06 Aug 2024

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has been hailed for its unwavering support and collaboration with the government of Botswana to combat trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants.

Legal Aid Botswana station manager for Maun, Ms Boitumelo Seroba said UNODC has been a steadfast partner in the country’s efforts to combat trafficking in persons, adding that the office provided invaluable resources, technical assistance and expertise. Ms Seroba said this during the trafficking in persons  and smuggling of migrant training for law enforcement officers in Maun on Monday.

UNODC involvement, she said, underscored a global commitment to combating the heinous crimes, 

“Your contributions have been instrumental in shaping our national strategies, enhancing our legislative frameworks and building the capacities of our criminal justice practitioners,” she said.

 Ms Seroba said human trafficking and smuggling were not mere violations of the law but were egregious affronts to human dignity and fundamental human rights.  Such crimes, she said do not discriminate but they affected people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds, often preying on the most vulnerable members of the society, adding that the statistics were staggering and sobering.

According to the UNODC’s, global report on trafficking in persons, millions of individuals are trafficked across borders each year with a significant proportion being children and young women.

“These victims are subjected to unimaginable exploitation, ranging from forced labour to sexual exploitation. In Botswana, we are not immune to these challenges. While Botswana has made significant strides in strengthening legal and institutional frameworks to combat such crimes, there is still much work to be done,” she added.

Furthermore, Ms Seroba pointed out that the training was a testament to the government’s ongoing commitment to addressing the crimes and  it was a critical step in equipping the criminal justice practitioners with the knowledge, skills and tools necessary to effectively identify, investigate and prosecute cases of trafficking and smuggling.

The government approach to combating trafficking and smuggling, she said, must be holistic and multifaceted, noting that it required a coordinated effort across various sectors, including law enforcement, the judiciary, social services, and civil society.

In addition, she said legal frameworks should be strengthened to enhance investigative and prosecutorial capacities and provide comprehensive support services for victims as well as to raise public awareness among communities on the dangers of trafficking and smuggling.

She said that it was only through a comprehensive and coordinated response, that crime could be addressed effectively. To the participants , she said “share your experiences and learn from the experts and from each other. This is an invaluable opportunity to deepen our understanding of these complex issues and to develop practical strategies for combating them”.

Ms Seroba reminded them that their work was not just about enforcing the law but also about restoring dignity and hope to those who had been robbed of their basic human rights. 

The three-day training, organised by the Ministry of Justice in collaboration with UNODC ,aimed to equip officers with specialised skills and knowledge necessary to effectively combat trafficking and smuggling crimes. Ends