VZCZCXRO8416
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0170/01 0661325
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 071325Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1183
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0072
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0013
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0577
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0176
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 HARARE 000170 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR S. HILL 
AF/RSA FOR M. HARPOLE 
G/TIP FOR R. YOUSEY 
DEPT FOR G, INL, DRL, PRM 
DEPT PASS TO USAID FOR M. COPSON AND E. LOKEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN ELAB KFRD PREF SMIG
SUBJECT: TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (TIP) REPORT - ZIMBABWE 
 
REF: SECSTATE 202745 
 
THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PROTECT 
ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1. (SBU) This is Embassy Harare's response to questions in 
paragraphs 27-30 of SECSTATE 202745. 
 
-------- 
Overview 
-------- 
 
-- A. (SBU) Zimbabwe is a country of origin, transit and 
destination for internationally and domestically trafficked 
persons.  Women and young girls are the most at risk group 
for trafficking.  There were increasing reports that women 
and children were sexually exploited in towns along the 
border with South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia. 
Young women and girls are also reportedly lured out of the 
country to South Africa, China, Egypt, United Kingdom, Canada 
and Zambia with false employment opportunities.  There are no 
reliable statistics on the extent of the trafficking problem 
in the country. 
 
(SBU) Most information about trafficking comes from anecdotal 
reports.  The best source of information remains the Victim 
Friendly Unit (VFU) of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), 
the International Organization for Migration (IOM), United 
Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), and several non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs) working in the area of victim 
assistance.  IOM is currently undertaking a five-country 
(Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola, Namibia, and Botswana) regional 
study on trafficking as well as a Zimbabwe-specific study to 
examine the extent of child trafficking for sexual 
exploitation in the country.  The government also has 
requested that IOM participate in and provide funding for a 
comprehensive joint study on the trafficking problem in the 
country. 
 
-- B. (SBU) Although much work remains to be done, the 
government has nonetheless made progress in the past year in 
combating trafficking.  The government's most notable 
achievements of the past year include the following: 
established an inter-ministerial taskforce on trafficking; 
sentenced a woman to 48 months in jail for a trafficking a 
minor into prostitution; senior government officials attended 
an IOM anti-trafficking seminar; law enforcement, 
immigration, and social services officials attended training 
on identifying and assisting trafficking victims; Parliament 
ratified the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized 
Crime on March 30, 2006, which opens the way for Zimbabwe to 
become a party to its trafficking protocol; and senior 
government officials confirmed plans to draft domestic 
anti-trafficking legislation in 2007. 
 
(SBU) Key senior government officials demonstrate the 
political will necessary to comprehensively address the 
trafficking problem.  However, the lack of funding remains a 
serious impediment to enacting anti-trafficking programs. 
The government generally has a good working relationship with 
international organizations and NGOs on trafficking-related 
issues.  IOM, UNICEF and several NGOs reported that the VFU, 
immigration, and social welfare officers generally provided 
good cooperation on trafficking cases and refer trafficking 
victims for assistance in an expeditious manner. 
 
(SBU) The most at risk group for trafficking appears to be 
young adults and children (especially women and girls) 
experiencing economic hardship and seeking a better life. 
Reports of trafficking included: anecdotes from international 
organizations and NGOs of young girls from Zimbabwe and 
surrounding countries exchanging sex for passage into South 
Africa; Zimbabweans (usually young women) being lured out of 
the country with lucrative job offers or false marriage 
proposals; women and children transiting through Zimbabwe to 
South Africa primarily from Democratic Republic of Congo, 
Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia; children working as domestic 
 
HARARE 00000170  002 OF 010 
 
 
or agricultural workers in Zimbabwe; children trafficked from 
rural areas into cities for domestic servitude or 
prostitution; young girls trafficked from South Africa into 
Zimbabwe for domestic servitude; and employers demanding sex 
from undocumented Zimbabwean workers in South Africa, both 
adults and children, under the threat of deportation. 
 
