Prevention and repression of human trafficking in the Democratic Republic of Congo: significant progress
Since December 2022, the Democratic Republic of Congo has taken an important step in the fight against human trafficking. By adopting a new law amending and supplementing the Congolese penal code, the country is showing its determination to prevent and suppress this scourge, in particular with regard to women and children.
This new legislation takes into account the specificities of human trafficking and the international commitments ratified by the DRC. It aims to fight against transnational organized crime, forced labor, the worst forms of child labor, the abolition of slavery and all forms of racial discrimination. This progress allowed the DRC to leave the red zone in terms of human trafficking and to be classified at level tier 2 by the international community.
The U.S. State Department report, released June 15, commended the Congolese government’s efforts to combat human trafficking in 2022. However, it also called for further progress to strengthen prosecutions. against those responsible, improve the protection of victims and intensify preventive measures. The DRC government and its partners are thus urged to build on the progress made and fully implement the new anti-trafficking law.
Human trafficking encompasses different forms of exploitation, such as sexual exploitation, forced prostitution, forced labor, organ trafficking, surrogacy, forced marriage and forced begging. According to the UN, global crises, conflicts and the climate emergency increase the risks of human trafficking. The most vulnerable people are those who lack legal status, who live in poverty, who have limited access to education, health care or decent work, who face discrimination, violence or abuse, or who belong to marginalized communities.
In less than two weeks, the World Day against Trafficking in Persons will be celebrated with the theme “Every victim of human trafficking matters, leaving no one behind”. This underlines the importance of protecting and assisting all victims of trafficking, offering them adequate support and seeking to prevent new situations of exploitation.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is therefore continuing its commitment to the fight against human trafficking, but the challenges remain significant. It is essential that the government dedicate more resources to prosecution, protection of victims and prevention of trafficking, in order to meet international standards and end this modern form of slavery