World Day against Trafficking in Persons: It all started with the case of 'Baby X'
Following the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, which is commemorated each year on July 30 - Sister Leonida Katunge appealed for men and women of goodwill to look into the dramatic issue of organ trafficking.
All that brings to mind the sad moments of past bitter experiences are not worthy of celebration. The Catholic Church commemorates the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, not to celebrate His death, but to call to mind the fact that through His death, salvation came into the world. This is the good side of a sad story that ends joyfully. But it is quite the opposite when dealing with cases of human trafficking, where most of the time, those involved face a sad ending.
The annual commemoration of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons is a moment in which we recognize the life and suffering of so many brothers and sisters who have been victims of trafficking in the world. Many of them suffer while being trafficked, especially after they survive. The wounds are physical, emotional, social, political, economic, and spiritual.
The theme of this year’s commemoration - “Leave no child behind in the fight against human trafficking” - reminds me of a sorrowful experience I had in May 2020. It was a day just like any other when received a call from an unknown number. I answered, and the person calling was a lady in distress. She informed me that she had been arrested by the police at the airport, but gave no reason for her arrest.
I made an appointment with her, and we met later that day. Strangely enough, her husband and her baby were with her. After introducing ourselves, I learned that the couple was from Croatia, and they had adopted their baby – who I will refer to as “Baby X” – from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The six-month-old baby had a Croatian passport bearing the names of his adoptive parents.
What struck me most was how the adoptive mother handled the baby with love and care. At first, I could not understand the story, as it seemed the couple had everything needed to take good care of a baby. They had toys, good clothing for the baby, food, and even an expensive baby carriage.
But despite what I saw, I had to make further inquiries only to learn that ‘Baby X’ had been kidnapped from the DRC to Kenya through Mozambique and Tanzania. According to the couple, the baby's aunt accompanied the infant to Kenya as the child’s mother was indisposed.
But the couple’s story did not add up, and upon further questioning, she told me the "truth," and I had to rescue Baby X’s life.
This is one of the many stories that I have encountered in my work in human trafficking. It is sad to note that many children and young people in the past decades were trafficked for sexual exploitation, benefits fraud, forced marriage, domestic slavery (like cleaning, cooking, and childcare), or forced labor in factories or agriculture. They are used to commit crimes, theft, working on cannabis farms or moving drugs, and even child pornography. The list goes on.
According to researcher Alireza Bagheri, "The demand for human organs has grown far faster than the supply of organs. This has opened the door for illegal organ trade and trafficking, including from children." It appears that the trafficking of children for organ harvesting has become a very lucrative business. This calls for immediate action as this is a crime of the highest level. The old and the elderly in Europe are actually key purchasers of these organs in order to prolong their lives!
An INTERPOL study on “Trafficking of Human Beings for the purpose of Organ Removal in North and West Africa,” published in 2021, showed that organ trafficking is "a form of trafficking in human beings that is suspected of largely affecting North and West Africa, where impoverished communities and displaced people might be more vulnerable to exploitation."
According to researchers Daniel Ogunniyi and Oladimeji Idowu, the most affected countries in West Africa are Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, and Ivory Coast. Of course, there are many other countries where this form of trafficking is taking place. According to the latest International Committee of the Red Cross figures, 64,000 missing person cases have been reported across Africa. If found, these people are often dead, and their vital organs have been removed.
It is time for the world to make a 180-degree turn and say, “Enough is Enough,” when it comes to child trafficking, especially from Africa.
I feel that the World Day against Trafficking in Persons should be both a day for those who have gone through the experience of being trafficked and also a day for those who are likely to be future victims of human trafficking. We should also recall the families, communities, and all who are near to those who have been involved in human trafficking.
It is also time for those parents who give their children to adoption to think of how the lives of their children might end up in the hands of cruel people who have no respect for human life.
No person, country, or organization can claim a monopoly in the war against trafficking in persons. It is time for all of us to come together and collaborate in this war if we want to win. If everyone says no to this crime, the world will be a free place, hence the need to work together to combat trafficking through legislation, awareness campaigns, victim support services, and international cooperation.
This day serves as a reminder of the respect for the dignity of the human person, especially children, and it further underscores the importance of sustained efforts, cooperation, and the collective responsibility to protect and support victims of trafficking.
Sister Leonida Katunge, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph, is a theologian, lawyer, grassroots organizer, and Director of Programs for the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network. Currently, she is working on a major project -- ‘‘If Silence Was to Speak: Unveiling the Hidden Wounds of Trafficking of Girls in Africa."