This policy paper is based on a United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) research study on "Human Trafficking, especially of Women and Children in Southern Africa (Lesotho, Mozambique, and South Africa)". It is intended to serve as a tool for advocacy and awareness-raising to fight human trafficking in South Africa, with concrete recommendations to be implemented by a wide range of actors working to fight human trafficking (including the government, international and local organisations). According to the report, South Africa is both a source and destination for victims of human trafficking. It states that prevention calls for an integrated and multi-sectoral approach that addresses migration and trafficking within the context of overall national and development policy. An integrated approach to combating trafficking through gender-sensitive and rights-based approaches to provide livelihoods for women needs to be explored.

The document proposes that while there is increased international attention to the problem of trafficking and governments, including South Africa, together with an array of stakeholders, are providing information, publicity campaigns, and training, the level of awareness in the population remains low. The common belief that "it cannot happen to me" apparently remains strong despite local familiarity with cross-border and internal trafficking. The offers of employment for young women and the offers to relocate young children into better circumstances are generally accepted at face value. Acquaintance with trafficking recruiters, who may well be neighbours or family, further reduces the acknowledgement of the trafficking risk.

The report suggests that media could play a role in documenting the means, actions, and outcomes of human trafficking, as part of prevention. It also recommends that civil society organisations establish community education programmes for the prevention of child abuse and trafficking, with children as the main actors of the programme. The initiative could consist of awareness-building in schools and other places through drama, songs, dance, sports, speeches, and debates on harmful cultural practices that discriminate against women, The reports also states that to secure the support of community leaders in the fight against trafficking, these leaders should be trained on gender issues in order to transform attitudes to gender roles and women’s rights.

The report makes the following recommendations related to research, awareness raising, and training:

• expand opportunities and improve access to formal education for women, girls, and boys at all levels and in non-conventional streams;
• ensure a match between better education and available job opportunities;
• incorporate gender and human rights concerns, such as trafficking, into school curricula;
• incorporate awareness and information into informal education activities, and in clubs, sports and religious groups, or other groups of children and youth;
• promote legal literacy in vulnerable communities and improve access to affordable legal assistance;
• provide legal update courses for law enforcement that include gender and rights training and relevant trafficking legislation information;
• conduct information campaigns that are targeted to high risk communities and focus on safe forms of migration;
• strengthen training for law enforcement personnel, immigration and customs officials, prosecutors and judges, labour inspectors, diplomats, teachers, and other relevant officials on trafficking prevention;
• introduce effective evaluation and monitoring of all training programmes in order to measure success, record lessons learned, and modify training accordingly; and
• develop "Training of Trainers" courses for organisations, civil authorities, and other community actors in order to extend outreach of awareness and information activities.

The report concludes that whatever strategies are developed to combat trafficking, women's rights need to be at the core of every strategy in all sectors and areas of activity. Unless women are equally situated and valued in terms of their social roles, they will remain vulnerable to trafficking and abuse. Awareness-raising and information, strong judicial systems and law enforcement, as well as victim protection and reintegration are crucial, complementary elements in the struggle, but remain insufficient without a strong human rights foundation.