Knowledge (XXG)

Human trafficking in Namibia

Source 📝

165:
offenders may be fined up to $ 133,000 and imprisoned for up to 50 years. The Act does not differentiate between trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking for non-sexual purposes. In addition, Section 4 of the Labor Act of 2007 prohibits forced labor, and prescribes penalties of up to four years' imprisonment or a fine of up to $ 2,700, or both. Section 3 of the Labor Act prohibits various forms of exploitative child labor, prescribing penalties equal to those for other forced labor offenses. Penalties for these crimes are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as
227:, including human trafficking. Law enforcement and other officials referred victims to NGOs and other entities that provided short-term shelter facilities. Officials were aware that the shelters are often full and cannot accommodate all victims who need assistance. Neither long-term shelter facilities nor services designed to meet the specific needs of victims of trafficking existed in Namibia. The Woman and Child Protection Unit (WACPU) of the Namibian Police Force designated examination rooms in major 262:
and assist in investigations and prosecutions. Fewer WACPU and MGECW officials received training to identify victims of trafficking in the reporting period than in previous years. The government did not provide specific training on identifying and assisting Namibian trafficking victims overseas to diplomats, but continued to encourage them to maintain relations with NGOs that follow trafficking issues. During the year, the Ministry of Home Affairs forged a partnership with
24: 199:
Social Welfare identified 17 cases of children illegally working in the charcoal industry, 88 cases of children performing hazardous labor in other work places, and 57 cases of children in forced labor. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare (MGECW) handled three trafficking cases; the victims were Zambian boys brought into the country by a Zambian trafficker, a girl from
320: 198:
During 2009, the government increased its efforts to protect victims and ensure their access to appropriate services offered by non-governmental entities, as it continued to lack the financial resources and capacity to directly care for victims. During the reporting period, the Ministry of Labor and
261:
The Namibian government made efforts during the year to raise awareness of trafficking throughout the country. The government conducted a media campaign against gender-based violence and trafficking, in which it encouraged victims and members of the public to report suspected trafficking offenders
239:
and legal services that were available to trafficking victims. The government subsidized some shelter facilities for victims of gender-based violence and the worst forms of child labor, which may have unknowingly aided trafficked women and children. Officials began renovating 13 government-owned
164:
handled no trafficking cases during the reporting period. In May 2009, the government enacted the Prevention of Organized Crime Act (POCA) of 2004, which explicitly criminalizes all forms of trafficking. Under the POCA, persons who participate in trafficking offenses or aid and abet trafficking
98:
in forced prostitution. Namibian women and children, including orphans, from rural areas were the most vulnerable to trafficking. Victims were lured by traffickers to urban centers and commercial farms with promises of legitimate work for good wages they may never receive. Some adults subjected
181:
investigation into any suspected trafficking offenses nor prosecuted any trafficking cases during the reporting period. Officials investigated several cases of child labor; in all instances, offenders were issued compliance orders in accordance with the 2007 Labor Act, but were not arrested or
244:
provided protection to victims who wish to testify against their abusers, as well as a legal alternative to foreign victims' removal to countries where they may face hardship or retribution through provisions in other laws. Official understanding of what constitutes human trafficking remained
99:
children to whom they are distantly related to forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation. Small business owners and farmers may also participated in trafficking crimes against women or children. Victims were forced to work long hours to carry out hazardous tasks, and may have been
218:
The government has no specific formal procedures in place for referring trafficking victims for care, although the police are responsible for finding temporary shelter for all victims as well as medical assistance. The MGECW provided social workers to work in partnership with the
127: 114:
did not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. During 2009, the government created a national database on gender-based violence which will include statistics of trafficking and
