Poverty fuels sex trafficking in Malawi

Despite the establishment of an inter-ministerial anti-trafficking committee that has begun developing a national anti-trafficking action plan, the trafficking of women and children in Malawi continues unabated. Poverty, illiteracy and the absence of sufficient research and information on trafficking are some of the factors that contribute towards trafficking in Malawi.

 

A report published by the International Organisation for Migration identifies poverty as a major factor as poor parents look for potential sources of income. Additionally, the promise of a good job and education in Europe or the United States is an opportunity that any poor family would not want to miss. It is this hope for a better future for their children that results in many parents blindly trusting the promises made by unscrupulous European “tourists” to get their children a good education or job if they accompany them back to their countries.

 

Poverty has also led to the resurgence of the traditional practice of Kupimbira through which a father sells his daughter to a man to marry; often irrespective of her age. This has the result of entrenching women’s subordinate position in society. Equally concerning are practices common amongst the patriarchal tribes in Mzimba, Nkhata Bay and Chikwawa/ Nsanje. The practice of Chinamwali among the Chewa and Yao amongst girls who’ve reached puberty and who are advised to marry early has the result of normalising their subservience to men and accepting sexual advances from their “husbands” as normal.

 

The International Organisation for Migration has identified three patterns of trafficking in Malawi. Firstly, “businesswomen” who lure young girls with the promises of a modeling career; other employment or an education they could not receive at home. The girls are then sold to work in brothels in Germany, Belgium, Italy, France and the Netherlands.

 

The second pattern involves European men and women posing as tourists who befriend boys and girls who are then drugged and made to have sex while being filmed. The video films are taken to Europe and posted on the internet. The report identifies the lakeshore districts of Nkhata Bay, Salima and Mangochi as the worst affected areas.

 

Lastly, trafficking also happens through truck drivers who promise marriage and jobs to girls and women. Sometimes businesswomen arrange to transport their “loot” via the trucks. The trafficking, according to the report is mostly done though border districts such as Mwanza, Mchinji and possibly Karonga. The businesswomen are also mentioned as organizers and indeed facilitators of sex slaves to brothels and private homes in Johannesburg, Pretoria and other big cities in South Africa.

 

What is surprising is that most of the traffickers and their slaves travel on valid Malawian passports to enter Europe through Britain where Malawians are not asked for a visa. Nigerian sex syndicates have taken advantage of Malawi’s clean image abroad to fraudulently obtain Malawian passports. While accusations of corruption at the Malawi immigration department are not uncommon, no investigation has been launched.

 

Human rights activists, lawyers and the police blame weaknesses in the law. Although the Section 22-27 of the Malawian Constitution (sec 22-27) prohibits slavery, forced or tied labour, there is no specific act of parliament to punish such acts.

 

It is essential that the Malawian government develop specific legislation that will criminalise and punish those involved in trafficking. There is need for civic education amongst the poor, particularly in lakeshore districts to guard against “tourists” on the look out for unsuspecting children. The Malawi Human Rights Commission should ensure that Malawi fulfills its international obligations by submitting the country’s human rights reports and ensuring the government domesticates human rights protocols the country has ratified.

 

Unless action is taken to address the trafficking of women and children in Malawi, the little gains that country has made in terms of dealing with violence against women, will surely be undone.