GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Over the years, Cameroon has struggled to redress the persistent issues surrounding human trafficking and the violation of the rights of women and children. Human trafficking and the violation of the rights of women and children in Cameroon refer to the illegal movement of individuals, typically for force labor or commercial exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.  Significant resources are continuously being directed at combating the violation of the rights of women and children, trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable people around the world. Despite these efforts especially by receiving countries, the trend is systematically increasing as the rich- poor divide increases. The results of this illicit national issue in a global perspective are multidimensional as the human smuggling and trafficking industry nourishes crime, corrupt officials, and opportunistic consumers. Due to the rampant spread of trafficking across international borders and its degrading effects, Cameroon have ratified international instruments and also put in place many other national instruments to combat trafficking within it national territory. Cameroon is a source, transit, and destination country for trafficking from neighboring counties in central and West Africa. Some traffickers have resorted to kidnapping children, as increased public awareness has resulted in fewer parents entrusting their children to intermediaries. International efforts to sustainably address the problem and the possible barriers to local and international intervention, which include poverty and a widening ratio of rich to poor people in the country. There is also decreasing human resources in some receiving countries that fuel the demand for cheap labor and sex slaves. Cameroon has been identified as a host, transit and source country for trafficking in women and children in central Africa. the large scale of rural urban migration, and the large population living in conditions of chronic poverty , significant gender equality have been identified as contributory factors for trafficking , for labor and sexual exploitation. During distress situation, such as the Boko haram terrorist attacks in the North or the Anglophone crisis etc. lack of prompt and adequate intervention from state authorities are also a great contributory factor. All these factors make people vulnerable and easy target for traffickers.

Moreover, existing patrilineal family system of most Cameroonian communities are making women and children vulnerable to trafficking largely. Many young women are susceptible to trafficking not only because they lack economic opportunities, but also because they feel like to flee from the load of long hours of involuntary household labor and family care expected of them. The monotony of fetching fuel and water in rural areas and working as unpaid laborer on family farms or in an informal sector enterprise, are not attractive to young women especially those exposed through some education or the media to alternative modern lifestyles.

This research is therefore aimed at examining the factors that propel the execution of this obnoxious practice in Cameroon and the implication of such did as well as the legal provision prohibiting the exigencies of this crime.

Paragraph One: Scope of the study

The study of the violation of the rights of women and children and human trafficking in Cameroon primarily seeks to explore the push and the pull factors on Cameroonian to become victims of human trafficking and violation of rights. The study has a look at the impact of human trafficking in the country and the impact on the victims as well. In trying to analyze the push factors, the study also examines both the national and international framework against human trafficking and the violation of the rights of women and children in Cameroon.

On looking at the impact on Cameroonians, the study made an appraisal on the responsibility of state vis-à-vis Cameroonian citizens’ education on women and child.

Here we are primarily concern with the clarification of the conceptual framework of the study (A) and the identification the space and time in which this study is conducted (B).

A- Conceptual framework

In consideration to the conceptual framework, we are challenged to do a clarification of key terms in the research topic (1) and in another respect we will make a review of scholarly ideas on the concept of human trafficking and the violation of women and children rights in Cameroon (2)

1- clarification of  key terms

The three concepts worthy of clarifications under this section are human trafficking (a), trafficking in person (b) and the violation of the right of children and women (c).

1. Human trafficking

It has its roots from the Latin word “trahere” which means to pull, to drag. “The word trafficking “originally referred to the practice of pulling a cart or a boat, but over time it came to mean the act of trading or dealing in goods.

In the context of human trafficking, the term refers to the illicit trade of human beings for the purpose of exploiting their labor or their bodies. It can involve various sexual exploitation, organ harvesting, and child soldiering. Beyond its etymological root, human trafficking is also deeply intertwined with issues of poverty, gender inequality, and human rights. The people who are most vulnerable to trafficking are often those who are already marginalized and living in poverty. For example, girls and women in developing countries may be lured into trafficking with the promise of a better life, only to find them trapped in a circle of exploitation and violence.

In addition, human trafficking is often enabled by corrupt officials and law enforcement that turn a blind eye to the trade or even participate in it themselves.

The doctrinal definition of human trafficking can also vary depending on the legal and cultural context in which it being defined. However, in general, human trafficking is commonly defined as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons through the use of force, fraud, coercion, deception, or other means for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation may include force labor, sexual exploitation, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude, or removal of organs.

This definition is often based on international legal framework such as the united nations protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in person especially women and children commonly known as the Palermo protocol, which provides a comprehensive definition of human trafficking and sets out guideline for combating this crime.

1. Trafficking in person: the Palermo protocol defines “trafficking in persons”, in its article 3(a) as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payment or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.
2. Violation of children and women rights: the term “violation of women and children rights” is deriving from the Latin word ‘violare”, which means “to injure, to violate.” This infringement of a law or rule. When we talk about violations of women and children rights, we’re talking about a breach of the rights that women and children should enjoy as human being. These rights may include the right to education and healthcare, the right to be free from discrimination and exploitation, and the rights to live in safety and dignity.

However, human trafficking and the violation of the right of women and children are related issues that can intersect in certain circumstances, but they are distinct concept with different legal and human rights implications. While human trafficking can involve the violation of the right of women, not all violations of women’s rights constitute human trafficking. It is important to address both issues separately and through targeted interventions that address the specific root causes and dynamics of each problem.