News
Anti-TIP Training Held for Cameroonian Magistrates
Anti-trafficking in persons (Anti-TIP) efforts in Cameroon was given a boost in early October, when the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) hosted a two-day training for magistrates and lawyers. The training, which was conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, was intended to aid the 36 participants in effectively prosecuting human traffickers in Cameroon. Presidents of various courts and representatives of Cameroon’s Bar Association were among the attendees, who were informed about the global human trafficking issues and Cameroon-specific topics. Read more »»
ABA ROLI Hosts its First Anti-Trafficking Training in Cameroon
Since the passage of a 2005 anti-trafficking in persons (anti-TIP) law, the Cameroonian government has stepped up its efforts to investigate and prosecute criminals involved in human trafficking rings. And yet, many actors in Cameroon charged with overseeing anti-TIP efforts lack sufficient knowledge about the phenomenon or about the 2005 law to effectively combat these crimes. The focus of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s (ABA ROLI) efforts in Cameroon is to address this lack of capacity by training an array of anti-TIP actors. Read more »»
Three New Country Directors in Africa
At the start of 2008, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative is launching new country offices in three African countries that show promise for reform. A trio of new country directors—Mathieu Ndongo-Koni in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Yolande Fouda in Cameroon, and Kenneth Anderson in Ethiopia—have been recruited to oversee the programs as they promote the rule of law in Africa, a region where ABA ROLI’s work is expanding. Read More »»
Programs
Development of Legal Framework for Prosecuting Traffickers
ABA ROLI will create a reference manual setting out a comprehensive strategy for prosecuting traffickers in Cameroon. Naturally, this manual will detail the provisions and procedures of the 2005 child trafficking law, but significant emphasis will also be placed on alternative methods of prosecution. Thus ABA ROLI will also provide information on the international statutes prohibiting trafficking which are applicable under Cameroonian law. Furthermore, traffickers typically break a significant amount of conventional laws as a result of their business. Thus, ABA ROLI will detail the bars of evidence and criminal procedures for prosecuting traffickers under such crimes as rape, kidnapping, battery, and child neglect. The goal of this manual will be to provide prosecutorial options. Those seeking to convict traffickers will have ready access to a portfolio of criminal offences, and standards of evidence, under which to convict traffickers. These manuals will be widely distributed.
Trainings on Trafficking for Members of the Justice Community
ABA ROLI will conduct a series of trainings on trafficking for police and immigration officers, prosecutors, and judges. The purpose of these trainings will be two-fold. Firstly, the trainings will describe both the characteristics of trafficking and techniques for identifying traffickers. Thus this segment of the trainings will promote understanding of the phenomenon of trafficking and will increase the likelihood that traffickers will be treated as serious criminals. The second portion of the trainings will depend on the target audience. For police and immigration officers, the emphasis will be placed on investigating trafficking cases. ABA ROLI will draw on its extensive experience in this area, having engaged in long term police training projects in Kenya and Nigeria. For prosecutors and judges, the trainings will emphasize the legal dimension of trafficking. ABA ROLI will draw extensive on its reference manual in describing the legal options in prosecuting traffickers.
Identifying Needs of the Legal Community
ABA ROLI will seek to establish better lines of communication between different stakeholders in the struggle against trafficking. The goal of this segment of the project is to ensure that each group of actors (NGOs, police, legal professionals) understands not only their own role in stopping trafficking but also the role of other actors. ABA ROLI has found in the past that this type of sensitization greatly increases the ability of anti-trafficking forces to co-ordinate their efforts, ensuring not only an efficient use of resources, but also that efforts will no falter due to miscommunications.
To this end, ABA ROLI will hold an anti-trafficking conference that will unite the various stakeholders involved in trafficking in persons. In additional to promoting discussion on coordinating anti-trafficking efforts, this conference will be designed as a cross-disciple forum on techniques for combating trafficking. ABA ROLI will draw on this conference to organize a working group on trafficking which will incorporate input from NGOs, police, judges, and civil servants. The goal of this working group will be to create a roadmap for anti-trafficking efforts that takes account of the various ideas and reservations of key stakeholders. Thus future reformers will be able to plan further anti-trafficking efforts in full cognizance of the political viability of their proposed efforts.
Background
Cameroon is a country that has been coming to terms with its trafficking problem. Over the course of the last five years, efforts from international and national NGOs have resulted in an increased recognition of the problem of trafficking in the country. ABA ROLI is perfectly positioned to make a substantial impact by increasing the capacity of the Cameroonian legal community to prosecute cases of trafficking. ABA ROLI has strong experience working with police, prosecutors, and judges on identifying, prosecuting, and sentencing traffickers.
Human trafficking in Cameroon takes many forms. Children are frequently trafficked into working on agricultural plantations for little or no recompense, and with no means by which to travel the vast distances to return to their families. Many businessmen abuse the practice of apprenticeship, whereby children from neighboring countries travel to Cameroon to work for experience and training. In practice, it is common for these children to be exploited for no compensation and then deported once they are strong enough to resist coercion. International trafficking, especially of women, to Europe and the Middle East are also serious problems. Thanks the initiative of a broad coalition of NGOs these abuses are currently recognized as illegal. Cameroon passed a child trafficking law in 2005.
However, legislation and recognition can ultimately accomplish very little if traffickers are still able to operate with impunity. Understanding of the legal provisions of anti-trafficking legislation within the Cameroonian legal system is extremely limited, and knowledge of the new law is not widespread. Unless visible action is taken swiftly to build on recent efforts, the issue of human trafficking, including the 2005 law, risk fading into obscurity. In this context, ABA ROLI is perfectly positioned to make a substantial impact by increasing the capacity of the Cameroonian legal community to prosecute cases of trafficking. ABA ROLI has strong experience working with police, prosecutors, and judges on identifying, prosecuting, and sentencing traffickers. ABA ROLI, through a grant from the U.S. Department of State, will address these issues in Cameroon through the following initiatives.
