The scourge of human trafficking continues to plague Africa, with millions of individuals falling victim to forced labor, sexual exploitation, and modern slavery every year. A recent report by the African Crime Index has shed light on the top 10 African countries with the highest human trafficking rates, with Eritrea, Burundi, and Libya ranking highest.

Human trafficking is a multifaceted problem fueled by poverty, unemployment, political instability, armed conflict, and weak governance. The report highlights the complexity of the issue, with Africa being both a source and destination for human trafficking, and traffickers exploiting people within the continent and transporting victims across international borders.

The 2024 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report by the U.S. Department of Justice revealed a notable increase in victim identification and trafficking convictions between 2022 and 2023. In 2023, 133,943 victims were identified, up from 115,324 in 2022, while convictions rose from 5,577 to 7,115 during the same period.

An analysis of data by geographical regions reveals distinct patterns in trafficking across Sub-Saharan Africa. Child trafficking is more frequently identified in West Africa, while East and Southern Africa report higher proportions of adult victims. East African nations predominantly detect adult males, whereas Southern African countries report higher numbers of trafficked women.

Domestically, victims are often exploited in sectors such as agriculture, mining, and domestic work. Children represented more than 75% of trafficking victims detected in West Africa. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director, Ghada Waly, noted that "although found in every country and every region, trafficking in persons remains a hidden crime, with perpetrators operating in the dark corners of the internet and the underbelly of the global economy to entrap victims for sexual exploitation, forced labor, domestic servitude, and other forms of exploitation."

The table below ranks African countries with the highest human trafficking index score:

The Department of State classifies countries into four tiers based on their efforts to meet the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) minimum standards. Several nations demonstrated meaningful progress in combating human trafficking, with Algeria, Chad, Guinea-Bissau, and Curaçao advancing from Tier 3 to the Tier 2 Watch List, while the Republic of Korea and Suriname moved from Tier 2 to Tier 1.

The TIP Report also places greater emphasis on prevention strategies, particularly those targeting demand reduction, as a key factor in determining a country's tier ranking. As the fight against human trafficking continues, it is essential for governments, international organizations, and civil society to work together to combat this complex issue and protect the millions of individuals affected every year.

The alarming rates of human trafficking in Africa highlight the need for increased efforts to combat this complex issue. It is crucial for governments, international organizations, and civil society to work together to protect the millions of individuals affected every year and to bring perpetrators to justice.

As the UNODC Executive Director, Ghada Waly, noted, "trafficking in persons remains a hidden crime," and it is essential to shed light on this issue to combat it effectively. The report's findings serve as a call to action for all stakeholders to work together to combat human trafficking and protect the vulnerable individuals affected by this scourge.