Despite some positive signs, the worsening economic 
conditions, the increasing illegal immigration to surrounding 
countries, and the growing number of HIV/AIDS orphans and 
child-headed households places increasing numbers of 
individuals, especially children, at risk of exploitation. 
Unions and NGOs report that child labor is on the rise. 
Additionally, men, women and children continue to be 
adversely affected by the government's ongoing campaign of 
forced evictions and the demolition of homes and businesses 
in several cities and towns, albeit on a much lesser scale 
than during the government's infamous 2005 Operation Restore 
Order in which 700,000 lost their homes, their means of 
livelihood, or both. 
 
-- C. (SBU) The government continues to show interest in 
protection of victims, support of awareness campaigns, and 
investigation of trafficking cases.  Although the government 
lacks the necessary funds to carry out most anti-trafficking 
activities itself, it cooperates with efforts by IOM, UNICEF, 
and NGOs on these activities.  There remains, however, a 
general lack of understanding about trafficking across all 
government agencies, especially at the local level, and 
additional training and resources are required.  Overall 
corruption is not a problem in this area as it does not 
appear that government officials are involved in trafficking 
at any level. 
 
-- D. (SBU) The government does not systematically monitor 
its anti-trafficking efforts and periodically make 
information available either publicly or privately.  With the 
exception of the VFU, law enforcement agencies and 
prosecutor's offices do not appear to regularly share 
information or report on cases internally with other agencies 
or offices. 
 
---------- 
PREVENTION 
---------- 
 
-- A. (SBU) The government, including senior officials at law 
enforcement, immigration, and social welfare agencies, 
acknowledge that trafficking is a problem in the country. 
Senior government officials frequently speak out publicly 
about the dangers of trafficking, illegal migration, 
prostitution and exploitative labor conditions.  However, a 
few government officials are still not convinced that the 
country has a large or growing trafficking problem given the 
lack of quantifiable data. 
 
-- B. (SBU) In April 2006, the government established an 
inter-ministerial taskforce on trafficking, which includes 
representatives from Home Affairs, Justice, Information, 
Parliamentarian Affairs, Foreign Affairs, and Public Service, 
Labor and Social Welfare.  The VFU of the ZRP (under the 
Ministry of Home Affairs), a police unit that deals with 
children's and sexual abuse cases, has the lead on 
investigation and tracking of trafficking cases and referral 
of victims to support services.  The Department of Social 
Welfare (in the Ministry of Public Service, Labor and Social 
Welfare) also has several programs for children at risk.  The 
Department of Immigration (in the Ministry of Home Affairs) 
monitors borders and ports of entry for possible traffickers 
and victims.  The Ministry of Information collaborates on 
awareness campaigns funded by international organizations and 
local NGOs. 
 
-- C. (SBU) The state-run media continues to print and air 
messages about the dangers of illegal migration and that warn 
the public about false employment scams, underage and forced 
marriages, prostitution and exploitative labor conditions. 
 
HARARE 00000170  003 OF 010 
 
 
During the year, IOM placed awareness messages with the 
government-sponsored media and established a Safe Migration 
website. 
 
-- D. (SBU) The government is making efforts to address 
women's and children's issues through new legislation and 
social programs.  Parliament passed a Domestic Violence Bill 
in December 2006, which was enacted on March 2, 2007.  The 
bill includes an expanded definition of domestic violence 
that covers psychological and economic abuse.  It also 
streamlines the protection order process and imposes a legal 
duty on police to protect victims. 
 
