The Use of Communication Technology in Trafficking and Counter-Trafficking of Women in Ghana.

Abstract

Globally, human trafficking remains a significant issue that troubles all actors in the international sytem. This business of human trade entails the conscription, transport, harbouring and exploitation of persons and prevails because of the substantial profit they yield. Worldwide women constitute about 71 per cent of trafficked victims, and in Africa, they make up 55 per cent of these victims. The principal form of exploiting these women is sexually, and forced labour is next in ranking. In society’s socio-economic and political transformation, technology has become a compelling force. With the growth in technological innovation, the revolution of the world into a single unit has intensified. Anchored on the concept of globalization and the study sought to assess the two-dimensional role played by communication technology in the trafficking of women in Ghana. In evaluating this, the communication technology tools employed by traffickers during the various stages of trafficking was explored using the Action-Means-Purpose model; also an analysis of whether the existing counter-measures have been successful in addressing trafficking in Ghana was done using preventive measures (prosecutions and awareness) and security and collaboration as the benchmarks; finally the study explored how communication technology can be used to counter human trafficking in Ghana. A critical qualitative analysis of both primary and secondary data formed the basis of the study’s conclusions. The approach used to gather primary data was via face-to-face semi structured interviews with purposely selected informants from anti-trafficking agencies and people with lived experience. The study found that despite government’s efforts to counter-trafficking, the clandestine and enhanced platform communication technology provides for traffickers has made the eradication process quite cumbersome. However, the government has leveraged on this same resource to help fight the menace. The study recommends that tools of communication technology such as social media should be utilized efficiently to fight trafficking of women and actors like NGO’s, tech-companies and religious leaders in Ghana should also tap into the communication technology resource to contribute to counter-human trafficking.