Political Impact of Human Trafficking
Basically every country in the world today is affected by trafficking for sexual exploitation or forced labour. Human trafficking has been identified as the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. South Africa and Madagascar are known as source countries for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. Bad economic situations can cause people to be even more vulnerable to trafficking. In Madagascar, reports have indicated that sex and labor trafficking have increased, particularly due to the signnificant lack of economic development. Also, the decline in the power the government had during the current political crisis, which began in March 2009, contributed to the increase of trafficking. The U.S. has reported that Madagascar's government has done nothing to crack down and try to stop the importing and exporting of thousand of women into forced labor and abuse.
South Africa Trafficking in Persons Report
In the Trafficking in Persons Report, countries are placed in tiers, based on their efforts they have gone through in dealing with human trafficking. With four tiers, Tier 3 is for those countries that have not done anything to try and deal with human trafficking. Tier 2 Watch List includes those countries which have partially created and attempted some legislative measures to help stop the ongoing trafficking. South Africa has been placed on Tier 2 Watch List for the fourth consecutive year for its failure to show increasing efforts to address trafficking. Over the past year, the Government of South Africa has not provided enough information on trafficking crimes that they have investigated or convictions that they have lead. They have also not provided data on their efforts to protect victims of human trafficking.
Political Initiatives
Human Trafficking is a very big social issue in South Africa and in Madagascar. There are initiatives that have been taken to help counter human trafficking. South Africa has been active in treaties and movements to bring an end to human trafficking, which will bring punishment to those that are involved in the trafficking of persons. South Africa is considered a country of destination and transit for victims of trafficking. This reputation makes it a requirement for them to try to make their initiatives as public as they can.