“A scandalous industry”: Catholic Bishop on Human Trafficking in Southern Africa

Factors behind human trafficking in the countries of IMBISA, he said, “are the issues we need to talk about as the church.”

“All the causes point at poverty,” the Ugandan-born Catholic Bishop further said, adding that the victims of human trafficking are subjected to physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual torture, thus the need for the Church to intervene.

He said that in order to help the victims of human trafficking, there is a need to review the “human person in a holistic approach” as contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC).  

To look at the human person in a holistic approach “means that we have to look at the economic aspects in our countries. We have to look at our Catholic teachings about human dignity,” Bishop Kizito said.

The 55-year-old Catholic Bishop who has been at the helm of Aliwal Diocese since his Episcopal Ordination in February 2020 said that the Church needs to devise means of talking about human trafficking at the grassroots so as to create awareness among the people.

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The practice of human trafficking is shameful and made worse by the fact that even security agencies and immigration departments at the borders are promoting the vice, the Catholic Church leader said.

To address the menace of corruption and the involvement of departments at the affected border points, Bishop Kizito said that the Catholic Church needs to widen its network with genuine government agencies and also involve other religious organizations.

“We need to be aware of the legal support, the network we have and also collaborate with the department of home affairs so that we can engage them and ask them about their working conditions and terms,” he said.

The Catholic Bishop underscored the need for reaching out to families and learning institutions from the countries the victims are trafficked rather than just creating awareness in the countries they are trafficked to.

He acknowledged with appreciation shelters opened by women and men Religious to cater for victims of human trafficking and called for additional facilities.

Speaking at the same March 7 virtual event, the Coordinator of the Counter Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) of the SACBC highlighted the need to “do the education” on human trafficking targeting those who can “fall into the trap” considering that “the traffickers know how to approach vulnerable people.”

“A lot of work that I have been doing is on the protection side; it is education about human trafficking because if we don’t do the education, we will fall into the trap,” Sr. Melanie O’Connor said, adding, “I educate people on how to protect themselves against human trafficking.”

The Irish-born member of Holy Family (HF) Sisters added, “We are called to do much in the protection area and we need to go to schools and teach children on critical sense.” 

“We have to start now teaching children from a young age how to protect themselves,” Sr. O’Connor said March 7.

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.