(SBU) In the area of children's issues, UNICEF is managing a 
"pooled funding mechanism" for the "Project of Support," 
which provides funding to social welfare programs such as the 
National Action Plan (NAP) for Orphans and Vulnerable 
Children (OVC).  Objectives of the NAP are to strengthen 
coordination for OVC programs, increase the percentage of 
children with birth certificates (who are then able to access 
social services), increase school enrollment and retention, 
and increase access to food and basic services.  To date, the 
project has received commitments of more than US$70 million 
(over five years) from international donors. 
(SBU) The Department of Social Welfare continues to provide 
school fees and books through its Basic Education Assistance 
Module (BEAM) and Children in Difficult Circumstances (CDC) 
programs.  The BEAM program pays school fees and related 
expenses including books and uniforms for some 
underprivileged children and AIDS orphans.  Several child 
welfare advocacy groups, however, reported that BEAM and 
other government programs focusing on children were still 
under-funded given the level of need, and the government 
often used access to such programs as a political tool to 
reward supporters. 
 
(SBU) In October 2006, the Ministries of Public Service, 
Labor and Social Welfare and Education, Sport and Culture 
launched a joint program with UNICEF to implement the 
National Girls Education Plan which seeks to keep girls in 
school and address other cultural challenges such as early 
marriage, abuse and economic exploitation. 
 
(SBU) The Ministry of Public Service, Labor and Social 
Welfare is collaborating with the International Labor 
Organization (ILO), United Nations Development (UNDP), United 
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 
(UNESCO), UNICEF and IOM on the Elimination of the Worst 
Forms of Child Labor in Zimbabwe program that will begin in 
March 2007.  The program will address child labor issues and 
the implementation of ILO Convention 182, including 
identifying the worst forms of child labor in Zimbabwe and 
implementing activities pertaining to the prevention of child 
labor, protection of working children, rehabilitation of the 
victims and income generating measures (to make it 
cost-effective for families to release children from work). 
 
-- E. (SBU) The government generally has a good working 
relationship with international organizations and NGOs on 
trafficking-related issues.  Unlike in the previous year, 
there were no reports of government harassment of NGOs 
working on the trafficking issue.  IOM, Save the Children 
Norway and Girl Child Network have reported that the 
government (in particular the VFU of the ZRP, immigration and 
social welfare) has referred numerous trafficking victims for 
assistance and has demonstrated an interest in combating 
trafficking. 
 
-- F. (SBU) The Department of Immigration monitors for 
evidence of trafficking but does not maintain statistics. 
Senior government officials admit that the growing number of 
illegal migrants deported from South Africa and Botswana 
combined with a crippling lack of resources severely impede 
their ability to effectively screen for trafficking victims. 
According to GOZ data, South African authorities deported 
109,532 Zimbabweans in 2006--more than double the 49,788 
deported in 2005.  The IOM Reception Center for Zimbabweans 
 
HARARE 00000170  004 OF 010 
 
 
deported from South Africa in the border town of Beitbridge 
in Zimbabwe works closely with the Departments of Immigration 
and Social Welfare.  IOM Zimbabwe plans include adding an 
additional protection officer and building capacity to better 
screen for trafficking victims (pending funding). 
 
-- G. (SBU) The government established an inter-ministerial 
taskforce on trafficking in April 2006.  Additionally, the 
Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) Zimbabwe office 
recently established a "Human Trafficking Desk" to coordinate 
Zimbabwe's involvement in international trafficking 
investigations.  It is still not clear if there is adequate 
coordination between the inter-ministerial taskforce and the 
individual agencies involved in programs to combat 
trafficking.  The government does have a public corruption 
commission, but it under-funded and has yet to register any 
notable accomplishments. 
 
