Exploring Policy Issues on the Trafficking of Women in Southern Africa with Reference to Zimbabwe

Following the socio-economic and political problems that ensued after the Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) in Zimbabwe, instances of human trafficking previously unseen on a large scale have sparked a newfound interest among policy makers and researchers. This article examines the flawed system provided by the Zimbabwean Trafficking in Persons Act No. 4 of 2014 for the protection of victims of human trafficking. It argues that the “Palermo Protocol”—the international instrument against all trafficking in persons is well-equipped to assume greater responsibility in ensuring the protection of victims. Although the Palermo Protocol is a universal protocol; which should be contextualised to suit various scenarios in which trafficking occurs across the globe, it may still be reasonably interpreted as providing the core principles which are vital to the protection of vulnerable populations from trafficking. Over the long haul, a new Zimbabwean Act, re-aligned with the Palermo Protocol, yet flexible, anti-trafficking partnerships between the government, Non-governmental Organisations and Civil Society remain the most viable solutions to addressing this predicament