US Embassy donates US$18,000 to combat trafficking in humans

The United States Embassy today gave a U.S. $18,000 grant to the Girl Child Network (GCN) under its new partnership program aimed at combating trafficking in humans.

The grant will enable GCN to carry out a public awareness campaign on trafficking of girls and to launch strategies to rehabilitate victims of trafficking. 

Officiating at the signing on ceremony today, Eric Shultz, Chargé D’Affaires at the American Embassy, said the support to GCN was part of his Government’s initiative to combat human trafficking globally.
“The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (2000) requires that we develop international partnerships to prevent trafficking in persons, to secure the freedom of those who are exploited and to help those victims return to normal lives. We are very happy to present one of the first grants in this area”, said Shultz.

Betty Makoni, Director of GCN told delegates that the campaign will seek close collaboration with the media and women’s organizations.

“Thousands of women and girls are trafficked from rural to urban areas, from Zimbabwe to neighboring countries and across the oceans. Their stories are sad and horrifying yet in Zimbabwe there is silence about this issue,” she said.

In a recent report compiled by the US Government, Zimbabwe is classified as Tier 3 because the Government placed many of its citizens at increased risk for exploitation as a result of Operation Murambatsvina. An estimated 223,000 children were affected and left vulnerable for trafficking. The report also notes some positive signs including the training of police officers by the International Organization of Migration and progress under the Victim Friendly Unit of the Zimbabwe Republic Police which actively investigated at least nine cases of suspected trafficking…

Issued: June 13, 2006
Ref: 06-PR-02