Adopting a Human Rights-based Approach to Counteract Trafficking -in-Women: The Case of Ethiopia
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Date
2011-11
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Trafficking in persons which is akin to contemporwy slavelY is highly prevalent across the
world. It is affecting thousands o.{persons in all corners of the globe. While men and boys can be
exposed to trafficking, the women and girls constitutes a significant majority ol victims of
trafficking. Ethiopia is among source countries of many women and girls exposed to trafficking.
Each year thousands of Ethiopian women and girls are trafficked across international border to
mainly Middle East countries for labor and sexual exploitation purposes. Ethiopian women are
subjected to multiple human rights abuses in destination coun tries. Thus, this thesis seeks to
examine the sufjiciency and adequacy ol anti/rafficking measures adopted in Ethiopia to
counteract trafficking in women.
The study"identifies that th ere are two dominant approaches to countera ct trajJicking in persons
including women trafficking. These ar e: criminal justice approach and human rights based
approach antitrafficking response. It argues that criminal justice approach which views
trqUicking as crime and immigration issues resolvable by prosecution of traffickers alone is
lOSing currency. It fails mainly to address the root causes irafficking in persons in addition to
lack o.l protection to VaT As a result, human righ ts based approach that considers trafficking in
women as human rights issues deeming a human rights oriented interventions is gaining ground
in antitrafficking discourses. The study, jilrther, argues that A Human Rights Ba sed Approach
AntitralJicking Re sponse addresses not only Ihe process and consequences aftrafficking but also
it seeks to dismantle Ihe structural root causes such as poverty, lack of education, unemployment
and discrimination against women that feed trafficking in women. Accordingly, a human ri ghts
based approach antitrafficking en compasses prosecution of trafficking cases, protection of VoT
and prevention of Ira.lJicking in holistic manner. Thus, the purpose o.lthis thesis is to assess
whether antitralJicking adopted in Ethiopia are in line with human rights based approach
standards. The th esis reveals that while there are some positive initiatives and efforts,
antiirafficking measures adopted in Ethiopia .!cdl short oj" Human Rights Based Approach
antitrqlJicking standards. The lack ()llegislative, policy and instilutional ji"({/l1eworks coupled
with deficienCies in prosecution, protection and prevention strategies prove this asserlion.
Therej"ore , it is a high time to adopt A Human Rights Based Approach antilra/ficking re!>panse in
the countlyto see the effective and meaningfid eradica tion o.lthe trafficking in women.
Key terms: trqfjicking in persons, women, criminal justice approach, human rights, a human
rights based approach, prosecution, protection, prevention, victims of traffic king
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Keywords
Human Rights-based, Approach to Counteract Trafficking,Women:Case of Ethiopia