RELIGIOUS SISTERS AND BROTHERS TO LEAD ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING EFFORTS

By Ojok Robert Mone

Gulu city

With the surging cases of human trafficking caused by unemployment in Uganda, the catholic Bishops of Uganda last year issued pastoral letter in regards to the challenges relating to human trafficking.

Victims of human trafficking are prey to forced labour, forced marriage, fraudulent adoption, illicit organ trade, or sexual exploitation.
While addressing Religious Nuns and Brothers from Comboni missionary spirituality centre Layibi in Gulu city, the Archbishop of Gulu John Baptist Odama says human trafficking is Rebellion against God.

The Archbishop describes Human trafficking as ‘Humanity against Humanity’ tracing from Genesis 37, Joseph son of Jacob, the patriarch of Israel who was sold by his half-brothers to Egypt.  

Religious Brothers and Sisters under their umbrella body St. Bakhita Network on Anti-Human trafficking championed by Holy Cross sisters have so far rehabilitated more than three hundred victims of forced labor and sexual harassment mainly from Arab countries. 

Sr. Nancy Rose Njoroge from the Institute of Holy Cross sisters says currently fifty-seven women are undergoing rehabilitation with others taking on non-formal skills training to be self-sustaining and support dependance at Sisters of the Holy Cross Peace and Justice centre in Fort Portal city. “After rehabilitation, we release them back to the community and where necessary, we do reintegration,” Sr. Nancy added.

The programs manager of Holy Cross peace and Justice Centre Joseph Mutabingwa believes it’s important for the religious to understand the nature and trend in human trafficking in the entire country with focus of raising awareness develop a consortium and equipping them with clear massages to strengthen fight against trafficking domestically and abroad.

Jackie (not true name) who was trafficked in 2018 to work in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, benefited from skills training program of Holy Cross sisters in solar installation and now she can earn on average One hundred thousand shillings(100,000) weekly.

According to Jackie, she suffered sexual harassment from a family that had eleven people of which five were men for more than six months before being deported after she was impregnated.

A lawyer by Profession, Matthew Otto thinks victims sometimes suffer silently looking at the way they were trafficked. Laws are available internationally and nationally but many have become victims of trafficking by being sweet talked to agencies. “We need communities who are informed on the dangers of working abroad” Mathew emphasized.      

It’s estimated that 100,000 people are trafficked annually across national borders, and millions more were trafficked within their own borders, Victims are often trafficked domestically or abroad in response to the specific demands of others. Many people unknowingly procure services of trafficked persons to support themselves and their families.

According to National report on countering trafficking in persons in Uganda for 2021, A total of 421 incidents were registered from January to December, 2021 compared to 214 incidents registered period in 2020, giving an increase of 96.7%.

Between 2016-2021, Victims of Trafficking in Persons went up to 1295 persons were victims of Trafficking in Persons out of whom 790 were victims of transnational trafficking, 475 were victims of internal trafficking while 30 victims were unknown. 713 were female adults, 285 were female juveniles, and 181 victims were male adults while 86 were male juveniles

However, by 31st December, 2021, a total of 403 cases were taken to court, out of which 30 cases secured convictions, 11 cases were withdrawn from court by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, 01 case was acquitted and 361 cases were still pending in court.

A total of 501 suspects of Trafficking in Persons were arrested, out of whom 279 were male adults, 116 suspects were female adults, 08 suspects were male juveniles and 04 suspects were female juveniles, 12 were companies suspected of trafficking in persons.

COVER PHOTO: Dr. John Baptist Odama, chairman Caritas, Justice and Peace commission of Uganda Episcopal Conference. By Ojok Robert Mone