since the 1980s and has only become a source, transit, and destination country for the victims of this crime. Human trafficking is also been grappled with in various forms- abduction, forced labor, and sex slavery. Furthermore, the presence of a corrupt government and unchecked military has also been a factor in the country's lack of initiative.
“South Sudan is engulfed in communal or ethnic conflict, this conflict pit together armed militias one community against another, the government has been unable to provide protection and this has fallen on the youth where there are challenges, militias are armed, they abduct women and girls are trafficked. After South Sudan got independence there was a civil war broke out, this pit forces loyal to the president against his vice president, they armed ethnic groups and supported their causes,” says Peter Biar Ajak, a prominent civil society leader and political dissident- as well as being the chair of the South Sudan Young Leaders Forum.
The South Sudanese government has yet to respond to any of these allegations and claims, but as the issue is damning, and will most likely be brought up during the African Union Summit next month, there should be a subtle change in the authorities' outlook on human trafficking. Moreover, South Sudanese authorities should aim to reform their methods of combatting trafficking, and hopefully, prevent any more concern for the women and children of South Sudan.
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Camila Rodriguez- Education Coordinator
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