-- H. (SBU) The government has yet to develop a national plan 
of action to address trafficking in persons.  The 
inter-ministerial taskforce has requested that IOM 
participate in and fund a joint study to assess the problem 
in the country.  Additionally, during interviews for this 
report, key senior government officials seemed genuinely 
interested in receiving assistance and training to address 
the trafficking problem.  For example, the legal counsel to 
Parliament requested assistance in arranging for a 
trafficking expert to brief the parliamentarian portfolio 
committee for public service, labor and social welfare. 
Additionally, the Human Trafficking Desk at Interpol NCB 
Zimbabwe contacted IOM in January to request training and 
collaboration on anti-trafficking efforts. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
-- A. (SBU) The country does not have a law specifically 
prohibiting trafficking.  Senior government officials have, 
however, publicly stated their intention to enact 
comprehensive domestic anti-trafficking legislation in 2007. 
Parliament ratified the UN Convention Against Transnational 
Organized Crime on March 30, 2006 and it is now with the 
Ministry of Home Affairs pending the formal deposit of 
instruments of ratification at the UN.  According to the 
legal counsel to Parliament, the legislative body plans to 
take the necessary steps to ratify the UN protocol on 
trafficking and incorporate its provisions into domestic law 
during 2007. 
 
(SBU) Trafficking-related crimes are currently addressed 
under other legislation, primarily the Criminal Law 
(Codification and Reform) Act, the Immigration Act and the 
Labor Relations Amendment Act.  These laws criminalize 
transporting people across the border for sex, corruption of 
children and allowing children to reside in or to frequent a 
brothel, allowing children to consort with or be employed by 
prostitutes, and forgery of travel documents.  In addition, 
the Criminal Law Act prohibits abduction and the pledging of 
a female.  The constitution and labor law provide that no one 
may be held in slavery or servitude or be made to perform 
forced or compulsory labor. 
 
Zimbabwean legal experts consider these laws sufficient to 
cover both internal and external forms of trafficking for 
sexual exploitation.  Additionally, a victim can bring a 
civil suit against a trafficker under current law.  The 
Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act provides for victim 
restitution and compensation. 
 
-- B. (SBU) The Criminal Law Act provides for the following: 
 
-- Procuring another person for unlawful sexual conduct, or 
to become a prostitute whether inside or outside Zimbabwe, or 
to leave his or her usual place of residence to become an 
inmate or frequent a brothel is punishable by a fine, a 
maximum imprisonment of 2 years (10 years if the person 
 
HARARE 00000170  005 OF 010 
 
 
procured in under 16 years of age), or both. 
 
-- Coercing or inducing another person to engage in unlawful 
sexual conduct with another person by threat or intimidation 
is punishable by a fine, a maximum imprisonment of 5 years, 
or both. 
 
-- Detaining a person in a brothel or any other premises with 
the intention that the detained person should engage in 
unlawful sexual conduct is punishable by a fine, a maximum 
imprisonment of 1 year, or both. 
 
-- Allowing a person under 16 years of age to knowing enter 
an establishment for the purpose of engaging in unlawful 
sexual conduct is punishable by a fine, a maximum 
imprisonment of 7 years, or both.  If the person is below the 
age of 12, the act is punishable by a fine, a maximum 
imprisonment of 10 years, or both. 
 
-- A paren allowing a child under 18 years of age to becomea prostitute is punishable by a fine, a maximum imrisonment 
of 10 years, or both. 
 
-- Living offor facilitating prostitution is punishable by a 
ine, a maximum imprisonment of 2 years, or both. 
-- Solicitation of another person for prostitutionis 
punishable by a fine, a maximum imprisonment f 6 months, or 
both. 
 
-- Sexual intercourse or performing indecent acts with a 
person under 16 years of age is punishable by a fine, a 
maximum imprisonment of 10 years, or both. 
 
-- Pledging a female person for a forced marriage or to 
compensation for the death of a relative, or any debt or 
obligation is punishable by a fine, a maximum imprisonment of 
2 years, or both.  Any party to the marriage or arrangement 
may be charged as an accomplice. 
 
-- Forgery of a public document or corruptly using a false 
document is punishable by a fine, a maximum imprisonment of 
20 years, or both. 
 
