Causes and Consequences of Human Trafficking: A Case Study of the Youth of Addis Ababa

Abstract

The issue of Human Trafficking has become one of the alarming issues in Ethiopia as it is highly prevalent. This practice has increased recently and the youth are deceived and sometimes coerced into migrating to the Middle East countries without adequate protection from abuse and exploitation. The general objective of this study is to evaluate the causes and consequences of Human Trafficking based on the case of the Youth in Addis Ababa. Two types of Research Design are employed: Explanatory Research Exploratory Research. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are applied; and primary and secondary sources of information are employed. The major tools utilized are case study, interview, and self administered questionnaire. The target populations chosen for this study are those human trafficking victims that have been saved or returned to Ethiopia. The target population is 1200 and due to financial difficulties, one-third of the sample size (which is 97 respondents) was involved in the study. The study has identified different economic, social and cultural factors as main causes of trafficking. Such factors as poverty, the desire to improve one’s life, lack of opportunity and low payment for domestic work were mentioned by the informants as main causes of trafficking in Ethiopia. Added to this, migration policy of countries, promises of steady employment, pressure from the society, success stories told by migrants, low level of education, failure in education, forced marriage and abusive family conditions were also among the socio-cultural factors identified in the study as contributing factors to trafficking. The study has also sought to explore the trafficking process and the multifaceted problems being faced by the trafficking victims in the process. In this study it is discovered that trafficked persons experience multifaceted problems in the trafficking process, starting from their place of origin till they reach the destination country.