Human trafficking: tough sanctions sought
Nov 08, 2016
The Committee of Women Parliamentarians called for criminalization of human trafficking
Kadaga addressing the Committee of Women Parliamentarians in Rabat, Morocco.
Women parliamentarians across Africa have called on government to equip agencies with the latest technologies that can help detect activities of traffickers so as to reduce cases of human trafficking especially of women and children.
The legislators under the Committee of Women Parliamentarians of the African Parliamentary Union (APU) made the call in a resolution that stated that human trafficking affects more than two million people annually, mostly women and children.
They added that such trade generates more than $6m higher than what is estimated in illicit drug trade.
The Committee, which met on Monday in Morocco National Assembly in Rabat, called for criminalization of human trafficking.
"Immigration, labour, health and child protection laws must be reviewed and amended to cover all aspects of trafficking," read the resolution.
Speaker of the Ugandan Parliament, who was at the meeting, Rebecca Kadaga, called for specialized training for the Police in areas of human trafficking to combat the crime.
"We should make sure that police officers we send out have been trained, to detect and counter the traffickers. And also be in position to identify the victims and culprits in time," said Kadaga.
Other ways of combating the vice according to Kadaga is making use of cyber security laws to monitor the internet, the main channel for trafficking girls.
"Many of our girls are married on the internet. Someone marries you but when you travel out of the country to meet your partner, you are into prostitution. We need to work very hard to monitor the content on the internet,"
The Committee of African Women Parliamentarians is part of the 39th Conference of the African Parliamentary Union that has been meeting in Rabat, Morocco from 5th to 9th November 2016.
Uganda's delegation is comprised of Members of Parliament; James Baba (Koboko), Hellen Kahunde (Kiryandongo District), Sarah Temulanda Nakawunde (Mpigi District) and Geofrey Dhamuzungu (Budiope East).