Third, there has been an evolution in official statements given by the government around the existence of human trafficking in Namibia. This means that a fishing company in China can register to fish in Namibia and pay the registration fee electronically. Tier 1 countries, including the United States, still have much room for improvement. Significant efforts are underway with all the relevant stakeholders working together to curb the scourge of trafficking in persons in Namibia. Judicial backlogs from courts which operated at a reduced capacity during the pandemic remained, hindering law enforcement efforts. Authorities did not report identifying any trafficking victims from the hotline. Media and an international organization reported the government identified 83 trafficking victims in two cases compared with identifying seven victims in 2021. There is little oversight of the online open registries. Get by Email RSS. None of the workers had work permits or visas. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfil their human rights obligations. The U.S. Department . The TIP report, compiled by the U.S. Department of State, is the worlds most comprehensive resource on governmental anti-trafficking efforts and reflects the U.S. Governments commitment to global leadership on this key human rights issue. The 2009 Prevention of Organized Crime Act (POCA) criminalized labor and sex trafficking and prescribed penalties of up to 50 years imprisonment or a fine not exceeding 1 million Namibian dollars ($81,200). This is the third consecutive year that Trafficking in Person's (TIP) Report ranked Namibia in the top tier, and Namibia remains the only "Tier 1" African country. In some cases, Namibian parents may have unwittingly sold their children into trafficking conditions, including child prostitution. Photo: FILE, Namibia retains Tier 1 anti-trafficking ranking. The .gov means its official. He hasnt been seen since he disappeared from his cabin aboard the vessel. Government officials are working with the Southern African Development Community to develop model comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation which could be effectively adopted in countries throughout the region. The government used its agreement for mutual legal assistance with the Government of Angola to investigate cross-border trafficking cases and maintained bilateral law enforcement cooperation agreements with the Governments of Zimbabwe and Angola. U.S. Consul General Susan Burns Visited With Frontline Workers Combating Human Trafficking, USAIDs Thailand Counter Trafficking in Persons Project Signs MOU with Thailands Ministry of Labor and Department of Fisheries to Reduce Worker Vulnerability to Human Trafficking, USAID Improves Support for Survivors of Human Trafficking, Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC). Trafficking into Namibia includes children from Angola trafficked mainly for sex and forced labour the latter also includes street vending in Windhoek and other cities, as well as into fishing and cattle herding. Namibia identified 21 VoTs in the year 2018 of which 5 were placed in non-governmental (NGO) shelters. Vit Nam ready to cooperate with US on human trafficking, Singleton, Gopal, Bill to Combat Human Trafficking Advances. Credentials are incorrect, please try again! This achievement forms part of an initiative on Strengthening Coordination in response to Trafficking in Persons (TiP) in Namibia. Of the 83 victims identified, the government collaborated with international organizations to identify and repatriate 35 Namibian women exploited in domestic servitude in Oman and identified 48 foreign male labor trafficking victims on a fishing vessel. The assessment on the victims were done by social workers, and that is still ongoing, as well as inspection of the vessels by labor ministry officials, and it was detected that these people were maltreated, working long hours without rest, National Police spokesperson and Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi told The Namibian. Namibia is a source and destination country for children, and to a lesser extent women, subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. VULNERABLE: The reported number of trafficking victims was lower this year. Human Trafficking Victims Discovered on Shadowy Fishing Vessels in Namibia. Dozens of suspected human trafficking victims were rescued from two industrial fishing vessels in Namibia in early September. Fishermen from Kenya and Indonesian workers in Somalia have publicly alleged that Chinese captains and crew members beat them, provided inadequate food and shelter, and forced them to work after their contracts expired with no additional pay. Daniel Imbili, union president of Namibia Fishing Industries as well as the Fishermen and Allied Workers Union, agreed, telling The Namibian that unions and the government should work together to protect fishermen. The government inappropriately penalized victims with incarceration, fines, and deportation solely for offenses committed as a direct result of being trafficked and detained potential trafficking victims, even after identification as such by government officials, instead of referring them to care. Victims