Challenges in assistance provision to child victims of transnational trafficking in South Africa

ABSTRACT

Child trafficking is a violation of multiple human rights and a child protection challenge in South Africa and worldwide. Thus, assistance provision can be a protective factor in the emotional and the psychosocial well-being of trafficked child victims. Stakeholders (including social workers) working in the field of trafficking were studied qualitatively to understand the nexus between child trafficking and service provision. The challenges the participants had encountered within assistance provision were explored through in-depth interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings from the study indicate that assistance provision is not an easy linear process and that multinational, multi-agency, long-term sustained response, with multi-focus on prevention, prosecution and protection (including rehabilitation) is required to enhance successful resettlement and adaptation. This response should be based on the rights of the child rather than based on law enforcement and immigration.

MUHTASARI

Ulanguzi was watoto ni hatia inayokiuka haki za kibinadamu na usalama wa watoto Afrika Kusini na duniani kote kwa jumla. Kwa ajili hii, huduma za usaidizi unaweza kuwa njia za kupeana usalama wa kihisia na kisaikologia kwa watoto walioadhirika na ulanguzi. Washika dau katika nyanja hii ya ulanguzi wa watoto walisomwa ili kubaini uhusiano kati ya ulanguzi wa watoto na huduma zinazopewa kwa waadhiriwa. Chango moto wanazopitia washuka dau hawa zilinakiliwa kupita mahojiano na kuchambuliwa kwa kutumia uchambuzi ufadhili. Ilibainika kuwa huduma ya usaidizi sio jambo rahisi na kwamba kinachohitajika ni mataifa tofauti kushirikiana na mashirika tofauti ya kimataifa kwa kutumia mbinu tofauti za kuzuia na kulinda watoto kutokana na ulanguzi. Mbinu hizi zipasa kuzingatia zaidi haki za watoto kuliko utekelazaji wa sheria au sera na sheria za uhaniaji.

KEYWORDS:

• Transnational trafficking
• child victims
• assistance provision

MANENO KAMILI:

• Ulanguzi wa watu kwa mataifa tofauti
• watoto walioadhirika
• huduma za usaidizi

Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges Linda Shuma Mariwa who assisted with the translation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Dr Ajwang Warria is a registered social worker and currently works as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, South Africa). Her doctoral study was on child trafficking and policy development. Her interests are in child protection, international social work, hidden populations and intervention research.