123:, and began renovating buildings to use as shelters for trafficking victims. No suspected trafficking offenders, however, were prosecuted, and traffickers involved in cases of forced child labor received insufficient civil punishments. 240:
buildings, one in each region, to be used as shelters for women and child victims of gender-based violence and human trafficking, but these facilities would most likely not provide services for men. The
503: 144:
In 2023, the Organised Crime Index gave Namibia a score of 3.5 out of 10 for human trafficking, noting that this crime was mainly found in the Windhoek and Walvis Bay areas.
134: 488: 119:
victims, cooperated in a baseline study to assess the scope and scale of its trafficking in persons problem, investigated child labor cases, rescued child victims of
177:
to develop model comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation which could be effectively adopted in countries throughout the region. The government neither opened a
508: 380: 86:. In some cases, Namibian parents unwittingly sold their children to traffickers. Reports indicate that vulnerable Namibian children were recruited for forced 94:, typically by truck drivers. There was also some evidence that traffickers move Namibian women to South Africa and South African women to Namibia to be 83: 336: 842: 733: 523: 427: 174: 852: 211:
trafficked to wine farms in the south for forced labor as babysitters and domestic workers. In 2009, the MGECW created a national database on
832: 270:
for newborns and identity documents for orphans and vulnerable children. The government made no discernible efforts to reduce the demand for
837: 563: 673: 663: 468: 352: 302: 568: 58:
was a country of origin, transit, and destination for foreign and Namibian women and children, and possibly for men subjected to
648: 738: 623: 608: 593: 548: 235:
victims, including victims of trafficking. WACPU also had referral agreements with two NGOs to provide victims of trauma with
759: 613: 95: 806: 802: 713: 688: 538: 533: 513: 478: 463: 161: 138: 698: 668: 653: 638: 618: 583: 578: 528: 473: 448: 91: 798: 708: 703: 678: 643: 598: 558: 498: 453: 658: 483: 394: 683: 633: 588: 573: 553: 543: 518: 458: 420: 241: 789: 785: 776: 767: 847: 693: 603: 493: 763: 236: 75: 71: 413: 212: 157: 111: 79: 232: 271: 67: 204: 231:
for treatment of victims of violent crimes that are staffed by physicians trained to deal with
267: 170: 120: 59: 153: 100: 360: 306: 182:
otherwise penalized. The Ministry of Labor removed 17 children found working on farms in
186:
in hazardous conditions and returned them to their parents. Police operated a toll-free
37:
Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
266:
to open offices at hospitals and deploy mobile units throughout the country to provide
183: 826: 324: 224: 208: 87: 63: 250: 246: 116: 337:
United Nations Treaty Collection website, Chapter XVIII Penal Matters section,
303:"Trafficking in Persons Report 2010 Country Narratives - Countries N Through Z" 405: 200: 228: 173:
offenses, among other crimes. Government officials are working with the
187: 55: 263: 220: 215:
that will include statistics on trafficking and child labor victims.
245:
limited, and it is possible that trafficking victims were jailed or
70:. Traffickers exploited Namibian children, as well as children from 178: 169:. The draft Child Care and Protection Bill is expected to address 152:
The Government of Namibia modestly increased its anti-trafficking
323:
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
207:
by her mother, and Namibian girls from Kavango and possibly the
166: 104: 409: 17: 190:
for the public to call in with tips on trafficking cases.
253:
and prostitution before they were identified as victims.
78:, through forced labor in agriculture, cattle herding, 353:"Trafficking in Persons Report 2017: Tier Placements" 305:. US Department of State. 2010-06-17. Archived from 747: 722: 441: 135:
Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
421: 223:, who counsel or otherwise assist victims of 8: 428: 414: 406: 283: 175:Southern African Development Community 297: 295: 293: 291: 289: 287: 7: 383:Trafficking in Persons Report 2023 14: 107:by traffickers or third parties. 734:Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic 504:Democratic Republic of the Congo 318: 22: 395:Organised Crime Index website, 843:Human rights abuses in Namibia 249:for violating laws related to 84:commercial sexual exploitation 80:involuntary domestic servitude 1: 274:during the reporting period. 62:, specifically conditions of 833:Human trafficking by country 133:The U.S. State Department's 838:Human trafficking in Africa 436:Human trafficking in Africa 341:, retrieved August 19, 2024 82:, charcoal production, and 869: 853:Women's rights in Namibia 156:efforts during the year. 126:The country ratified the 31:This article needs to be 489:Central African Republic 381:US Government website, 137:placed the country in 60:trafficking in persons 649:São Tomé and Príncipe 509:Republic of the Congo 242:Namibian legal system 213:gender based violence 112:Government of Namibia 128:2000 UN TIP Protocol 724:States with limited 272:commercial sex acts 162:Ministry of Justice 68:forced prostitution 268:birth certificates 148:Prosecution (2009) 141:in 2017 and 2023. 