title: Child Trafficking and the Worst Forms of Child Labor in Sierra Leone
title: A Mixed Methods Study
titleType: Subtitle
Creators: name: Okech, David
name: Clay-Warner, Jody
name: Balch, Alex
name: Callands, Tamora A.
name: Yi, Hui
name: Cody, Anna M.
name: Bolton, Claire
Publisher: name: Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: FOS: Other social sciences
subject: child trafficking
subject: Sierra Leone
subject: mixed-methods
subject: prevalence
subject: child labor
subject: NSUM

description: CenHTRO [through its former APRIES initiative] in partnership with its Africa-based research partners, RAN and CMDA, conducted this baseline study in Sierra Leone between 2019 and 2020. Data were collected in Sierra Leone’s Eastern Province in Kailahun, Kenema and Kono districts. In total, 3,070 households were surveyed, and qualitative interviews were conducted with 23 young people (18-to-25-year-olds) who had experienced child trafficking, 17 parents/guardians of young people who had experienced child trafficking, and 15 key informants (including governmental officials, NGO staff, Child Protection Officers, and community leaders, such as paramount chiefs). In addition, 23 focus group discussions were held with community members and 1 focus group discussion was conducted with the National Anti-Trafficking Taskforce.

Selected key findings:

• The overall rate of child trafficking, based on direct prevalence estimates, was 33.0% in the Eastern Province among the household sample of children aged 5 – 17 years old. The highest rates of child trafficking were found in Kono (45.7%), followed by Kailahun (32.9%), and Kenema (26.6%). 

• The overall rate of child labor, based on direct prevalence estimates, was 36.2% in the Eastern Province among the household sample of children aged 5 – 17 years old. The highest rates of child labor were found in Kono (52.3%), followed by Kailahun (34.7%), and Kenema (28.8%).

• Across the Eastern Province, according to the household survey, 19.26% of child trafficking victims were reported as experiencing force, fraud, or coercion while being trafficked. Survivors and parents who were interviewed reported they were subjected to a number of methods used by traffickers to keep them in the situation of exploitation including: violence, abusive relationships, isolation, denial of basic needs, and psychological manipulation.

• Leaving or exiting the trafficking situation by getting help from family was most commonly reported among survivors interviewed for this study. Very few survivors and parents received help to exit from authorities (such as law enforcement). 

• Survivors reported that they had unaddressed needs post-trafficking which could increase their vulnerability to re-trafficking or exploitation.

Our research suggests that: 
1. Policy makers should strengthen initiatives which target programs for children at increased risk of trafficking, such as school aged children and children who have lost one or both parents. 
2. NGOs and governmental service providers should be supported and resourced adequately to provide comprehensive services to children and families and strengthen local prevention efforts. 
3. Building systems supportive of sustainable collaboration between community stakeholders (survivors, parents, paramount chiefs, councils of elders, local child welfare committees, mothers’ clubs) and government stakeholders is critical for effectively responding to and preventing child trafficking.