Human trafficking and smuggling are global challenges of our time, hurting millions of people and driving billions dollars to criminal organizations. Ethiopia is also a victim of this global phenomena. Many young Ethiopians transit through Djibouti, Egypt, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen as they emigrate seeking work in the Middle East and other parts of the world. In the process, some of them become stranded and exploited in their tiresome journey. They suffer detention, extortion, and abuses while some of them become victims of forced labour and sex trafficking.
We often hear reports that several young women are engaged in agonizing domestic servitude in the Middle East. Many Ethiopian women working in domestic service in the Middle East face severe abuses -- including physical and sexual assault -- denial of salary, sleep deprivation, withholding of passports by their employees, confinement, and even murder.
...