Organizational Perspectives on Combatting Child Trafficking in Cote d’Ivoire: A National Survey

• In Event: Estimating and Understanding Child Trafficking in West Africa: Assessment Strategies and Methodological Challenges

Abstract

To support a bilateral government partnership to combat child trafficking in the western African country of Côte d’Ivoire, NORC at University of Chicago in partnership with University of Massachusetts Lowell and University of Chicago Illinois conducted a national survey of key stakeholders to understand how organizations and government entities perceive and respond to child trafficking in the country. This survey captured a wide range of critical viewpoints from pertinent community organizations and concerned government agencies, which provided much needed direction on where intervention services should be planned and deployed. For instance, the survey found that Abidjan, the capital city of the country, is a major hot spot for child trafficking, suggesting that it would be a fitting area to begin formative research activities and intervention development efforts overall. The survey also identified the districts in Abidjan where certain types of child trafficking may be more pronounced than other regions, such as child domestic work, forced begging, commercial sexual exploitation of children. The survey also found the country needed to enforce existing anti-trafficking laws but was hampered by insufficient funding and resources, leading to a lack of training among front-line actors such as law enforcement and judicial officials, labor inspectors, and social workers.

Authors

• Kareem Kysia, NORC at University of Chicago

• Alexandre Monnard, NORC at University of Chicago

• Mayumi Rezwan, NORC at University of Chicago

• Sheldon Zhang, University of Massachusetts Lowell