are lured by traffickers to urban centers and commercial farms with promises of legitimate work for good wages they may never receive. The Namibian government made the following key achievements to reach Tier 1 during this reporting period: By U.S. Embassy Windhoek | 26 June, 2020 | Topics: Human Rights, News, Press Releases, TTIP, U.S. & Namibia | Tags: Namibia, Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. The government previously reported it opened eight government-operated shelters available to trafficking victims; however, the shelters were not operationalized during the reporting period. The government could place child victims in government-operated residential childcare facilities and provide access to education. Namibian women and children, including orphans, from rural areas are the most vulnerable to trafficking. Do you believe that? The government reported it conducted anti-trafficking training for officials in law enforcement and the judiciary. Penalties for these crimes are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape. Seventeen GBV Protection Units nationwide offered initial psycho-social, legal, and medical support to victims of crime, in coordination with the police, the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Child Welfare (MGEPECW), the Ministry of Health and Social Services, and NGOs. It further stated that Namibian children are subjected to forced labour in agriculture, cattle herding, and domestic service, as well as to sex trafficking to Windhoek and Walvis Bay. Where are they? 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 otherwise penalized. There is a regional variation of trafficking activity with a large number of people being trafficked from regions closer to Namibias borders, it found. Global AIDS Coordinator and Global Health Diplomacy, Office of the U.S. Special Presidential Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Special Representative for Syria Engagement, U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Office of the U.S. [1], 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. The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all UN Member States. However, the government did not report initiating any investigations into fraudulent recruitment for the third consecutive reporting period. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. The government did not report screening vulnerable populations including irregular migrants, refugees, and individuals in commercial sex for trafficking indicators, as in previous reporting periods, and some trafficking victims may have remained unidentified within the law enforcement system. I want to personally congratulate the Government of Namibia, NGO and civil society organizations, and international organizations for their collaboration and dedication to combatting human trafficking in Namibia.. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. ADF is a professional military magazine published quarterly by U.S. Africa Command to provide an international forum for African security professionals. Is it not a rumour? International Human Rights Day/Namibia Women's Day; Quick access to documents Strategic Plan 2020/21 - 2024/25; Annual Work Plan Report 2020-2021; Ghanas Homegrown Special Boat Squadron Signals New Era, Detention of Ivoirian Soldiers in Mali Heightens Tension in the Region, Sudans Warring Sides Target Citizens with Digital Disinformation Campaigns, Digital Footprints Offer a Window Into Covert Actions, Experts Offer Ways Nigeria Can Improve Security, Russia Uses Local Voices to Spread Propaganda. It is suspected that so far, 26 Namibians between the age of 27 and 40 have been human trafficked to Oman. 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. Trafficking has increased to supply increasing demand for cheap labour and the thriving commercial sex industry. PO Box 5033, Ausspannplatz, Windhoek NGOs and international organizations intercepted 1,168 potential victims of trafficking through transit monitoring at airports and border crossings. NAMIBIA recorded 19 cases of human trafficking last year. [1] The Government of Namibia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. 17 Route des Morillons, 1211Geneva 19, Switzerland, Copyright 2023International Organization for Migration. The government made no discernible efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts during the reporting period.[1]. Occasional breakdowns in communication between government officials and civil society and within government ministries led to a lack of coordination among members of the National Coordinating Body (NCB). Constitution and Basic Texts of the Governing Bodies, Deputy Director General for Management and Reform, International Cooperation and Partnerships, Migration, Environment and Climate Change, Climate Change Forces Humanitarian Community to Adapt IOM DG Tells ECOSOC HAS, Concrete Solutions Needed to Address Climate Migration in the Mediterranean Region: IOM, IOM Has Helped Over 700,000 Refugees Integrate into New Countries since 2001, Rabat Declaration Adopted to Improve Refugee and Migrant Health. Secondly, the number of people being trafficked is growing at an alarming rate. The government did not report allocating any funding for the three NGO shelters, compared with allocating 6 million Namibian dollars ($354,020) in the previous reporting period. In 2020 alone, Namibia arrested 31 individuals for sex and labor trafficking and has 29 open investigations, compared to the investigation of nine cases in 2018. Police operated a toll-free hotline for the public to call in with tips on trafficking cases. 