The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), has announced that human trafficking primarily targets women and girls. Statistics reveal that 90% of trafficked persons are youth, and among them, 75% are women and girls. This was disclosed during an awareness campaign held in the Burera District, Cyanika Sector.
RIB stated that this crime specifically targets women, girls, and youth between the ages of 18 and 30. This is because the labor they are forced into requires young, energetic individuals from whom traffickers expect to derive maximum profit. However, this issue concerns all Rwandans in general, highlighting the need for cooperation in establishing preventive measures.
Research conducted over the past five years, from 2019 to 2024, identified 297 individuals who were trafficked. The majority of these figures represent the youth, as 90% are young people while 10% are adults over the age of 30. Furthermore, within that 90% of youth, 75% (totaling 212 individuals) are female, while the remaining number is male.
Jean Claude Ntirenganya, an officer at the Rwanda Investigation Bureau in charge of crime prevention, stated that victims are lured with extraordinary promises of a better life. This is largely facilitated through technology, including various social media platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, WhatsApp, and others.
He said: “That is where many are deceived because those are the primary channels used by those seeking to take them into such activities. Additionally, they sometimes use people you know—someone you thought was a friend who is already abroad. You might think they went to seek a good fortune, whereas they actually met a tragic fate and are acting under duress, making you believe they succeeded when they did not.”
He continued: “A deceiver will never tell you the bad side; they only tell you incredible things, including good jobs with high salaries, good schools, and even marriage for young girls.”
The Mayor of Burera District, Solina Mukamana, urged residents that even though they live near the border, they must change their mindset and always travel through legal channels.
She said: “We must cross the border through legal means. When you travel, pass through the border post, but also remain very cautious, asking yourself: where is this person actually going?”
Some of the residents who attended the campaign left with resolutions to be more discerning when using social media and to actively prevent this crime.
Elisabetha Dusingizimana stated that she will no longer use social media carelessly and will instead be more analytical.
She said: “Any link that appears on Facebook or WhatsApp is not necessarily something to click on just because they claim to have found a job for you. I am telling everyone to first seek information about anything they see on those platforms.”
Jaqueline Nyiraneza resolved to sensitize her children and neighbors to avoid and prevent the crime of human trafficking. She plans to talk to them about how to avoid temptations, especially those encountered on social media, and she also decided that she must always cross the border at authorized points.
The Government of Rwanda continues to work for the wellbeing of its citizens, as significant efforts have been made to identify those trafficked abroad and bring them back to the country. Out of the 297 people trafficked in the last five years, 197 have been repatriated, and efforts to bring others back are ongoing. These 197 individuals were rescued from 114 different locations across various continents where they had been trafficked and subjected to inhumane torture. Among those repatriated, 183 are female and 14 are male. Additionally, 35 individuals were intercepted while in transit over the last five years.
The Government of Rwanda has also established measures to care for those returned to the country. Those with illnesses receive medical treatment, while those suffering from trauma are provided with care to help them return to a normal life and are supported in their daily livelihoods.
