Zimbabwe has not been spared from the scourge of Trafficking in Persons (TiP) as it has been identified as a source, transit and destination country of men, women and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour. Between 2015 and 2018, more than 160 Zimbabwean victims of trafficking were identified and assisted by the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) with support from partners such as IOM. To further support the GoZ to combat trafficking, IOM conducted a five-day capacity building Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop on victim protection and coordination for Government officials and Civil Society to enhance their efforts to coordinate anti trafficking responses and protect Victims of Trafficking (VoTs).

The workshop was attended by 20 participants from various Government Ministries, Departments and Civil Society who constitute the Zimbabwe Anti Trafficking Ministerial Committee (TiP Protection Pillar). The Government officials and Civil Society officers who were trained in Darwendale, Mashonaland West Province from 29 July to 2 August 2019, will further cascade the training to shelter staff, Government officials and Civil Society personnel in various provinces in the country with IOM support. The GoZ through the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare will coordinate the provincial trainings to address gaps, standardise responses to trafficking and strengthen protection services to identified VoTs in Zimbabwe.

“Trafficking is real in Zimbabwe and VoTs have varied needs including repatriation, medical, mental health, psychosocial and income generating support. There is need to improve coordination, awareness raising and documentation of trafficking cases to effectively respond to these needs,” said Mrs Susan Ngani, the Provincial Social Welfare Officer, Harare.

“This workshop has assisted us as stakeholders involved in the caring of trafficked persons with practical guidance on understanding the short and long-term needs of VoTs and consider appropriate approaches to care for them within the human rights framework,” added Mrs Ngani.

The GoZ through the Anti Trafficking Inter Ministerial Committee has made significant strides to combat trafficking through the implementation of the National Action Plan of Action (NAPLAC) on TiP, this includes the launch of five provincial anti-trafficking task teams with four expected to be launched by end of September 2019. These efforts by the GoZ have seen the country being elevated on the global TiP report for 2019 from Tier 2 watch list to Tier 2 consistent with countries whose Governments are making significant efforts to comply with standards outlined in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000.

The capacity building workshop was supported within the implementation frameworks of the U.S. Department of State (DoS) Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP) project Combating Trafficking in Zimbabwe through Prevention, Protection and an institutionalized National Referral Mechanism project. IOM will continue to support the GoZ and Civil Society to enhance their efforts to coordinate anti trafficking responses and protect VoTs.

 For more information please contact Varaidzo Mudombi at IOM Zimbabwe telephone +263242704285 email: vmudombi@iom.int