-- C. (SBU) The Labor Relations Amendment Act provides for 
the following: 
 
-- Failure of an employer to protect employees' right to fair 
labor standards (including to pay any employee a wage lower 
than a prescribed minimum, to require an employee to work 
more than the maximum hours permitted by law, or to require 
any employee to work under any conditions or situation which 
are below prescribed standards) is punishable by a fine, a 
maximum imprisonment of 2 years, or both. 
 
-- Forced labor is punishable by a fine, 2 years' 
imprisonment, or both. 
 
-- Employment of a person under 15 years of age (unless as an 
apprentice who is over 13 years of age) is punishable by a 
fine, 2 years' imprisonment, or both. 
 
(SBU) The Labor Relations Amendment Act does not specifically 
include provisions for criminal punishment of labor 
recruiters who engage in recruitment of laborers using 
knowingly fraudulent or deceptive offers; for employers or 
labor agents who confiscate workers' passports or travel 
documents, switch contracts without the worker's consent as a 
means to keep the worker in a state of service, or withhold 
payment of salaries as means of keeping the worker in a state 
of service.  However, prosecutors may be able to use the fair 
labor standards provisions in the Labor Relations Amendment 
Act to pursue cases involving such activities. 
 
-- D. (SBU) Rape and aggravated indecent assault are 
punishable by life imprisonment.  Incarceration is mandatory 
for convictions for rape or forcible sexual assault, but 
 
HARARE 00000170  006 OF 010 
 
 
there is no minimum penalty.  The media frequently reports on 
rape cases and convictions.  Sentences usually vary from four 
years to fifteen years, depending on the circumstances of the 
crime. 
-- E. (SBU) Prostitution and the activities of brothel 
owner/operator, clients, pimps, and enforcers are 
criminalized (as defined in the Criminal Law Act).  During 
the year, there were several media reports regarding 
concerted efforts by police to halt prostitution throughout 
the country.  Police arrested both prostitutes and clients. 
 
-- F. (SBU) During the year, the government did investigate 
cases of trafficking and registered its first verifiable 
conviction.  The Ministry of Justice confirmed that in June 
2006 a magistrate's court in the capital city of Harare 
convicted a woman under the Criminal Law Act for procuring a 
person for the purposes of prostitution and sentenced her to 
48 months in jail, which she is currently serving.  The woman 
had promised the 16 year old daughter of a friend that she 
could secure her a lucrative job as a nurse but forced the 
girl in to prostitution. 
 
(SBU) In addition to the case cited above, there were 9 other 
persons identified as trafficking victims with cases under 
investigation by the ZRP or pending in the courts (Specific 
case details not for publishing): 
 
-- a 17 year old girl lured from Masvingo to Harare in 2005 
with a false job offer.  The girl was subjected to sexual 
exploitation and pornography.  She escaped and contacted the 
ZRP, who referred the girl to Girl Child Network for victim 
assistance.  A criminal case is pending in the Harare 
Magistrate's Court (CRB# 1408/06). 
 
-- a 14 year old orphan given by relatives to a Nigerian 
trafficker who forced her into prostitution in a brothel in a 
high-density suburb of Harare.  She escaped in August 2006 
and contacted the ZRP.  The Nigerian trafficker is in 
custody.  A criminal case is pending in the Harare 
Magistrate's Court (CRB# 1122/06). 
 
-- a 15 year old girl lured by a false job offer to South 
Africa in 2003.  She was taken to Mozambique and Zambia where 
she was forced into prostitution and pornography.  She 
escaped from the trafficker in August 2006 in Beitbridge, 
Zimbabwe while preparing to cross into South Africa.  She was 
referred by a local NGO to IOM in Beitbridge, who alerted the 
ZRP.  An investigation is ongoing. 
 
-- a 14 year old girl lured from the rural area of Mayambara 
to Chitungwiza with a false job offer.  She was subjected to 
sexual exploitation and pornography.  She escaped in August 
2006 and contacted the police.  An investigation is ongoing 
(RRB# 1571/06). 
 
