Tunisia – Half of human trafficking cases are children: National Anti-Trafficking Authority

Location: Tunis – Tunisia

Language: Arabic

Duration: 00:05:09

Sound: natural

Source: A24 in Tunisia

Restrictions: A24 subscribers

Date: 09/06/ 2022

Storyline:

Tunisian National Anti-Trafficking Authority (INLCTP) confirmed that figures in its annual report indicate an increase in human trafficking in Tunisia, which involves 19 different nationalities.

The authority recorded 438 cases of human trafficking, noting that the percentage of women and children is more than 65 percent, most are in the context of forced labor.

Although crimes of sexual exploitation of human trafficking victims decreased by 15 percent in 2021, after it was around 30 percent in 2020, the authority noted the emergence of new phenomena, including attempts to sell infants and children.

President of National Anti-Trafficking Authority, Raoudha Laabidi, told A24 that there is a 50 percent decline in sexual exploitation, but an increase in forced labor of children. She added that there is emergence of new phenomena; criminal exploitation of children, forced marriage and forced pregnancy. She said these cases mainly involve foreigners, adding that data changes year to year between an increase and a decrease.

Shotlist:

Soundbite (Raoudha Laabidi – President of National Anti-Trafficking Authority (INLCTP))

“Tunisia is particularly and primarily concerned with economic exploitation, forced labor and sexual exploitation. Other issues in Tunisia include human trafficking, which involves mainly children, as 50 percent of trafficking cases are children, and 30 percent are women. More than 50 percent of victims are foreigners, specifically from sub-Saharan Africa. As for nationalities, we recorded in 2021 around 19 different nationality, the first of which is Cote d’Ivoire, as well as Syria and others. The nationalities recorded change from year to year according to the geopolitical situation in countries. This year, there is a 50 percent decline in sexual exploitation, which is very significant data, but an increase in forced labor and economic exploitation of children. There are new phenomena, including criminal exploitation of children and attempts to sell infants and children. There are also cases of forced marriage and forced pregnancy. These issues involve foreigners who escaped these situations and are under the care of Tunisia. Every year the data changes in terms of an increase and a decrease.”

Soundbite (Mehyar Hammadi – Child Protection Delegate in Tunisia)

“This report is alarming, considering 50 percent of the victims are children and 30 percent are women. Here in the state of Tunisia and the Ministry of Women, we have interventions and coordination with all parties involved; judicial, social, health, civil society as well as the Ministry of Interior through specialized units in research into crimes of violence against women and children. This means that children we are notified about from state institutions or civil society, are under our care and protection, especially since there are children who are foreigners.”

Soundbite (Bassem Souissi – Project officer of Anti-Trafficking Programme in International Centre for Migration Policy Development)

“Our international organization operates in more than 90 countries around the world. We work on migration issues anti-trafficking, which is a global phenomenon in many countries. Human trafficking is a transnational phenomenon and crime that begins in one country but could end in another or be across many countries. The International Centre for Migration Policy Development supports the National Anti-Trafficking Authority in several projects that aim to enhance the capabilities of parties involved anti-trafficking, especially judicial police officers including judges, guards, national security agents, and inspectors.”