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 and assist in investigations and prosecutions. To give effect to the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children; to criminalise trafficking in persons and related offences; to protect and assist victims of trafficking in persons, especially women and children; to provide for the coordinated implementation and administration o. Since its inception in 2020, LJI Namibia has intercepted more than 100 individuals to prevent them from being trafficked. If you would like to request a copy of the 2023 TIP Report, please note we have decided to print the introduction section only this year, which excludes the country narratives. The government and NGOs could jointly provide shelter, psycho-social services, medical care, and provision of other basic needs to victims of trafficking, GBV, and child abuse. [1], The Government of Namibia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. The report collects available information on the scope of trafficking in persons in targeted areas of Namibia, reviews counter . Finalized implementing regulations for the Combatting of Trafficking in Persons Act of 2018. Officials began renovating 13 government-owned 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. Online records show that the MV Shang Fu and the Nata 2 are registered to fish in Namibia, but Chinese trawlers are notorious for flagging in to African nations, meaning they use and abuse local rules to ag a foreign-owned and -operated fishing vessel into an African registry to fish in local waters. Three NGO shelters could provide care for men, women, and children, although observers noted it was sometimes difficult to find shelter for male victims. The Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act 2018 includes separate chapters on detailing human trafficking offences; protection of and assistance to victims of trafficking; and enforcement provisions. Ghanaian workers anonymously told the Environmental Justice Foundation that they commonly suffer from physical abuse, lack of drinkable water, occasional 24-hour workdays and a lack of medical treatment on board foreign trawlers. Learn more about each topic, see who's involved, and find the latest news, reports, events and more. While Tier 1 is the highest ranking, it does not mean that a country has no human trafficking problem or that it is doing enough to address the problem. By continuing to browse this site, you agree to this use. Human trafficking is increasingly recognized as an outcome of economic insecurity, gender inequality, and conflict, all significant factors in the region of southern Africa. Romanian prosecutors charged on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, the Tate brothers and two other suspects with human trafficking, rape and organizing a criminal group for the sexual exploitation of women. The Namibian legal system 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. The government identified 21 trafficking victims, including 11 adult male victims, one adult female victim, and nine female child victims, and referred five victims to an NGO shelter, which was partially government-funded. The connection between human tra cking and sexual exploitation in Namibia and its neighbouring countries was rst highlighted by the Deputy Minister of Safety Gabes Shihepo, who while addressing the December 20072 Namibian Senior Police O cers Conference, called upon the Police in both Namibia and SADC region to maintain tight security and . Small business owners and farmers may also participate in trafficking crimes against women or children. Emmanuel Essien, a 28-year-old Ghanaian fisheries observer, was working on board the Chinese trawler Meng Xin 15 when he went missing in July 2019. NAMIBIA reportedly has around 8 000 victims of human trafficking and appears to be a destination for trafficked people, mainly women and children, according to a Commonwealth parliamentary report of 2019. Essien had captured video of the crew engaging insaiko, an illegal practice in which a catch is transferred from a trawler to a large canoe. Following the influx of more than 7,000 Angolan migrants fleeing severe drought in southeastern Angola, Namibians increasingly employ Angolan children as domestic workers and cattle herders, increasing their vulnerability to exploitation. In May 2009, the government enacted the Prevention of Organized Crime Act (POCA) of 2004, which explicitly criminalizes all forms of trafficking. Your free trial has expired. Strengthen coordination and collaboration mechanisms across government ministries and with civil society partners to ensure clear roles and responsibilities, effective anti-trafficking policies, and increased communication. 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