-- 5 cases of minor girls pledged by relatives or local 
chiefs to settle obligations--in all cases the girls were 
forced into domestic servitude--several were sexually abused 
by the receiving party.  Investigations are ongoing. 
 
(SBU) The country does not have specific laws that 
criminalize the acts of labor recruiters who recruit laborers 
using knowingly fraudulent or deceptive offers or impose on 
recruited laborers inappropriately high or illegal fees or 
commissions that create a debt bondage condition for the 
laborer.  The constitution and labor law, however, provide 
that no one may be held in slavery or servitude or be made to 
perform forced or compulsory labor. 
 
-- G. (SBU) Most information about who is behind trafficking 
comes from anecdotal reports.  Traffickers involved with 
trafficking to South Africa and other surrounding countries 
appear to be freelance operators or small crime groups. 
There are reports that trafficking to the United Kingdom, 
China, Egypt and Canada involves larger organized trafficking 
syndicates.  Traffickers tend to target young adults and 
children (especially young women and girls) in desperate 
 
HARARE 00000170  007 OF 010 
 
 
economic circumstances with offers of lucrative jobs, 
modeling contracts or scholarship opportunities.  There is no 
evidence of any government involvement in or tolerance of 
trafficking at any level.  There is no information on where 
profits from trafficking are being channeled. 
 
-- H. (SBU) The government does investigate cases of 
trafficking; however, the lack of resources severely impedes 
its ability.  Law enforcement officials use active 
investigative techniques in trafficking investigations.  The 
domestic laws of the country allow for full use electronic 
surveillance, undercover operations, and mitigated punishment 
or immunity for cooperating suspects used by the government. 
 
-- I. (SBU) The government does not provide its own 
specialized training.  It did, however, take advantage of 
anti-trafficking seminars and training offered by IOM and 
NGOs.  During the year, IOM held one seminar on trafficking 
for senior government officials and four training sessions on 
how to identify and assist victims of trafficking offered for 
frontline officers from social services, law enforcement, 
immigration, and health care agencies. 
 
(SBU) In June 2006, the local NGO Girl Child Network launched 
an anti-trafficking prevention and protection project aimed 
at young girls.  During the year, Girl Child Network held two 
anti-trafficking workshops, which included local authorities. 
 
-- J. (SBU) The government does cooperate with other 
governments in the investigation and prosecution of 
trafficking cases.  The government has seconded ZRP officers 
to the Interpol NCB Zimbabwe office--two of which work on the 
Human Trafficking Desk.  During the year, the Interpol NCB 
Zimbabwe office cooperated on international trafficking 
investigations with Interpol NCB offices in Canada, Malawi, 
South Africa, United Kingdom and Zambia. 
 
(SBU) Additionally, the media reported that the government 
signed a letter of intent with the Government of Indonesia in 
August 2006 that includes an agreement to fight the 
prevalence of trafficking of women and children.  There are 
no reports of any meaningful activities resulting from this 
agreement. 
 
-- K. (SBU) There were no reports of extraditions or requests 
of extradition from Zimbabwe to other countries. There were 
reports in February that two Zimbabweans were arrested in the 
United Kingdom for what may prove to be trafficking; however, 
there is no information that the Zimbabwean Government has 
requested extradition of the accused.  The government has 
extradition treaties with countries in the region. 
 
-- L. (SBU) There is no evidence of government involvement in 
or tolerance of trafficking, on a local or institutional 
level. 
 
-- M. (SBU) Not applicable per response to question L above. 
 
-- N. (SBU) There is no known child sex tourism problem.  The 
country's sexual crimes laws do have extraterritorial 
coverage.  There are no reports of any prosecutions or 
convictions under the extraterritorial provisions. 
 
