Survivors’ Network Taking Stand in Preventing Modern Slavery – Impact in Cameroon

First published on March 26th, 2020 | Awah Francisca Mbuli

To prevent trafficking which falls under target 8.7 of the 17 SDGs and cut across many of the other SDGs, people, specifically women, who are most vulnerable to this abuse, need vocational training to build skills so that they can work and become self-sufficient in their home countries. Microfinance can help those who have the skills to start businesses. However, even more than that is necessary. There needs to be social and economic empowerment education so that men cannot control women’s futures. Co-ops are a great example of one way that anti-trafficking organizations have historically impacted many women’s self-sufficiency.

When it comes to communities, awareness campaigns about human trafficking and modern-day slavery can help to educate and protect people of all ages. Grassroots activities in towns, schools, churches, bus stops, radio and television stations, on the internet and social media all contribute to awareness and increase the possibility that a bystander will intervene or an abuser will think twice. This in no way diminishes the importance of rescuing and caring for the 40 million people who are currently enslaved. It is especially important that, once victims are rescued, they have a supportive network and infrastructure that they can lean on to prevent being re-trafficked.

When all of these preventive methods are met, it will help combat human trafficking and all its’ abuses and will validate our efforts and amplify our abilities to fight this terrible crime.

We are just beginning the anti-trafficking movement in Cameroon. But I know that together, we can end modern-day slavery.

This article was first published on Frontrunners Innovate and is published here with permission from the author and the publisher.

Francisca Mbuli is the founding director of  Survivors’ Network, a female-led Cameroonian NGO that provides vocational training to human trafficking survivors. You can see more of their work here.