One woman’s stance against human trafficking

{Rwanda is among countries that have demonstrated strong commitment towards the fight against human trafficking, a practice so rampant in poor countries. Through human trafficking, women are affected most, they are promised good jobs in foreign countries only to get there and get in bondage of hard labor and sex slavery.}

A report of United States on human trafficking in 2015 ranked Rwanda in the second category of countries which have not yet got basic capacities to tackle human trafficking. The report however indicated that Rwanda demonstrates extreme willingness and commitment to completely eradicate human trafficking.

No African country emerged in the first category of countries with a good stand in fighting against human trafficking.

Rwandans living in the Diaspora have committed to provide their support through a non-profit organization called Grace Children Focus (GCF) towards the eradication of human trafficking.

In an interview with IGIHE, the director and founder of GCF, Marie Grâce Uwiyera said that developed countries have established strategic policies and plans to fight against human trafficking and that human traffickers come to Africa to seduce the youth and others promising good jobs, money, and schools enrollment, among others based on fact that Africa has not yet established strategic measures of countering human trafficking.

Uwiyera said that after realizing human trafficking problems countries like Rwanda are facing, she got inspired to engage in a struggle of seeking how Rwanda can become among first World countries with high performance in countering human trafficking.

“As Rwandans living in the Diaspora, we have committed to contribute towards national development. During Umushyikirano of 2014 we suggested that children be allowed to get identity cards to facilitate the national police to fight against human trafficking,” she said.

She says they have already approached the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF) to seek ways of how they can provide a helping hand in addressing the challenge. The finally decided to provide contributions through the non-profit organization, Grace Children Focus.

{{Some people don’t understand the gravity of human trafficking }}

Uwiyera said that Grace Children Focus wants to increase awareness among Rwandans and local leaders since many Rwandans have not understood how dangerous human trafficking is.

Uwiyera also expressed worries of street children who are even wandering in Kigali city streets which can result into human trafficking at some point.
“We as Grace Children Focus organization, we will concentrate our focus on investigating the causes of street children and assess whether there is no match with human trafficking,” she said.

{{Main focus of Grace Children Focus}}

Uwiyera says that they will, from March 2016 conduct mobilization to increase awareness in trackling human trafficking, collaborate with authorities, international communities and other stakeholders involved in the fight against human trafficking.

She also revealed a plan to establish a rehabilitation institution aimed at rehabilitating people who survived human trafficking.