In Malawi, despite COVID-19 restrictions, there had been over 300 victims to human trafficking and 31 arrests associated with this trafficking. Maxwell Matewere, who works in Malawi with the UN Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has been working hard to prevent and train officials in the country to effectively combat human trafficking for decades now as a Crime Prevention Expert. As Matewere explains, over the last decades, “human trafficking is a big problem in my country” and many victims have been “forced [into] labour and commercial sexual exploitation.” These men, women, and children have mainly come from rural areas in Africa and until recently, many citizens were not as well informed or aware of this human trafficking industry. It has been Mateweres goal to put this industry to a halt.

Now that Malawi has official laws in place to combat the issues around human trafficking, Matewere is optimistic about the future progression in the country and is continuing to assist in developing a proper national action plan. This has not been an easy task and it has taken a lot of work to spread this awareness around the country to ensure things change. Matewere has been on countless trips across Malawi visiting villages and training and mentoring many officials in law enforcement to identify and handle these inhumane traffickings. Not only has Matewere put into action training at the borders and for immigration officers to identify and place value on the human rights of these victims, he has also put into action a plan for social workers to help victims recover from these tragedies. Matewere’s work has left a lasting impression on the country and has set the tone for a positive outlook for victims subjected to human trafficking. There are many tricks these perpetrators use on trafficked victims but the main objective for the UN and Matewere going forward is to raise awareness on all levels and shed light as to what their tactics are in the first place.

Matewere constantly refers to the human trafficking crisis as “hidden crime.” It is disheartening to see how many cases go undetected and unheard of. Matewere has been proud of certain cases he has resolved which included human trafficked individuals from Nepal working in Malawi for labor and Malawi citizens human trafficked to Kuwait and Iraq for labor. He has notably been able to identify these cases and issue the safe return home of these victims to their families and livelihoods. Not to mention, Matewere has identified many human trafficking cases involving young women and children sold for prostitution and enforced marriages.

Malawi is a very significant spot in Africa with regards to human trafficking, as it is referred to as the transit country for human traffickers to other African countries. That being said, “The Government of Malawi accepts that more needs to be done to tackle this crime and there are gaps in the current approach,” says Matewere. The government has also shown its interest in receiving expertise from expertise in this field. This is a huge step toward resolving this crisis for Malawi. This year, they have even started implementing their national Trafficking in Persons Act which should make significant progress to formulate law and order around it. Now with the act in place, people like Stephano Joseph, the District Social Welfare Officer for Blantyre have a better idea as to approach human trafficking in their profession. “I learnt about the required standards and procedures we must follow when providing assistance to the victims of trafficking,” explains Joseph. This is a positive step forward.

With the help of UNODC, through its Global Programme against Trafficking in Persons and the continuous support from the U.K. in this battle, national strategies and legal frameworks have really moved the country forward. To develop this plan even further, I would recommend the UN and Mateware dive deeper into the root issues of human trafficking in Malawi and how they can support the people in connection to Malawi and Africa to remove themselves from the need to human traffick. The reason these perpetrators usually turn to trafficking others is about money. How can we in the future look to resolve this need and steer these individuals on the right path towards better jobs and stability? Obviously, we need to ensure the victims safety and livelihoods first and foremost, but what if we can reduce the chances of it happening by investigating the criminals themselves and working to dissolve their networks? As the United States Department for Homeland Security states: “Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to lure their victims and force them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation. They look for people who are susceptible for a variety of reasons, including psychological or emotional vulnerability, economic hardship, lack of a social safety net, natural disasters, or political instability.” They are taking advantage of these victims in a cruel way, and this needs to be stopped at the root place. I think it is an incredible step forward to start involving government networks and institutions to fight against human trafficking together and better stop it with proper procedures in place. Educating the victims is also a great step forward, but as the Department for Homeland Security states in their definition of human trafficking, some victims are simply forced to be human trafficked. This does not help them.

It is my opinion that human trafficking is a global issue and all countries should be on board to invest money and resources into stopping it. It is important the international community step up to shut down this industry and not leave it up to the victims to suffer. Matewere’s progress in Malawi has shown the international community that this is in fact a very serious issue and needs to be addressed in a swift manner. Matewere’s work has also proven that with persistent efforts, huge changes regarding the human rights and safety of Malawi’s citizens can be put first above all and improved drastically.