820: 819: 751:other territories 524:Equatorial Guinea 257:Prevention (2009) 194:Protection (2009) 171:child trafficking 130:in August 2002. 121:labor trafficking 52: 51: 860: 848:Crime in Namibia 812: 811:(United Kingdom) 807:Tristan da Cunha 803:Ascension Island 795: 782: 773: 749:Dependencies and 442:Sovereign states 430: 423: 416: 407: 400: 392: 386: 378: 372: 371: 369: 368: 359:. Archived from 349: 343: 334: 328: 322: 321: 317: 315: 314: 299: 47: 44: 38: 26: 25: 18: 868: 867: 863: 862: 861: 859: 858: 857: 823: 822: 821: 816: 815: 810: 793: 780: 771: 752: 750: 743: 727: 725: 718: 437: 434: 404: 403: 393: 389: 379: 375: 366: 364: 351: 350: 346: 335: 331: 319: 312: 310: 301: 300: 285: 280: 259: 196: 158:National police 154:law enforcement 150: 48: 42: 39: 36: 27: 23: 12: 11: 5: 866: 864: 856: 855: 850: 845: 840: 835: 825: 824: 818: 817: 814: 813: 796: 783: 774: 760:Canary Islands 756: 755: 753: 748: 745: 744: 742: 741: 736: 730: 728: 723: 720: 719: 717: 716: 711: 706: 701: 696: 691: 686: 681: 676: 671: 666: 661: 656: 651: 646: 641: 636: 631: 626: 621: 616: 611: 606: 601: 596: 591: 586: 581: 576: 571: 566: 561: 556: 551: 546: 541: 536: 531: 526: 521: 516: 511: 506: 501: 496: 491: 486: 481: 476: 471: 466: 461: 456: 451: 445: 443: 439: 438: 435: 433: 432: 425: 418: 410: 402: 401: 387: 373: 344: 329: 282: 281: 279: 276: 258: 255: 225:violent crimes 209:Caprivi region 195: 192: 149: 146: 90:in Angola and 50: 49: 30: 28: 21: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 865: 854: 851: 849: 846: 844: 841: 839: 836: 834: 831: 830: 828: 808: 804: 800: 797: 791: 787: 784: 778: 775: 769: 765: 761: 758: 757: 754: 746: 740: 737: 735: 732: 731: 729: 721: 715: 712: 710: 707: 705: 702: 700: 697: 695: 692: 690: 687: 685: 682: 680: 677: 675: 672: 670: 667: 665: 662: 660: 657: 655: 652: 650: 647: 645: 642: 640: 637: 635: 632: 630: 627: 625: 622: 620: 617: 615: 612: 610: 607: 605: 602: 600: 597: 595: 592: 590: 587: 585: 582: 580: 577: 575: 572: 570: 567: 565: 564:Guinea-Bissau 562: 560: 557: 555: 552: 550: 547: 545: 542: 540: 537: 535: 532: 530: 527: 525: 522: 520: 517: 515: 512: 510: 507: 505: 502: 500: 497: 495: 492: 490: 487: 485: 482: 480: 477: 475: 472: 470: 467: 465: 462: 460: 457: 455: 452: 450: 447: 446: 444: 440: 431: 426: 424: 419: 417: 412: 411: 408: 399: 398: 397:Namibia: 2023 391: 388: 385: 384: 377: 374: 363:on 2017-06-28 362: 358: 357:www.state.gov 354: 348: 345: 342: 340: 333: 330: 326: 325:public domain 309:on 2010-06-17 308: 304: 298: 296: 294: 292: 290: 288: 284: 277: 275: 273: 269: 265: 256: 254: 252: 248: 243: 238: 234: 230: 226: 222: 216: 214: 210: 206: 202: 193: 191: 189: 185: 180: 176: 172: 168: 163: 159: 155: 147: 145: 142: 140: 136: 131: 129: 124: 122: 118: 113: 108: 106: 102: 97: 93: 89: 85: 81: 77: 73: 69: 65: 61: 57: 46: 34: 29: 20: 19: 16: 799:Saint Helena 770:   674:South Africa 664:Sierra Leone 628: 469:Burkina Faso 396: 390: 382: 376: 365:. Retrieved 361:the original 356: 347: 338: 332: 311:. Retrieved 307:the original 260: 217: 205:prostitution 203:forced into 197: 151: 143: 132: 125: 110:In 2009 the 109: 92:South Africa 88:prostitution 64:forced labor 53: 40: 32: 15: 726:recognition 679:South Sudan 569:Ivory Coast 339:Section 12a 251:immigration 117:child labor 827:Categories 781:(Portugal) 739:Somaliland 659:Seychelles 624:Mozambique 609:Mauritania 594:Madagascar 549:The Gambia 484:Cape Verde 367:2017-12-01 313:2023-02-16 278:References 247:prosecuted 237:counseling 201:Walvis Bay 614:Mauritius 229:hospitals 96:exploited 43:July 2018 805: / 801: / 794:(France) 788: / 766: / 762: / 714:Zimbabwe 689:Tanzania 539:Ethiopia 534:Eswatini 514:Djibouti 479:Cameroon 464:Botswana 179:criminal 160:and the 139:"Tier 2" 54:In 2009 790:Réunion 786:Mayotte 777:Madeira 772:(Spain) 768:Melilla 699:Tunisia 669:Somalia 654:Senegal 639:Nigeria 629:Namibia 619:Morocco 584:Liberia 579:Lesotho 529:Eritrea 499:Comoros 474:Burundi 449:Algeria 188:hotline 184:Kavango 56:Namibia 33:updated 809:  792:  779:  709:Zambia 704:Uganda 644:Rwanda 599:Malawi 559:Guinea 454:Angola 264:UNICEF 233:trauma 221:police 101:beaten 76:Zambia 72:Angola 764:Ceuta 684:Sudan 634:Niger 589:Libya 574:Kenya 554:Ghana 544:Gabon 519:Egypt 459:Benin 105:raped 694:Togo 604:Mali 494:Chad 167:rape 74:and 66:and 103:or 829:: 355:. 286:^ 429:e 422:t 415:v 370:. 327:. 316:. 45:) 41:( 35:.

Index

Namibia
trafficking in persons
forced labor
forced prostitution
Angola
Zambia
involuntary domestic servitude
commercial sexual exploitation
prostitution
South Africa
exploited
beaten
raped
Government of Namibia
child labor
labor trafficking
2000 UN TIP Protocol
Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
"Tier 2"
law enforcement
National police
Ministry of Justice
rape
child trafficking
Southern African Development Community
criminal
Kavango
hotline
Walvis Bay
prostitution

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.