-- O. (SBU) The government ratified ILO Convention 182 on 
December 11, 2000.  The government ratified ILO Conventions 
29 and 105 on August 27, 1998.  Parliament ratified the UN 
Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime on March 30, 
2006 and it is now with the Ministry of Home Affairs pending 
the formal deposit of instruments of ratification at the UN. 
According to the legal counsel to Parliament, the legislative 
body plans to take the necessary steps to ratify the UN 
protocol on trafficking and incorporate its provisions in to 
domestic law during 2007.  The government has not signed the 
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the 
Child on the sale of children. 
 
------------------------------------ 
 
HARARE 00000170  008 OF 010 
 
 
PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS 
------------------------------------ 
 
-- A. (SBU) The government has shown an increasing interest 
in assisting victims.  Although the government does not have 
sufficient resources to provide for the protection of victims 
itself in most cases, it cooperates with international 
organizations and NGOs that provide such services.  The ZRP 
and Department of Immigration have a mechanism for referring 
victims of trafficking to victim support.  An IOM contact 
reported that law enforcement, immigration and social welfare 
officials usually refer potential victims in an expeditious 
manner. 
 
(SBU) The Ministry of Public Service, Labor and Social 
Welfare directly operates programs in 3 districts to provide 
orphans and vulnerable children with basic food assistance, 
support for school fees, counseling for victimizes children, 
HIV/AIDS education and medical assistance.  Additionally, 
UNICEF announced in February that it had received commitments 
for over $70 million over five years from international 
donors to support NAP for OVC programs. 
 
(SBU) The Department of Social Welfare (under The Ministry of 
Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare) works closely with 
IOM and Save the Children Norway to provide protection for 
children deported from South Africa received at the IOM 
Reception Center in Beitbridge, Zimbabwe.  Additionally, the 
district council of Beitbridge has a dedicated child 
protection officer and convenes a child protection committee. 
 
-- B. (SBU) The government cooperated in the establishment 
the IOM Reception Center for Zimbabweans deported from South 
Africa, which opened in May 2006.  The Department of 
Immigration uses a building at the IOM Reception Center for 
processing deportees and requires that all deportees receive 
an IOM briefing on safe migration. 
 
-- C. (SBU) Whenever any government official, usually police 
or immigration, becomes aware of potential trafficking 
victims, the official alerts the VFU of the ZRP, which then 
alerts one of the international organizations or NGOs 
(usually IOM, Save the Children Norway or Girl Child Network) 
to provide victim assistance services.  Some victims come to 
attention of the international organizations or NGOs first, 
in which case VFU is alerted.  VFU officers interview the 
victim and refer him or her to shelter, health care, 
counseling, and reintegration services arranged and paid for 
by IOM or an NGO.  VFU and IOM officers also may jointly 
interview victims when appropriate. 
 
(SBU) During the year, the Zimbabwean Embassy in South Africa 
referred 2 trafficking victims to IOM's Southern Africa 
Counter-Trafficking Program (SACTAP). 
 
-- D. (SBU) The government generally respects the rights of 
trafficking victims and usually refers a potential victim to 
IOM or an NGO in an expeditious manner. 
 
-- E. (SBU) The government encourages victims to assist in 
the investigation and prosecution of traffickers.  However, 
the lack of resources impedes the ability of the police to 
pursue many cases.  Foreign victims of trafficking are 
offered relief from deportation while they receive victim 
support services and while their cases are being 
investigated.  The Chief of Immigration may offer a temporary 
employment permit at his discretion. 
 
-- F. (SBU) The government refers victims to international 
organizations and NGOs to provide all forms of victim 
assistance, including shelter, medical and psycho/social 
care, rehabilitation and reintegration. 
 
-- G. (SBU) The government does not provide its own 
specialized training, but did take advantage of 
anti-trafficking seminars and training offered by IOM and 
NGOs.  During the year, IOM held one seminar on trafficking 
 
HARARE 00000170  009 OF 010 
 
 
for senior government officials and four training sessions on 
how to identify and assist victims of trafficking offered for 
frontline officers from social services, law enforcement, 
immigration, and health care agencies. During the year, Girl 
Child Network project held two anti-trafficking workshops, 
which included local authorities. 
 
