Namibia remains tough on human traffickers

Namibia retained its top status as a Tier 1 country in the latest Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report for the second year in a row for its continuous efforts to prevent human trafficking crimes and punish convicted human traffickers.The latest report stated that the government identified seven trafficking victims, compared with 19 in 2020.This included one Namibian child who was exploited in sex trafficking, two women from Namibia and Zambia who were exploited for labour, one adult male from South Africa whose type of exploitation was unspecified, and three additional unspecified trafficking victims.Namibia is again the only country in Africa to achieve a Tier 1 ranking, meaning the government has fully met the minimum for eliminating trafficking.According to the latest TIP report, the Namibian government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, considering the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity.VulnerableHuman traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Namibia, and traffickers exploit victims from Namibia abroad, the report stated in its profile of trafficking in Namibia section.“Some victims are initially offered legitimate work by recruiters for adequate wages, but then traffickers subject them to forced labour in urban centres and on commercial farms.”It says traffickers subject Namibian children to sex trafficking and forced labour in agriculture, cattle herding and domestic service.“With the influx of more than 7 000 Angolan migrants fleeing severe drought and malnutrition in south-eastern Angola, Namibians increasingly employ Angolan children as domestic workers and cattle herders, who may be vulnerable to exploitation.”Traffickers bring children from Angola and neighbouring countries and subject them to sex trafficking and forced labour, particularly in agriculture, cattle herding, domestic work, street vending in Windhoek and other urban centres, and in the fishing industry.It adds that Zambian children migrate to work as cattle herders but may be subjected to forced labour.“Namibians commonly house and care for children of distant relatives to provide expanded educational opportunities; however, in some instances, traffickers exploit these children in forced labour.”PunishmentAmong Namibia’s ethnic groups, San and Zemba children are particularly vulnerable to forced labour on farms or in homes. Traffickers exploit individuals from Angola, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa in sex trafficking and forced labour, the report stated.An increase in exploitation of Namibians seeking economic opportunities abroad and an increase in labour trafficking of adult male victims in Namibia’s agricultural sector, in part due to the pandemic, has been noted.Traffickers are also increasingly using social media to advertise false jobs and to groom potential victims.WorkThe report added that despite the pandemic’s impact, the government initiated two and continued 16 case investigations, compared with 10 case investigations initiated and 16 continued in 2020.“Of the two new investigations, the government initiated one forced labour investigation and one sex trafficking investigation.“The government-initiated prosecutions of seven defendants, continued prosecutions of 32 defendants, and reported no convictions in 2021; compared with no new prosecutions, continued prosecutions of 18 defendants, and conviction of one trafficker in 2020.The report however notes that the pandemic diverted law enforcement resources away from anti-trafficking efforts during the reporting period, resulting in a reduced capacity.

Namibia remains tough on human traffickers

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-03

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Namibia remains tough on human traffickers

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-03

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