Human trafficking can be contained if domestic violence is put under check, officials from the Gender and Family Promotion ministry have said. The officials were speaking at the closure of a month-long campaign aimed at combating gender based violence and human trafficking in Hindiro Sector, Ngororero District, Western Province on Wednesday. “Once children are mistreated at home, it becomes easier for human traffickers to lure them into the trade,” Anastasia Nyirabahinde, a child promotion and protection officer at the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, said. The 25-day campaign conducted in all the 30 districts of the country involved awareness campaigns on human trafficking through radio talk shows, visiting various schools, and peaceful marches, according to Alfred Karekezi, a family promotion and child promotion expert at the ministry. About 153 cases of human trafficking were registered between 2009 and October this year by police, with some of them involving traffickers who use Rwanda as a transit route for victims heading to other countries. The cases include 50 victims who were destined for Bangladesh and were rescued in Kigali and reunited with their families. Beatrice Mukasine, president of the National Women’s Council urged families to always solve domestic conflicts amicably and also adopt positive parenting skills to win the fight against human trafficking. Other aspects discussed during the campaign included child abuse, cohabiting, lavish weddings and other family functions. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
