Human trafficking is a horrifying epidemic that is occurring all over the world. Although it seems like an issue that we are distanced from as American citizens, it is common everywhere. It is even a growing issue right here in Missouri. There are approximately 20 to 30 million slaves across the globe today, which is significantly higher than the number of slaves in the 1800's when it was legal and was a staple to life in the Southern United States. Human trafficking is second only to drug and weapon trafficking as the three largest illegal businesses around the globe. (Born Free) And unfortunately, Cameroon is no exception to these worldwide trends.
Unfortunately, like many other countries in southwestern Africa, Cameroon is a hub for human trafficking and sex slavery. Women, children, and sometimes even grown men are potentially at risk to the horrors of this business of inhumanity. There has been a consistent trend of "intermediaries" that have been contributing to the spike of child slavery and trafficking in Cameroon. These intermediaries are people who promote themselves to citizens, saying they have access to education and better living conditions in order to bring their children a better life. With a poor lack of understanding and knowledge, thousands of parents have reluctantly handed over their children in trust hoping to provide more opportunities to their children. These intermediaries then sell the children , male or female, to the highest bidder and turn these innocent kids into sex slaves or uncompensated laborers in countries all over the world. Victims of the Cameroon human trafficking trade have been rescued in countries all over the world including Germany, Sweden, Slovakia, Denmark, and other African nations. This shows how prominent and wide spread this issue truly is. It is crossing borders, continents, and oceans on a worldwide scale.
This evil and senseless business generates anywhere from $32 to $150 billion on a yearly basis. It has grown out of control and is spreading all over the world. One of the main ways to combat this issue, as members of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) explains, is to educate women and children on the dangers of human trafficking. Informing and educating vulnerable youth on the issue is an easy way to prevent them from falling victim to this global atrocity. Without educating youth on this issue, how are we supposed to save them from it? If we don't educate them, how will they know how easy it is to fall victim to the evils of human trafficking, especially on the Internet? These are the questions that need to be asked when addressing this delicate issue. These intermediaries in Cameroon can be a thing of the past as soon as education plans are implemented. And although kidnapping is still prevalent, it will dramatically bring down the number of people that fall victim to trafficking. Education and law enforcement are the first steps in the right direction to make human trafficking a thing of the past.
Ending modern slavery needs to be a top priority for government and law enforcement officials in Cameroon and countries all over the world. The horrific realities of human slave trade need to be known in order to raise awareness of the issue and begin to fight it all over the world. Any of these poor victims could easily turn into a sister, brother, friend, or loved one of your own. Spreading awareness and forcing the conversation onto people of power will expedite the process of ending these atrocities once and for all.
SOURCES:
Born Free: How to Prevent Human Trafficking. By Sarah E. Mendelson
https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-human-trafficking
http://yaounde.usembassy.gov/tipreport.html
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