-- H. (SBU) The government does not have the resources to 
provide protection, medical aid, shelter, or financial help 
to repatriated nationals who are victims of trafficking but 
refers such cases to IOM for such assistance. 
 
-- I. (SBU) The government generally has a good working 
relationship with international organizations and NGOs on 
trafficking-related issues.  IOM, UNICEF, Save the Children 
Norway and Save the Children UK regularly meet with 
government officials to discuss children's issues.  IOM also 
regularly meets with Zimbabwean and South African government 
officials to discuss immigration issues, including 
trafficking.  IOM, Save the Children Norway and Girl Child 
Network have reported that the government has referred 
numerous trafficking victims for assistance and demonstrated 
an interest in combating trafficking.  The government also 
cooperates with efforts by UNICEF and a local NGO, Streets 
Ahead, to provide counseling and reunification services for 
street children referred to orphanages or juvenile detention 
centers. 
 
(SBU) IOM's SACTAP program operates in six countries in the 
SADC region, including Zimbabwe.  The SACTAP program includes 
victim assistance and rehabilitation, institutional capacity 
building, research and data collection, and information and 
awareness raising activities.  IOM Zimbabwe also runs a 
hotline that receives inquiries and reports from the public 
on migration related issues and is planning to establish a 
second hotline this year dedicated to trafficking. 
 
(SBU) IOM, UNICEF, Save the Children Norway, and Save the 
Children UK work with trafficking victims through local NGO 
partners.  NGOs include Connect (training for counselors of 
abuse victims), Corridors of Hope (HIV/AIDs education and 
counseling), Childline (children's crisis hotline), Streets 
Ahead (counseling and shelter for children), Girl Child 
Network (shelter, skills building, and counseling for abused 
girls), Musasa Project (shelter and counseling for domestic 
abuse and trafficking victims), and The Center (counseling 
for HIV/AIDS patients). 
 
(SBU) Girl Child Network and Save the Children Norway report 
that the relationship with local authorities varies by 
location.  In some areas, officials are difficult to work 
with because they do not understand trafficking or deny any 
problem exists.  In other areas, officials are very 
cooperative and eager to receive training and other 
assistance in building capacity.  IOM and UNICEF report 
generally good cooperation from the government. 
 
(SBU) Senior government officials demonstrate the political 
will necessary to comprehensively address the trafficking 
problem; however, the lack of funding remains a serious 
impediment to enacting anti-trafficking programs.  Zimbabwe 
is in the seventh year of steep economic decline and the 
government lacks funding to provide even the most basic 
public services.  There is an estimated 80 percent 
unemployment in the formal sector.  According to officil 
figures, annual inflation is slightly more tha 1,500 percent 
(many experts put inflation at mor than twice that amount). 
Labor unrest is growin, including in the police and military 
ranks.  Te worsening economic conditions are driving a 
masive exodus out of the country and illegal migratin is on 
the rise. 
 
(SBU) The economic challenges are particular difficulties at 
the operational level.  During the year, the media frequently 
reported on law enforcement's shortage of functioning 
vehicles, equipment and fuel.  The Criminal Investigative 
Department (CID) of the ZRP told us that the unit does not 
 
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have sufficient funds to pay for basic undercover work or 
confidential informants.  The VFU of the ZRP reported that it 
 
SIPDIS 
needs additional human resources and facilities throughout 
the country, especially in border towns. 
 
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Contact Information 
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¶2. (U) Post point of contact for trafficking in persons is 
Scott C. Higgins; office phone 263-4-250-593, extension 321; 
fax 263-4-253-000; e-mail HigginsSC@state.gov.  The estimated 
hours spent per officer in preparation of this report are as 
follows: poloff 40 hours, polasst 5 hours, polchief 3 hours, 
DCM 1 hour review, AMB 1 hour review. 
DELL