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Human trafficking

Deepak Adhikari

in Nepal

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

The issue lends itself to powerful stories because of journey and associated hardships. I am also fascinated by people's trajectories, their choices and dreams, all factors that contribute to trafficking. The disparity between the country of origin and destination and the pull and push factors all make the story compelling. It's also a truly a cross-border story involving many countries and authorities and systems, which make it an issue worth exploring.

What are some of the most difficult trafficking stories to report on and why?

I find the story of traffickers fascinating yet very difficult to report. Usually victim narratives don't provide the fuller picture. But the trafficker or traffickers, who call the shots and arrange everything along the way, know way more than the victims. But journalists like me don't have much access to them (unless you pose as a would-be migrant, but the ruse can only take you so far). And the network of traffickers span several countries. I would like to investigate this, but you need seven members collaborating on it. So I find this aspect difficult to report.

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

I would like to learn about the whole network from the source country to destinations and the enablers along the routes: the transport agencies, the hotels, and restaurants. I feel that the travel and hospitality business and money exchanges or Hundi (informal money transfer services) play a key role in this trade, but it's not explored well.

Drug trafficking

Chippa Gonditii

in Zimbabwe

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

I cover trafficking issues because these are the kind of stories with a depth that actually highlights some of the social injustices happening in this world right now. And as one who adheres to the notion that "the pen is mightier than the sword", I personally believe that it is my moral obligation as a journalist to expose these social injustices.

What are some of the most difficult trafficking stories to report on and why?

The most difficult stories to report are drug abuse related stories because when interviewing addicts, one of the things that a journalist has to be careful is the unpredictability of drug users. This is normally the case with heavy drug users that I have encountered in Zimbabwe.

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

The biggest challenge that journalist face when covering trafficking issues is lack of funding. There are some stories that might require funding so that a journalist can cover all angles e.g travelling to other cities. However without adequate funding, some of these stories remain overlooked.

Sex trafficking

Bettie Kemah
Johnson-Mbayo

in Liberia

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

Trafficking in Liberia remains a major problem due to poor economic families not having basic needs for survival. There are specific two kinds of trafficking in Liberia that many families faced: domestic and international trafficking. The majority of kids selling along the streets or are prostituting is the result of the above. These stories must be told, traffickers must be investigated and punished. Reporting trafficking cases for me is to tell the stories of survivors, have the accused investigated, and ensure that the laws are reviewed to tackle trafficking.

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

Journalists need grants and editors to enable them to report these stories. Many trafficking stories are circulating in Liberia, but a journalist can not help but watch the increase of cases with little or no pay. If journalists are empowered, they can help tackle this menace. At the same time capacity building must be considered to equip the journalist in reporting on trafficking.

Wildlife trafficking

Denise Hruby

in Austria

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

These traffickers make people disappear. Their families don't know where they are, what happened to them, or if they're still alive. With wildlife trafficking - which is one of the most overlooked forms of trafficking - can often sense that people I interview don't see what difference it makes if a few hundred birds have been plucked from a forest, or if pangolins go extinct. But 1 million plant and animal species are currently threatened with extinction, and trafficking is one of the main reasons. Losing just one species can cause entire ecosystems to collapse, and many of them are vital for our own survival, too.

What are some of the most difficult trafficking stories to report on and why?

Some of the most difficult ones are those that have flown completely under the radar - the ones authorities are unaware of, where there are no case files and nobody has been sentenced. It's incredibly hard to get access and find sources, and to then corroborate the information.

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

Editors who understand how difficult these stories can be to report on, who have the experience to guide their reporters, and know that it'll take time. Trafficking stories are often investigative, and as such, it can take a lot of time and resources to report on them. For freelancers, this presents the issue of funding. Grants are often vital in getting things off the ground.

Labour trafficking

Mujib Habibza

in Afghanistan

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

They involve issues that harm human life and pose a potential threat to human life. From human trafficking to arms trafficking, drugs ultimately all affect the life of an individual individually and life of a group collectively. Trafficking is a chain threat to governments and communities.

What are some of the most difficult trafficking stories to report on and why?

The most difficult trafficking stories are human trafficking and drug trafficking.These two are more important because they play a direct role in generating revenue for extremist and terrorist groups. They use their trafficking income to finance violence and war in third world countries such as Afghanistan and are the biggest threats in a society.

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

Journalists reporting these issues need an adequate financial outlay, sufficient time for investigation, the support from human rights organizations, as well as the government support for ensuring the security of journalists in which territory the investigation takes place.

Trafficking has exploded as the world's biggest criminal issue

Trafficking has exploded as the world's biggest criminal issue

Trafficking has exploded as the world's biggest criminal issue

Trafficking has exploded as the world's biggest criminal issue

Trafficking has exploded as the world's biggest criminal issue

1 billion people worldwide have been estimated to be involved in or affected by trafficking.

The Journalism Centre on Global Trafficking aims to inform medias' understanding of human, labour, arms, drugs, and wildlife trafficking.

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Deepak Adhikari

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

What are some of the most difficult trafficking stories to report on and why?

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

Chippa Gonditii

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

What are some of the most difficult trafficking stories to report on and why?

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

Bettie Kemah
Johnson-Mbayo

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

Denise Hruby

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

What are some of the most difficult trafficking stories to report on and why?

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

Mujib Habibza

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

What are some of the most difficult trafficking stories to report on and why?

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

Ruchi Kumar

Maharashtra's sugarcane farms use bonded labor

Trafficking has exploded as the world's biggest criminal issue

Trafficking has exploded as the world's biggest criminal issue

Trafficking has exploded as the world's biggest criminal issue

Trafficking has exploded as the world's biggest criminal issue

Trafficking has exploded as the world's biggest criminal issue

1 billion people worldwide have been estimated to be involved in or affected by trafficking.

The Journalism Centre on Global Trafficking aims to inform medias' understanding of human, labour, arms, drugs, and wildlife trafficking.

JournalistTraining

MediaSupport

CapacityBuilding

CommunicationTools

Join our network!

Deepak Adhikari

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

What are some of the most difficult trafficking stories to report on and why?

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

Chippa Gonditii

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

What are some of the most difficult trafficking stories to report on and why?

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

Bettie Kemah Johnson-Mbayo

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

Denise Hruby

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

What are some of the most difficult trafficking stories to report on and why?

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

Mujib Habibza

Why do you cover trafficking issues?

What are some of the most difficult trafficking stories to report on and why?

What assistance do journalists reporting these issues need?

Journalist
Training

Media
Support

Capacity
Building

Communication
Tools

Bettie Kemah
Johnson-Mbayo