United Nations Radio

A new survey conducted for six months has found that South Africa is facing the problem of trafficking in people within the country.

The study, entitled "No Experience Necessary: The Internal Trafficking of Persons in South Africa" was released Friday by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and USAID.

It is the first survey research on internal trafficking in children, women and men for labour and sexual exploitation within South Africa.

It found that most of the victims of trafficking are from rural areas, where unemployment and poverty increase their vulnerability.

IOM spokesperson Jemini Pandya says children who have lost parents to AIDS are likely to be victims of recruitment for trafficking.

"Other key findings are that women are as likely to be recruiters as men and that children are recruited for different types of forced labour, including street vending, domestic servitude as well as sexual exploitation through false promises of accommodation and income."

The report identifies the South African provinces of Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Limpopo as the main areas of recruitment of victims of internal trafficking.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

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