Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery

Human Trafficking in  [Equatorial Guinea]  [other countries]

Street Children in  [Equatorial Guinea]  [other countries]

Child Prostitution in  [Equatorial Guinea]  [other countries]

Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery

In the first ten years of the 21^st Century - 2000 to 2009

Republic of Equatorial Guinea

The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth. [The World Factbook, U.S.C.I.A. 2009]

Equatorial Guinea has been primarily a destination for children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and possibly for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Children are believed to be trafficked from nearby countries, primarily Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, and Gabon for domestic servitude, market labor, ambulant vending, and other forms of forced labor, such as carrying water and washing laundry. Most victims are believed to be trafficked to Malabo and Bata, where a burgeoning oil industry created demand for labor and commercial exploitation. - U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons Report, June, 2009 [full country report]

CAUTION: The following links have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in Equatorial Guinea. Some of these links may lead to websites that present allegations that are unsubstantiated or even false. No attempt has been made to verify their authenticity or to validate their content.

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Child Labor Increasing in Equatorial Guinea

According to a report released today by the Global March Against Child Labour documenting child labour all over the world, there is no escape for children suffering the "worst forms of child labour" in Equatorial Guinea. This includes child trafficking, child prostitution and other labour by children which should be attending school classes.

Equatorial Guinea is also reported to one of the destinations for regional child trafficking. The report mentions "networks that feed the domestic labour market" in Equatorial Guinea with children from Benin, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo. Equatorial Guinea has a long history of forced labour, both domestic and on plantations, going continuously back to early colonial times

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U.S. Dept of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs

INCIDENCE AND NATURE OF CHILD LABOR - Children are trafficked to Equatorial Guinea from other countries in West and Central Africa, particularly Cameroon, Nigeria, and Benin. Girls are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and domestic servitude, while boys are forced to work as farmhands and street hawkers. Boys trafficked from Nigeria reportedly work in market stalls in Bata without pay or personal freedom.

Bur of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor - Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005

TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS –Trafficking victims had no access to health care; they generally worked on the streets or in agriculture.

Traffickers took advantage of the African tradition of placing children with relatives or friends in other regions or countries to advance the children's and the family's academic and economic prospects. Many parents throughout West and Central Africa were overwhelmed by the conditions of poverty and looked to the country with its new oil wealth as a good place for their children to earn money. Traffickers also preyed upon the cultural view of work as socialization and preparation for adulthood. Children usually started working in their own families' households by the age of six. Traffickers gained the confidence of parents in countries of origin by presenting themselves as successful people with the promise of improving the family's plight through apprenticeships and schooling. The traffickers were often well known and respected in the community, and they offered families the opportunity for supplementary income.

Concluding Observations Of The Committee On The Rights Of The Child (CRC) - 2004

[56] The Committee welcomes the State party’s ratification of ILO Conventions No. 138 and No. 182 in 2001 and takes note of the adoption in 2004 of the new law against smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons. Nevertheless, it remains concerned at the significant number of children, especially girls, working on the street and as domestic servants and about the lack of effective implementation of the labor laws and mechanisms to control child labor.

[58] The Committee is concerned at the growing number of child prostitutes in the streets of the State party’s capital. It is also concerned that the State party’s report lacks specific data on sexual exploitation and trafficking of children and information on legislation on sexual exploitation.

Equatorial Guinea reporting to the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) – 2005

www.againstsexualexploitation.org/news/?sec=crc-op1&lang=all&nav=&id=2005/06/29/10&iwithSession=fa511d42929534855d2d224e4c1244b4

SEXUAL TRAFFICKING - The Committee noted that sexual violence and trafficking has been reported in Equatorial Guinea. They also stated the need to raise awareness of the consequences of exploitation and as well as to apply international legal measures. The Delegation agreed that the area is one of great concern and authorities will be involved in international and regional initiatives.

Child Labor Increasing in Equatorial Guinea

Freedom House Country Report - Political Rights: 7 Civil Liberties: 7 Status: Not Free

Child Trafficking a Major Problem in Africa, Report Finds

Three nations in sub-Saharan Africa -- Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Sudan -- received a "Tier Three" or least favorable ranking in the report for failing to make reasonable attempts to end the exploitation of minors. In Equatorial Guinea, the report found, the government has not used the resources from its petroleum industry to do anything to alleviate the situation.

The Protection Project - Equatorial Guinea [DOC]

FORMS OF TRAFFICKING - Eighty-nine percent of African countries are affected by trafficking flows to and from other countries in Africa. In 34 percent of African countries, trafficking also takes place to Europe, and in 26 percent, trafficking flows to the Middle East. Half of Africa’s 53 governments admit that trafficking is a serious concern. Because those governments have little capacity to collect data; however, there are no reliable statistics on the problem. Eighty percent of countries on the continent have reported internal trafficking to meet a demand for cheap household and farm labor and prostitution. The number of African countries reporting trafficking in children is twice the number of those countries reporting trafficking in women.

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Cite this webpage as: Patt, Prof. Martin, "Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery - Equatorial Guinea", http://gvnet.com/humantrafficking/EquatorialGuinea.htm, [accessed <date>]

Human Trafficking in  [Equatorial Guinea]  [other countries]

Street Children in  [Equatorial Guinea]  [other countries]

Child Prostitution in  [Equatorial Guinea]  [other countries]